4 ms·

Android is not really a Linux distro in the usual sense. It only ships the kernel and none of the GNU userspace components that a typical Linux distro has.

by Rhedox 4y ago

bonzini 4y ago
So... it's Linux but not GNU/Linux?
- pjmlp 4y ago
  BWM naturally owns the whole stack, however in what app developers are concerned, nothing Linux related is part of stable API surface of the NDK. Trying to use them might get an app killed. Of course on what concerns BMW/Android it is a different matter.
- dredmorbius 4y ago
  Linux kernel, a very minimal userland, the Android VM on top of that. Android is arguably on a path to becoming a dominant if not the dominant embedded system for consumer devices. I don't say this with any joy whatsoever.
  - nicce 4y ago
    Android is dying. Chine companies have made their own OS to replace it. Google is bringing Fuchsia to replace Linux kernel to get total dominance over stack. List goes on.
    - dredmorbius 4y ago
      I'd be happy to see Android die. I'm not sure Fuchsia or a Chinese alternative is what I'd prefer in its place.
    - Alupis 4y ago
      If this[1] is what "dying" looks like, then it's not so bad. Android still accounts for over 72% mobile OS market share, with iOS far behind in second place at a mere 27%, and everything else is trivially insignificant. [1] https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/mobile/worldwide/#monthly-200901-202205 https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/mobile/worldwide/...
      - nicce 4y ago
        Dying means that its dominance is reducing regardless of the current marketshare. That chart actually shows it.
staringback 4y ago
bamboozled 4y ago
Still sounds like a distribution of Linux , aka it’s running Linux.
- IshKebab 4y ago
  That's not what people mean when they say "Linux distro".
  - bamboozled 4y ago
    Ah ok, what is the definition then ? I thought it would be a Linux kernel bundled with software and distributed in a format that's easy for people to use?

Android is not really a Linux distro in the usual sense. It only ships the kernel and none of the GNU userspace components that a typical Linux distro has.

by Rhedox 4y ago

Android is not really a Linux distro in the usual sense. It only ships the kernel and none of the GNU userspace components that a typical Linux distro has.

bonzini 4y ago

So... it's Linux but not GNU/Linux?

pjmlp 4y ago
BWM naturally owns the whole stack, however in what app developers are concerned, nothing Linux related is part of stable API surface of the NDK. Trying to use them might get an app killed. Of course on what concerns BMW/Android it is a different matter.
dredmorbius 4y ago
Linux kernel, a very minimal userland, the Android VM on top of that. Android is arguably on a path to becoming a dominant if not the dominant embedded system for consumer devices. I don't say this with any joy whatsoever.
- nicce 4y ago
  Android is dying. Chine companies have made their own OS to replace it. Google is bringing Fuchsia to replace Linux kernel to get total dominance over stack. List goes on.
  - dredmorbius 4y ago
    I'd be happy to see Android die. I'm not sure Fuchsia or a Chinese alternative is what I'd prefer in its place.
  - Alupis 4y ago
    If this[1] is what "dying" looks like, then it's not so bad. Android still accounts for over 72% mobile OS market share, with iOS far behind in second place at a mere 27%, and everything else is trivially insignificant. [1] https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/mobile/worldwide/#monthly-200901-202205 https://gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/mobile/worldwide/...
    - nicce 4y ago
      Dying means that its dominance is reducing regardless of the current marketshare. That chart actually shows it.

staringback 4y ago

bamboozled 4y ago

Still sounds like a distribution of Linux , aka it’s running Linux.

IshKebab 4y ago
That's not what people mean when they say "Linux distro".
- bamboozled 4y ago
  Ah ok, what is the definition then ? I thought it would be a Linux kernel bundled with software and distributed in a format that's easy for people to use?