6 ms·

Somewhat related - will we ever see linux on old iPads? Old iPads can't get updated anymore, they can't easily browse the web, apps can't get updated or reinst

by keyle 3y ago

Somewhat related - will we ever see linux on old iPads? Old iPads can't get updated anymore, they can't easily browse the web, apps can't get updated or reinstalled... Basically recycle material or dust catchers. I'd like to jail break or whatever my old iPads and have them as simple linux tablets.

comechao 3y ago
The 80s kid in me when I see such a powerful machine being just electronic waste cries
anderspitman 3y ago
Would love to see it, but my guess would be only if there's ever regulation to force Apple to allow it under climate concerns or right to repair type policy.
- fjfuvucucuc 3y ago
  Or you know, you lot could stop giving them money.
  - kushie 3y ago
    oh, i don't think tech professionals or software enthusiasts are majority share holders of apple's bottom line
    - fjfuvucucuc 3y ago
      [flagged]
  - ikurei 3y ago
    Whenever I read this kind of comment, specially about Apple, I always wonder: What are you suggesting we do? If the answer is "just don't have a tablet and buy a FairPhone or a feature phone, have less tech", I think that's coherent. But if the answer is just "don't buy Apple, but continue to buy", I'd say they're all just as bad at best, way worse in general. Apple devices have a longer supported life, although others tend to be more hackable.
- simonh 3y ago
  I think there’s a reasonable argument that manufacturers should be required to open up hardware when they no longer support it. The problem is I doubt that would achieve what most people here seem to expect fur older devices. You might be able to run a really basic Linux on the older devices, but their very limited RAM will severely constrain what you can run on them. The native OS is so optimised for the hardware, trying to get better performance, or even matching power consumption on generic Linux is just not realistic. Frankly other than for hobbyist purposes the last version of the native OS is probably as functional as they’re likely to get. Having said all that, more recent iPads are powerful machines that are likely to still be very capable fur as long as they will run. Asahi Linux is compatible with M-series hardware. So while think getting latest gen performance such as modern browsing out of legacy kit is a pipe dream whatever Apple did, I think there are real possibilities going forward.
  - anderspitman 3y ago
    There's a lot of use cases outside traditional tablet functionality, such as running a webserver or turning those excellent Apple screens into a secondary monitor.
msgilligan 3y ago
Yeah, it’s really a shame. I have the original iPad and the hardware remains solid. If I could have an updated browser that could display modern websites without crashing, I would still use it.
- simonh 3y ago
  Those machines have 256 MB of RAM. Is there any way to run a modern web browser in that?
  - RajT88 3y ago
    One tab at a time
  - radicaldreamer 3y ago
    lite.cnn.com
  - msgilligan 3y ago
    I had to double-check that, I thought it was 512 MB. Yeah, that's not very much. I also recall that the final iOS version for that device (iOS 5.x or 5.1.1) left less memory for apps and I regretted agreeing to that upgrade. I really wish I could install a minimal Linux and the best minimal browser available. That would at least be an improvement over the doorstop that I have.
- reustle 3y ago
  Or even just as a second display
  - TylerE 3y ago
    Newer macs and iPads can do this. Totally seamless… mouse moves over to the 2nd screen, etc. totally wireless.
  - threeseed 3y ago
    Luna Display [1] works with iPads running at minimum iOS 12.1. Which means iPad mini 2, iPad Air, iPad Pro 1, iPad 5 and greater. [1] https://astropad.com/product/lunadisplay https://astropad.com/product/lunadisplay
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
reocha 3y ago
Some work has been done: https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Apple_iPad_1G_(apple-ipad1g) https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Apple_iPad_1G_(apple-ipad...
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
mark_l_watson 3y ago
That would be nice. For now, I really like using the iPad Blink app as a mosh/ssh client to a leased Linux VPS. With mosh, I can be in a Linux dev environment instantly and adding tmux I have several screens to bounce between. Adding a great Emacs setup lets me edit markdown manuscripts and code in Python and Common Lisp. I am at a relative’s home doing a hospice thing sitting with a loved one who is dying. I only have a small iPad Pro with me, and that is sufficient, but only because I am using my VPS. Having just normal iPad apps does not cut it for me.
fsflover 3y ago
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25172883 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25172883
yencabulator 3y ago
How many heavily-NDA'd Broadcom chips are in those things? Good luck getting working drivers, even if you manage to jailbreak it: https://projectsandcastle.org/status https://projectsandcastle.org/status

by keyle 3y ago

comechao 3y ago

The 80s kid in me when I see such a powerful machine being just electronic waste cries

anderspitman 3y ago

Would love to see it, but my guess would be only if there's ever regulation to force Apple to allow it under climate concerns or right to repair type policy.

