4 ms·

True, but iOS isn't involved here. What's involved is that Google has repeatedly promoted Android as an 'open' platform, but now has decided that actually being

by kylec 16y ago

True, but iOS isn't involved here. What's involved is that Google has repeatedly promoted Android as an 'open' platform, but now has decided that actually being open is no longer in their interest.

bad_user 16y ago
I don't think there's any platform that can be used as a distribution medium and that doesn't come with strings attached. Even stuff licensed under GPL comes with strings attached. And there are inherent disadvantages to being open, which Google is trying to mitigate here, and they have been doing this ever since Android launched (people have short memories or simply bad attitudes -- Android's source code wasn't released from the start). If anything Google's behavior is actually consistent.
- rbarooah 16y ago
  Google's behavior is consistent with their past behavior, but not consistent with what their words. That's pretty much the definition of hypocrisy.
  - bad_user 16y ago
    Bullshit -- define "open". Also, when referring to "their words" some references are required ;)
    - rbarooah 16y ago
      Here: "We wanted to make sure that there was no central point of failure, so that no industry player can restrict or control the innovations of any other. That's why we created Android, and made its source code open." (from: http://source.android.com/ http://source.android.com/) Are you seriously going to pretend that Google is not now restricting or controlling the innovations of any other industry players?
      - recoiledsnake 16y ago
        >Are you seriously going to pretend that Google is not now restricting or controlling the innovations of any other industry players? Huh? How is delaying the source code release of an incremental update such a big deal? Innovate all you want on top of 2.3(which is barely a few months old), make it tablet friendly or whatever and port it to whatever hardware you build. Haven't you heard of the concept of forking?
        deleted 16y ago
        [deleted]
        rbarooah 16y ago
        Do you really think that people who have to fork a months old version are at no disadvantage to those who have access to the current source?
        bad_user 16y ago
        "fairness" is a human-invented concept. Capitalism is open, but unfair; mother-nature is open, but unfair.
        rbarooah 16y ago
        I agree. I never said anything about fairness. I simply showed that Google is being hypocritical. Hypocrisy is a perfectly valid strategy under capitalism.
        rbanffy 16y ago
        I am so sorry for those (Dell, Acer) who didn't get what Google built for free when other partners got involved early on. Having to develop your own software and not getting it for free certainly sucks. If they are so disappointed, they can always launch Windows Phone 7 devices.
      - bad_user 16y ago
        Well yes, I'm going to pretend just that :) If Google never releases Honeycomb, then I'll agree; until then ... Any other industry player can take Gingerbread and create its own Honeycomb, while keeping compatibility and totally being able to take the market by storm. That's the very definition of open-source -- when unhappy with a project's governance, you can fork ; and you can fork Gingerbread, or Honeycomb when it will get released. You don't have to trust the company, just the source-code / license of the last release. So what stops you or any industry players from just doing that? Lunch not free anymore?
    - kylec 16y ago
      the definition of open: "mkdir android ; cd android ; repo init -u git://android.git.kernel.org/platform/manifest.git ; repo sync ; make" -Andy Rubin, Google VP of Engineering http://twitter.com/Arubin/status/27808662429 http://twitter.com/Arubin/status/27808662429
      - rbanffy 16y ago
        Since when did it stop building?
        lindvall 16y ago
        Can you build Honeycomb?
        rbanffy 16y ago
        No. I can build whatever is on version control. They didn't release Honeycomb as open-source yet, just like they don't release beta software - mind you, there is no such thing as an Android daily build. The only thing new is that you can buy a device with pre-release Honeycomb software. I am not overly enthusiastic about that.

by kylec 16y ago

True, but iOS isn't involved here. What's involved is that Google has repeatedly promoted Android as an 'open' platform, but now has decided that actually being open is no longer in their interest.

bad_user 16y ago

I don't think there's any platform that can be used as a distribution medium and that doesn't come with strings attached. Even stuff licensed under GPL comes with strings attached. And there are inherent disadvantages to being open, which Google is trying to mitigate here, and they have been doing this ever since Android launched (people have short memories or simply bad attitudes -- Android's source code wasn't released from the start). If anything Google's behavior is actually consistent.

rbarooah 16y ago
Google's behavior is consistent with their past behavior, but not consistent with what their words. That's pretty much the definition of hypocrisy.
- bad_user 16y ago
  Bullshit -- define "open". Also, when referring to "their words" some references are required ;)
  - rbarooah 16y ago
    Here: "We wanted to make sure that there was no central point of failure, so that no industry player can restrict or control the innovations of any other. That's why we created Android, and made its source code open." (from: http://source.android.com/ http://source.android.com/) Are you seriously going to pretend that Google is not now restricting or controlling the innovations of any other industry players?
    - recoiledsnake 16y ago
      >Are you seriously going to pretend that Google is not now restricting or controlling the innovations of any other industry players? Huh? How is delaying the source code release of an incremental update such a big deal? Innovate all you want on top of 2.3(which is barely a few months old), make it tablet friendly or whatever and port it to whatever hardware you build. Haven't you heard of the concept of forking?
      - deleted 16y ago
        [deleted]
      - rbarooah 16y ago
        Do you really think that people who have to fork a months old version are at no disadvantage to those who have access to the current source?
        bad_user 16y ago
        "fairness" is a human-invented concept. Capitalism is open, but unfair; mother-nature is open, but unfair.
        rbarooah 16y ago
        I agree. I never said anything about fairness. I simply showed that Google is being hypocritical. Hypocrisy is a perfectly valid strategy under capitalism.
        rbanffy 16y ago
        I am so sorry for those (Dell, Acer) who didn't get what Google built for free when other partners got involved early on. Having to develop your own software and not getting it for free certainly sucks. If they are so disappointed, they can always launch Windows Phone 7 devices.
    - bad_user 16y ago
      Well yes, I'm going to pretend just that :) If Google never releases Honeycomb, then I'll agree; until then ... Any other industry player can take Gingerbread and create its own Honeycomb, while keeping compatibility and totally being able to take the market by storm. That's the very definition of open-source -- when unhappy with a project's governance, you can fork ; and you can fork Gingerbread, or Honeycomb when it will get released. You don't have to trust the company, just the source-code / license of the last release. So what stops you or any industry players from just doing that? Lunch not free anymore?
  - kylec 16y ago
    the definition of open: "mkdir android ; cd android ; repo init -u git://android.git.kernel.org/platform/manifest.git ; repo sync ; make" -Andy Rubin, Google VP of Engineering http://twitter.com/Arubin/status/27808662429 http://twitter.com/Arubin/status/27808662429
    - rbanffy 16y ago
      Since when did it stop building?
      - lindvall 16y ago
        Can you build Honeycomb?
        rbanffy 16y ago
        No. I can build whatever is on version control. They didn't release Honeycomb as open-source yet, just like they don't release beta software - mind you, there is no such thing as an Android daily build. The only thing new is that you can buy a device with pre-release Honeycomb software. I am not overly enthusiastic about that.