4 ms·

Google could have designed Android with a hardware abstraction layer to separate drivers from the OS. The fact that they are attempting to retrofit one now, ju

Google could have designed Android with a hardware abstraction layer to separate drivers from the OS. The fact that they are attempting to retrofit one now, just proves the point. The problem does indeed come down to Google and their choice to prioritize rapid market share growth and what the device makers and carriers wanted over what would provide a good end user experience. The original $399 iPhone SE just started its sixth year of OS and security updates. Android devices get half that support period if you are lucky.

AnthonyMouse 6y ago
> Google could have designed Android with a hardware abstraction layer to separate drivers from the OS. That is part of the kernel. You might as well blame Linus Torvalds. > The problem does indeed come down to Google and their choice to prioritize rapid market share growth and what the device makers and carriers wanted over what would provide a good end user experience. Google didn't have market power in phone operating systems when Android was just getting started. They had no power to dictate terms at the time because the device makers would have just used something else. > The original $399 iPhone SE just started its sixth year of OS and security updates. Android devices get half that support period if you are lucky. This is whataboutism. They're both doing it wrong, so your defense is that HTC is doing it wronger. But they're both still doing it wrong. And what are you going to say if Google does get a hardware abstraction layer, so that Android devices are supported indefinitely?
- GeekyBear 6y ago
  So despite the fact that Google is attempting to retrofit a hardware abstraction layer into Android without breaking backwards compatability now, the comparatively much simpler job of adopting one from the start was just impossible? This is a very poor job of excuse making. The point stands. Google's poor decision making led to a much higher volume of electronic waste on a yearly basis than any imaginable level Airpods sales ever could.
  - AnthonyMouse 6y ago
    Linux has been popular on the type of embedded processors the original Android devices were built using since forever, therefore the makers were writing Linux driver blobs for them regardless. To use a completely different HAL they would have had to write completely different drivers. You can't convince them to do that in order to use a new operating system with no market share. > Google's poor decision making led to a much higher volume of electronic waste than any imaginable level of Airpods sales ever could. More whataboutism.
    - GeekyBear 6y ago
      Nope. Google is responsible for the decisions Google makes. You can't blame others for the mountain of electronic waste Google's poor decision making has caused.
      - AnthonyMouse 6y ago
        Option one is they use the existing blob Linux drivers and people use their operating system, then they use their market share to get people to make drivers that aren't specific to a kernel version. Option two is they don't, Tizen or something like it becomes the dominant phone platform instead of Android and they have no power to change anything. Which one causes less electronic waste?

AnthonyMouse 6y ago

> Google could have designed Android with a hardware abstraction layer to separate drivers from the OS. That is part of the kernel. You might as well blame Linus Torvalds. > The problem does indeed come down to Google and their choice to prioritize rapid market share growth and what the device makers and carriers wanted over what would provide a good end user experience. Google didn't have market power in phone operating systems when Android was just getting started. They had no power to dictate terms at the time because the device makers would have just used something else. > The original $399 iPhone SE just started its sixth year of OS and security updates. Android devices get half that support period if you are lucky. This is whataboutism. They're both doing it wrong, so your defense is that HTC is doing it wronger. But they're both still doing it wrong. And what are you going to say if Google does get a hardware abstraction layer, so that Android devices are supported indefinitely?

GeekyBear 6y ago
So despite the fact that Google is attempting to retrofit a hardware abstraction layer into Android without breaking backwards compatability now, the comparatively much simpler job of adopting one from the start was just impossible? This is a very poor job of excuse making. The point stands. Google's poor decision making led to a much higher volume of electronic waste on a yearly basis than any imaginable level Airpods sales ever could.
- AnthonyMouse 6y ago
  Linux has been popular on the type of embedded processors the original Android devices were built using since forever, therefore the makers were writing Linux driver blobs for them regardless. To use a completely different HAL they would have had to write completely different drivers. You can't convince them to do that in order to use a new operating system with no market share. > Google's poor decision making led to a much higher volume of electronic waste than any imaginable level of Airpods sales ever could. More whataboutism.
  - GeekyBear 6y ago
    Nope. Google is responsible for the decisions Google makes. You can't blame others for the mountain of electronic waste Google's poor decision making has caused.
    - AnthonyMouse 6y ago
      Option one is they use the existing blob Linux drivers and people use their operating system, then they use their market share to get people to make drivers that aren't specific to a kernel version. Option two is they don't, Tizen or something like it becomes the dominant phone platform instead of Android and they have no power to change anything. Which one causes less electronic waste?