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Android has all the drivers it needs. The real difference is that Android systems are locked down in ways more annoying to circumvent than your average Windows

by gujk 15y ago

Android has all the drivers it needs. The real difference is that Android systems are locked down in ways more annoying to circumvent than your average Windows OEM junkware install. It is easy to uninstall junkware on Windows, and to pop in a CD to upgrade or crossgrade the OS.

chollida1 15y ago
> It is easy to uninstall junkware on Windows, and to pop in a CD to upgrade or crossgrade the OS. Can you enlighten me as to what it means to "crossgrade the OS". Native english speaker and I've never heard the term :)
- w0utert 15y ago
  I'd imagine he means wiping the Windows install and installing some other OS, e.g. Linux, BSD or OSx86 or something. Not really an upgrade or downgrade of the Windows installation the machine shipped with. I think crossgrade is a nice way to put it ;-)
  - chollida1 15y ago
    Ah, I thought it was some weird stripping down thing the kids were doing to windows these days.
- raganwald 15y ago
  Linux :-)
  - chollida1 15y ago
    Yes, I feel shame:) In hind site, that's obvious to me now.
- deleted 15y ago
  [deleted]
- cytzol 15y ago
  I'm guessing it's the sideways version of upgrade or downgrade: the new OS isn't better or worse, just different.
- rbanffy 15y ago
  I guess "crossgrade" means installing another equivalent version of Windows. Installing anything other would most probably be an "upgrade".
  - chollida1 15y ago
    :) I knew who wrote this comment before I read the name.
    - rbanffy 15y ago
      You are being unfair. "Anything else" could include newer versions of Windows.
      - chollida1 15y ago
        > You are being unfair. "Anything else" could include newer versions of Windows. Just re-read the posts. I agree. I apologize!
        rbanffy 15y ago
        No need to. I was joking ;-) I'd never consider installing a version of Windows an upgrade ;-) Unless it's installing XP over Vista.
Fingel 15y ago
I'd argue its just as easy/easier to "crossgrade the OS" (whatever that means) on an android phone as a PC. Step 1: get a .zip from http://www.cyanogenmod.com/ http://www.cyanogenmod.com/ Step 2: Place it on your SD card. Step 3: Reboot phone, hold down the power button, select "install update". Now you have an android device with the latest software, no bloatware, and a host of other awesome features.
- recoiledsnake 15y ago
  The problem is that you're relying on a third party which does it in their free time. I am not sure they're up to the level of the Linux kernel or Firefox yet. And installing stuff on a PC is ingrained into people's psyche, if they can't do it themselves, they get some other folks to do it for them. Upgrading phones? Not so much. My friend never updated her iPhone 4 once. She once used iTunes to transfer songs to it when she bought it and then hated iTunes and didn't listen to music on the phone enough to connect it again. I installed a bunch of apps/games on her phone that she uses/plays, but whenever I see the phone, I see updates to the apps that are never installed from the app store. The other day, 34 apps were pending install on the app store icon! I know that's unfathomable to us geeks, but that is how much of the general populace is. They wouldn't even know what a ROM means or how to go about finding what's the best one from xda-dev or how or even why they should attempt to install it instead of just using something that "works"(well or not) for now.
  - vetinari 15y ago
    That's why this entire topic is a tempest in the teapot. Only us geeks and computer enthusiasts care about firmware updates. In real life, I know many people who are satisfied with their Android 1.6, 2.1 and iOS 3.x. These people, even if they know that upgrade is available won't bother. The existing device with it's current firmware works for them, so why change it.
    - falling 15y ago
      Read the whole article. It matters for developers and for the platform. Even if users don't (know they) care. Users are missing security fixes, developers can't use new features in new versions.
igrekel 15y ago
Not to mention it is easy to upgrade windows on your PC if you want if the hardware supports it.

by gujk 15y ago

chollida1 15y ago

> It is easy to uninstall junkware on Windows, and to pop in a CD to upgrade or crossgrade the OS. Can you enlighten me as to what it means to "crossgrade the OS". Native english speaker and I've never heard the term :)

w0utert 15y ago
I'd imagine he means wiping the Windows install and installing some other OS, e.g. Linux, BSD or OSx86 or something. Not really an upgrade or downgrade of the Windows installation the machine shipped with. I think crossgrade is a nice way to put it ;-)
- chollida1 15y ago
  Ah, I thought it was some weird stripping down thing the kids were doing to windows these days.
raganwald 15y ago
Linux :-)
- chollida1 15y ago
  Yes, I feel shame:) In hind site, that's obvious to me now.
deleted 15y ago
[deleted]
cytzol 15y ago
I'm guessing it's the sideways version of upgrade or downgrade: the new OS isn't better or worse, just different.
rbanffy 15y ago
I guess "crossgrade" means installing another equivalent version of Windows. Installing anything other would most probably be an "upgrade".
- chollida1 15y ago
  :) I knew who wrote this comment before I read the name.
  - rbanffy 15y ago
    You are being unfair. "Anything else" could include newer versions of Windows.
    - chollida1 15y ago
      > You are being unfair. "Anything else" could include newer versions of Windows. Just re-read the posts. I agree. I apologize!
      - rbanffy 15y ago
        No need to. I was joking ;-) I'd never consider installing a version of Windows an upgrade ;-) Unless it's installing XP over Vista.

Fingel 15y ago

I'd argue its just as easy/easier to "crossgrade the OS" (whatever that means) on an android phone as a PC. Step 1: get a .zip from http://www.cyanogenmod.com/ http://www.cyanogenmod.com/ Step 2: Place it on your SD card. Step 3: Reboot phone, hold down the power button, select "install update". Now you have an android device with the latest software, no bloatware, and a host of other awesome features.

recoiledsnake 15y ago
The problem is that you're relying on a third party which does it in their free time. I am not sure they're up to the level of the Linux kernel or Firefox yet. And installing stuff on a PC is ingrained into people's psyche, if they can't do it themselves, they get some other folks to do it for them. Upgrading phones? Not so much. My friend never updated her iPhone 4 once. She once used iTunes to transfer songs to it when she bought it and then hated iTunes and didn't listen to music on the phone enough to connect it again. I installed a bunch of apps/games on her phone that she uses/plays, but whenever I see the phone, I see updates to the apps that are never installed from the app store. The other day, 34 apps were pending install on the app store icon! I know that's unfathomable to us geeks, but that is how much of the general populace is. They wouldn't even know what a ROM means or how to go about finding what's the best one from xda-dev or how or even why they should attempt to install it instead of just using something that "works"(well or not) for now.
- vetinari 15y ago
  That's why this entire topic is a tempest in the teapot. Only us geeks and computer enthusiasts care about firmware updates. In real life, I know many people who are satisfied with their Android 1.6, 2.1 and iOS 3.x. These people, even if they know that upgrade is available won't bother. The existing device with it's current firmware works for them, so why change it.
  - falling 15y ago
    Read the whole article. It matters for developers and for the platform. Even if users don't (know they) care. Users are missing security fixes, developers can't use new features in new versions.

igrekel 15y ago

Not to mention it is easy to upgrade windows on your PC if you want if the hardware supports it.