4 ms·
> This is about getting Linux to the point where you can choose between an Arch, Ubuntu, debian, etc. distro for your phone. Does Termux count? It may be conta
by techrat 5y ago
> This is about getting Linux to the point where you can choose between an Arch, Ubuntu, debian, etc. distro for your phone.
Does Termux count? It may be containered within an application package, but it's running off the host kernel and it uses the debian package manager.
https://i.imgur.com/WIT2VjW.png https://i.imgur.com/WIT2VjW.png
I find that, when it comes to Android, people try really hard to make exceptions for what qualifies as "Linux" that do not exist as goalposts for other distributions or forms of Linux that are generally accepted under the Linux umbrella.
I'd say it's as much as Linux as anything else that uses the base kernel and is reduced (for space reasons) or modified (for hardware support)... DDWRT comes to mind.
When you have a base kernel for a device, running a "proper" distribution isn't much further behind. I was able to install Ubuntu on top of the stock kernel of one of my oldest Chromebook devices, the Acer C710. That's how I started using Linux full time. Does that not count? Because you can do that on Android devices, too.
It's Linux. Carving out exceptions and drawing arbitrary lines and qualifiers doesn't really get anyone anywhere. In the end it's a very specialized Linux kernel for that hardware running often proprietary blobs, but when it comes down to it:
Yes, you an install distros on top of the kernel on the device[1],
And yes, I'd argue Android itself is a distro.
The only thing Android really lacks is a universal installer. IMHO, we can thank Qualcomm for that situation we're in.
[1] https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-linux-on-android/ https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-linux-on-android/
- pjmlp 5y agoTermux is on the death bed, because they refuse to ackowledge Android isn't Linux and make use of Java APIs for their purposes. So given that from Google's point of view POSIX and Linux syscalls aren't public APIs on Android, termux no longer works on latest Android versions and it will get worse, as NDK APIs keep being locked down as sandbox improvements.
- techrat 5y agoI'd argue that if you were set on using something like Termux, you're already in the class of users who are most likely to be running custom Roms (eg, LineageOS) or having a modified stock image (Magisk, Root, etc) One of the workarounds for those affected calls for making SELinux permissive. SELinux, of course, only works on a Linux kernel. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Security-Enhanced_Linux https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Security-Enhanced_Linux https://source.android.com/security/selinux https://source.android.com/security/selinux But, apparently, Android isn't Linux.................. Just another example of how people try too hard to create goalposts to say Android isn't Linux when those goalposts don't exist for anything else.
- pjmlp 5y agoPlease provide the Android documentation how to access LinuxSE on non-rooted devices, you know those that regular consumers actually buy and app developers get their income from. Just another example on how Linux die hards try to make juice out of lemons, to pivot Linux dominance on consumer devices.
- techrat 5y agoLook, the goalposts are moving again. I wonder how that keeps happening... I can't see what replying with "how to access LinuxSE on non-rooted devices" has ANYTHING to do with my comment that you previously replied to unless you're just trying to be disingenuous. I specifically mentioned that a typical use case of someone affected by the changes breaking Termux are users *most likely to be the type that will run a custom rom or root mode.* "Regular consumers" don't give a flying fuck if Android is Linux or whether or not they can run Termux.
- pjmlp 5y agoWhatever dude, enjoy your rooted device.