fjfuvucucuc 3y ago
Or you know, you lot could stop giving them money.
- kushie 3y ago
  oh, i don't think tech professionals or software enthusiasts are majority share holders of apple's bottom line
  - fjfuvucucuc 3y ago
    [flagged]
- ikurei 3y ago
  Whenever I read this kind of comment, specially about Apple, I always wonder: What are you suggesting we do? If the answer is "just don't have a tablet and buy a FairPhone or a feature phone, have less tech", I think that's coherent. But if the answer is just "don't buy Apple, but continue to buy", I'd say they're all just as bad at best, way worse in general. Apple devices have a longer supported life, although others tend to be more hackable.
simonh 3y ago
I think there’s a reasonable argument that manufacturers should be required to open up hardware when they no longer support it. The problem is I doubt that would achieve what most people here seem to expect fur older devices. You might be able to run a really basic Linux on the older devices, but their very limited RAM will severely constrain what you can run on them. The native OS is so optimised for the hardware, trying to get better performance, or even matching power consumption on generic Linux is just not realistic. Frankly other than for hobbyist purposes the last version of the native OS is probably as functional as they’re likely to get. Having said all that, more recent iPads are powerful machines that are likely to still be very capable fur as long as they will run. Asahi Linux is compatible with M-series hardware. So while think getting latest gen performance such as modern browsing out of legacy kit is a pipe dream whatever Apple did, I think there are real possibilities going forward.
- anderspitman 3y ago
  There's a lot of use cases outside traditional tablet functionality, such as running a webserver or turning those excellent Apple screens into a secondary monitor.

msgilligan 3y ago

Yeah, it’s really a shame. I have the original iPad and the hardware remains solid. If I could have an updated browser that could display modern websites without crashing, I would still use it.

simonh 3y ago
Those machines have 256 MB of RAM. Is there any way to run a modern web browser in that?
- RajT88 3y ago
  One tab at a time
- radicaldreamer 3y ago
  lite.cnn.com
- msgilligan 3y ago
  I had to double-check that, I thought it was 512 MB. Yeah, that's not very much. I also recall that the final iOS version for that device (iOS 5.x or 5.1.1) left less memory for apps and I regretted agreeing to that upgrade. I really wish I could install a minimal Linux and the best minimal browser available. That would at least be an improvement over the doorstop that I have.
reustle 3y ago
Or even just as a second display
- TylerE 3y ago
  Newer macs and iPads can do this. Totally seamless… mouse moves over to the 2nd screen, etc. totally wireless.
- threeseed 3y ago
  Luna Display [1] works with iPads running at minimum iOS 12.1. Which means iPad mini 2, iPad Air, iPad Pro 1, iPad 5 and greater. [1] https://astropad.com/product/lunadisplay https://astropad.com/product/lunadisplay

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

reocha 3y ago

Some work has been done: https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Apple_iPad_1G_(apple-ipad1g) https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Apple_iPad_1G_(apple-ipad...

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

mark_l_watson 3y ago

That would be nice. For now, I really like using the iPad Blink app as a mosh/ssh client to a leased Linux VPS. With mosh, I can be in a Linux dev environment instantly and adding tmux I have several screens to bounce between. Adding a great Emacs setup lets me edit markdown manuscripts and code in Python and Common Lisp. I am at a relative’s home doing a hospice thing sitting with a loved one who is dying. I only have a small iPad Pro with me, and that is sufficient, but only because I am using my VPS. Having just normal iPad apps does not cut it for me.

fsflover 3y ago

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25172883 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25172883

yencabulator 3y ago

How many heavily-NDA'd Broadcom chips are in those things? Good luck getting working drivers, even if you manage to jailbreak it: https://projectsandcastle.org/status https://projectsandcastle.org/status