4 ms·

Let’s be honest: the only reason Fuschia exists, is so Google can ship a Android-platform 100% free of GPL-code in the future. There’s nothing in it for anyone

Let’s be honest: the only reason Fuschia exists, is so Google can ship a Android-platform 100% free of GPL-code in the future. There’s nothing in it for anyone else.

q3k 8y ago
I think Fuchsia exists mostly to keep talented OS research people busy and make them stay at the company.
- max76 8y ago
  It would be an awful waste of talent if it's just busy work.
  - glangdale 8y ago
    The argument exists (I'm not saying it's true) that Google hoovers up the smartest people to stop them making another Google. People used to make the same argument about Microsoft.
    - pjmlp 8y ago
      I don't remember the source, so I might be making this up, I kind of remember Bill Gates stating that they would rather hire someone and keep them busy as letting them work for the competition.
      - glangdale 8y ago
        I have a similar vague memory. That being said, that also works as a pretty good post hoc justification for having some guys randomly doing research and not really delivering what you hoped they'd deliver ("Hey, at least they didn't go off and make another Microsoft!").
    - vfclists 8y ago
      That is why today we have Java and its IDEs instead of Smalltalk and its evolvents like StrongTalk
vardump 8y ago
Fuchsia is a pretty nice and clean design. I do see other use for it as well. Although I'm a little worried about driver performance, especially in cases when there's just ~100 microseconds time for the driver to react.
vinkelhake 8y ago
How is Android limited by GPL?
- hakfoo 8y ago
  It limits Google's abilities to force bundling of their revenue-generating and platform-psitioning components. Giving Android away to OEMs is in large part a vector to get the Play store, Chrome, Maps, and their monetizable services and data scarfing on the device. But some OEMs don't bundle everything. Think of the de-Googled Android variant ran by the Kindle Fire series, or the Chinese phones that include local stores and service providers that work there instead. Google can try to bludgeon them into playing ball with the trademark and various over-the-top agreements, but they can't stop them from saying "We'll take AOSP and make our own version and call it FireOS." With full licensing control up and down the stack, they can close that door much tighter.
- pjmlp 8y ago
  GPL forces a certain level of contributions back to their authors, Apache and MIT (which Android uses) none at all. Also, similarly to Apple, GCC just got removed from Android. Only the kernel is left.

Let’s be honest: the only reason Fuschia exists, is so Google can ship a Android-platform 100% free of GPL-code in the future. There’s nothing in it for anyone else.

q3k 8y ago

I think Fuchsia exists mostly to keep talented OS research people busy and make them stay at the company.

max76 8y ago
It would be an awful waste of talent if it's just busy work.
- glangdale 8y ago
  The argument exists (I'm not saying it's true) that Google hoovers up the smartest people to stop them making another Google. People used to make the same argument about Microsoft.
  - pjmlp 8y ago
    I don't remember the source, so I might be making this up, I kind of remember Bill Gates stating that they would rather hire someone and keep them busy as letting them work for the competition.
    - glangdale 8y ago
      I have a similar vague memory. That being said, that also works as a pretty good post hoc justification for having some guys randomly doing research and not really delivering what you hoped they'd deliver ("Hey, at least they didn't go off and make another Microsoft!").
  - vfclists 8y ago
    That is why today we have Java and its IDEs instead of Smalltalk and its evolvents like StrongTalk

vardump 8y ago

Fuchsia is a pretty nice and clean design. I do see other use for it as well. Although I'm a little worried about driver performance, especially in cases when there's just ~100 microseconds time for the driver to react.

vinkelhake 8y ago

How is Android limited by GPL?

hakfoo 8y ago
It limits Google's abilities to force bundling of their revenue-generating and platform-psitioning components. Giving Android away to OEMs is in large part a vector to get the Play store, Chrome, Maps, and their monetizable services and data scarfing on the device. But some OEMs don't bundle everything. Think of the de-Googled Android variant ran by the Kindle Fire series, or the Chinese phones that include local stores and service providers that work there instead. Google can try to bludgeon them into playing ball with the trademark and various over-the-top agreements, but they can't stop them from saying "We'll take AOSP and make our own version and call it FireOS." With full licensing control up and down the stack, they can close that door much tighter.
pjmlp 8y ago
GPL forces a certain level of contributions back to their authors, Apache and MIT (which Android uses) none at all. Also, similarly to Apple, GCC just got removed from Android. Only the kernel is left.