10 ms·

The Pixel 1's kernel and drivers are no longer maintained upstream.

by Paianni 6y ago

dmitrygr 6y ago
which is irrelevant for this userspace-only fix
samoa42 6y ago
are you saying google cannot afford to maintain it/them?
- Paianni 6y ago
  Basically they could maintain the Android environment but it wouldn't mean much because the system's still not safe, and won't be unless the device gets a new kernel + rebuilt drivers.
  - pjmlp 6y ago
    Which they could easily do with support contract requirements. I assume Google can afford a couple of lawyers.
fulafel 6y ago
Do you mean there's a Linux tree upstream of Google but downstream from Linus who have stopped work outside of Google control?
- Paianni 6y ago
  It's all dependant on Linus' version being maintained.
- DCKing 6y ago
  Yes, sort of. Google depends on Qualcomm to make updated drivers, as Qualcomm owns the intellectual property. All Pixel phones are based on a Qualcomm platform. Qualcomm stops supporting their processors after a few years, usually three. They can make more money by selling new chips. Although I say this cynically, Qualcomm is actually the best third party vendor in this regard.
  - pjmlp 6y ago
    There is this little legal thing called support contracts that Google could easily make use of for their devices, if they actually cared.
    - DCKing 6y ago
      Since Google supports Pixel devices longer than the three years Qualcomm gives or used to give, they're probably already doing that. Not saying they care enough, but they care more than any vendor besides Apple.
      - fulafel 6y ago
        Do they? I thought they do max(3 years from launch, 18 months after sales ends in Google store), which usually amounts to 3 years. Edit: J"ust like their predecessors, they'll get Android security updates for three years, until October 2022." says Android Police. Considering most people don't buy it at launch, this amounts to 2-ish years of support on average.
  - fulafel 6y ago
    They must have the source code for any chipset vendor kernel drivers due to the GPL so they could keep producing security patches, or require them contractually. Some other Linux vendors keep supporting old ketnel versions for 10+ years after all.
    - DCKing 6y ago
      Linux kernel drivers don't have to be GPL though. There exist plenty of closed source drivers for GNU/Linux. The "kernel" on Android devices are a small open source kernel and a huge amount of closed source blobs for wireless connectivity, sensors and the GPU.
      - fulafel 6y ago
        That legal interpretation has been contested a lot. In any case that wouldn't be a blocker for providing security patches to the kernel, just like other LTS Linux distributions do.

The Pixel 1's kernel and drivers are no longer maintained upstream.

dmitrygr 6y ago

which is irrelevant for this userspace-only fix

samoa42 6y ago

are you saying google cannot afford to maintain it/them?

Paianni 6y ago
Basically they could maintain the Android environment but it wouldn't mean much because the system's still not safe, and won't be unless the device gets a new kernel + rebuilt drivers.
- pjmlp 6y ago
  Which they could easily do with support contract requirements. I assume Google can afford a couple of lawyers.

fulafel 6y ago

Do you mean there's a Linux tree upstream of Google but downstream from Linus who have stopped work outside of Google control?

Paianni 6y ago
It's all dependant on Linus' version being maintained.
DCKing 6y ago
Yes, sort of. Google depends on Qualcomm to make updated drivers, as Qualcomm owns the intellectual property. All Pixel phones are based on a Qualcomm platform. Qualcomm stops supporting their processors after a few years, usually three. They can make more money by selling new chips. Although I say this cynically, Qualcomm is actually the best third party vendor in this regard.
- pjmlp 6y ago
  There is this little legal thing called support contracts that Google could easily make use of for their devices, if they actually cared.
  - DCKing 6y ago
    Since Google supports Pixel devices longer than the three years Qualcomm gives or used to give, they're probably already doing that. Not saying they care enough, but they care more than any vendor besides Apple.
    - fulafel 6y ago
      Do they? I thought they do max(3 years from launch, 18 months after sales ends in Google store), which usually amounts to 3 years. Edit: J"ust like their predecessors, they'll get Android security updates for three years, until October 2022." says Android Police. Considering most people don't buy it at launch, this amounts to 2-ish years of support on average.
- fulafel 6y ago
  They must have the source code for any chipset vendor kernel drivers due to the GPL so they could keep producing security patches, or require them contractually. Some other Linux vendors keep supporting old ketnel versions for 10+ years after all.
  - DCKing 6y ago
    Linux kernel drivers don't have to be GPL though. There exist plenty of closed source drivers for GNU/Linux. The "kernel" on Android devices are a small open source kernel and a huge amount of closed source blobs for wireless connectivity, sensors and the GPU.
    - fulafel 6y ago
      That legal interpretation has been contested a lot. In any case that wouldn't be a blocker for providing security patches to the kernel, just like other LTS Linux distributions do.