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Millions of people are using Linux via Android and Chrome OS, but I'm not sure the success of either of those has benefited the general Linux ecosystem in a mea

by yissp 5y ago

Millions of people are using Linux via Android and Chrome OS, but I'm not sure the success of either of those has benefited the general Linux ecosystem in a meaningful way. I think the Steam Deck will be a similar situation. It's cool that it's Linux-based, but I suspect most users will just think of it as a Valve product and not really care about the internals.

ajvs 5y ago
The Android ecosystem has. Currently most mobile devices in the world run the Android Common Kernel, which is only a few patches of differences from mainline Linux kernel, plus proprietary drivers. Considering the current state of fully Linux phones, we'd have never had a shot at being the market leader on mobile otherwise. In Android 12-based devices these drivers will become simply plug-in kernel modules, so all devices will run the same kernel and it will finally be able to be updated without messing with the drivers. This is in addition to less and less out-of-tree patches each year as more of them get upstreamed. This means Android is creeping very close to mainline Linux, and already some projects like postmarketOS have devices they've done the last few tweaks needed to run it on existing phones like the Poco F1. I don't think it would have happened otherwise that most mobiles worldwide would run almost-mainline Linux, so I'd say the Android project has been a net boon for Linux enthusiasts.
- yissp 5y ago
  That's a good point, but I would ammend it slightly - Android might turn out to be a net boon for Linux enthusiasts in the next few years. I'm definitely super excited, but I still feel like the mobile Linux ecosystem is still not quite there just yet.
  - ajvs 5y ago
    I think progress will speed up over the next year once mobile Linux distros like postmarketOS can be flashed on many Android devices, similar to how LineageOS and other ROMs can be flashed to many right now. Currently it takes too much work to mainline an Android device, and the main supported phones like the Pinephone just have too weak specs for most users. Once new devices like the Pixel 6 start shipping and having the Android 12 requirement to run the Generic Kernel Image (GKI), then people will be able to use mobile Linux on powerful phones finally, as well as their old or cheap Androids.
goda90 5y ago
The thing about the Steam Deck is that it's an x86 handheld computer. It can be docked to a monitor, mouse and keyboard to be a desktop. And the improvements Valve makes to SteamOS and Proton for the Steam Deck can be used on any other x86 PC. Unlike Android and Chrome OS, it is directly competing with Windows for PC gamers.
pdpi 5y ago
Unlike Android and ChromeOS, The Steam Deck runs a vanilla KDE desktop and they explicitly support using it as such.

by yissp 5y ago

ajvs 5y ago

The Android ecosystem has. Currently most mobile devices in the world run the Android Common Kernel, which is only a few patches of differences from mainline Linux kernel, plus proprietary drivers. Considering the current state of fully Linux phones, we'd have never had a shot at being the market leader on mobile otherwise. In Android 12-based devices these drivers will become simply plug-in kernel modules, so all devices will run the same kernel and it will finally be able to be updated without messing with the drivers. This is in addition to less and less out-of-tree patches each year as more of them get upstreamed. This means Android is creeping very close to mainline Linux, and already some projects like postmarketOS have devices they've done the last few tweaks needed to run it on existing phones like the Poco F1. I don't think it would have happened otherwise that most mobiles worldwide would run almost-mainline Linux, so I'd say the Android project has been a net boon for Linux enthusiasts.

yissp 5y ago
That's a good point, but I would ammend it slightly - Android might turn out to be a net boon for Linux enthusiasts in the next few years. I'm definitely super excited, but I still feel like the mobile Linux ecosystem is still not quite there just yet.
- ajvs 5y ago
  I think progress will speed up over the next year once mobile Linux distros like postmarketOS can be flashed on many Android devices, similar to how LineageOS and other ROMs can be flashed to many right now. Currently it takes too much work to mainline an Android device, and the main supported phones like the Pinephone just have too weak specs for most users. Once new devices like the Pixel 6 start shipping and having the Android 12 requirement to run the Generic Kernel Image (GKI), then people will be able to use mobile Linux on powerful phones finally, as well as their old or cheap Androids.

goda90 5y ago

The thing about the Steam Deck is that it's an x86 handheld computer. It can be docked to a monitor, mouse and keyboard to be a desktop. And the improvements Valve makes to SteamOS and Proton for the Steam Deck can be used on any other x86 PC. Unlike Android and Chrome OS, it is directly competing with Windows for PC gamers.

pdpi 5y ago

Unlike Android and ChromeOS, The Steam Deck runs a vanilla KDE desktop and they explicitly support using it as such.