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Hey SlipperySlope, where can I check out the latest source for Android? What is the procedure for getting commit privileges? Answer key: 1) You can't. 2) Beco

Hey SlipperySlope, where can I check out the latest source for Android? What is the procedure for getting commit privileges? Answer key: 1) You can't. 2) Become a Google employee.

SlipperySlope 14y ago
Like all Free Software, the source code for stable Android/GNU/Linux can be downloaded. That's how Amazon built their fork. See: http://source.android.com/ http://source.android.com/ I concede that Google locks up the code for upcoming releases. No need really to tell you that most mature Free Software projects encourage bug reports and patch submissions, but limit source code commit privileges in order to maintain stability. Evidently its more useful to develop/maintain a Free Java library for app developers. Or submit/maintain a kernel patch for a mobile device driver. Understand that Google does not control GNU/Linux. And even its control of Android is not enough to prevent forks. UI/API tinkering and fragmentation hindered desktop GNU/Linux adoption. Why go there unless you want to fork?
- rbanffy 14y ago
  > And even its control of Android is not enough to prevent forks. If it did, Android wouldn't be free. > UI/API tinkering and fragmentation hindered desktop GNU/Linux adoption OTOH, it allowed Linux to expand beyond the desktop, into mobile and embedded. Linux devices probably outnumber PCs by a large multiple.
rbanffy 14y ago
> What is the procedure for getting commit privileges? Make your own fork. You don't have commit privileges on the Linux kernel, Apache Tomcat or the GCC compilers and they are all free software. Oh... As for the source, http://bit.ly/UhVbyk http://bit.ly/UhVbyk
- cooldeal 14y ago
  A few crucial differences,unlike the other projects you mentioned, Android development happens behind closed doors, no outside patches are ever accepted, and an OEM is specially picked for exclusive early access to a new release and the others and CM are left scrambling to update their devices if they fork too much. Not to mention, Google apps and the marketplace is neither free or Free. Even Windows betas are distributed to all OEMs equally with no special treatment.
  - rbanffy 14y ago
    > unlike the other projects you mentioned, Android development happens behind closed doors, That doesn't make it any less free than any other project. This is a governance issue, nothing more. If you get an Android handset you're able to download all parts of Android that went into it. Software freedom is not about getting access to unreleased software.
- MatthewPhillips 14y ago
  > Make your own fork. Can't, only Google employees have access to the current version of Android. > You don't have commit privileges on the Linux kernel, Apache Tomcat or the GCC compilers and they are all free software. But there is a process for getting commit privileges that doesn't involve job interviews. > Oh... As for the source, http://bit.ly/UhVbyk http://bit.ly/UhVbyk That gives me source for old, outdated versions of Android, not what I'm looking for. You can get the source for old idTech as well, does that make idTech open source?
  - rbanffy 14y ago
    > Can't, only Google employees have access to the current version of Android. Wrong. Google employees have access to source of binaries you don't have access to. If you happen to have the binaries of an unreleased version of Android, you are entitled to the source. At least, all of the parts that are under GPL licenses. Google may or may not release sources for other versions. > But there is a process for getting commit privileges that doesn't involve job interviews. Being able to contribute to the upstream is not what defines free software. Being able to fork released software and work on it is. Android passes this test. Also, accepting patches from third parties could open Android to all sorts of litigation. What if a former Microsoft employee contributes leap year handling code from their products? The fact Android phones will crash on every February 29th will be the least of Google's problems. > That gives me source for old, outdated versions of Android No. It gives you access to the sources of the Android versions publicly available. Being open source doesn't mean you get access to pre-release versions or to every single commit to the codebase. It means you can have the source code for the binary you have.

Hey SlipperySlope, where can I check out the latest source for Android? What is the procedure for getting commit privileges? Answer key: 1) You can't. 2) Become a Google employee.

SlipperySlope 14y ago

Like all Free Software, the source code for stable Android/GNU/Linux can be downloaded. That's how Amazon built their fork. See: http://source.android.com/ http://source.android.com/ I concede that Google locks up the code for upcoming releases. No need really to tell you that most mature Free Software projects encourage bug reports and patch submissions, but limit source code commit privileges in order to maintain stability. Evidently its more useful to develop/maintain a Free Java library for app developers. Or submit/maintain a kernel patch for a mobile device driver. Understand that Google does not control GNU/Linux. And even its control of Android is not enough to prevent forks. UI/API tinkering and fragmentation hindered desktop GNU/Linux adoption. Why go there unless you want to fork?

rbanffy 14y ago
> And even its control of Android is not enough to prevent forks. If it did, Android wouldn't be free. > UI/API tinkering and fragmentation hindered desktop GNU/Linux adoption OTOH, it allowed Linux to expand beyond the desktop, into mobile and embedded. Linux devices probably outnumber PCs by a large multiple.

rbanffy 14y ago

> What is the procedure for getting commit privileges? Make your own fork. You don't have commit privileges on the Linux kernel, Apache Tomcat or the GCC compilers and they are all free software. Oh... As for the source, http://bit.ly/UhVbyk http://bit.ly/UhVbyk

cooldeal 14y ago
A few crucial differences,unlike the other projects you mentioned, Android development happens behind closed doors, no outside patches are ever accepted, and an OEM is specially picked for exclusive early access to a new release and the others and CM are left scrambling to update their devices if they fork too much. Not to mention, Google apps and the marketplace is neither free or Free. Even Windows betas are distributed to all OEMs equally with no special treatment.
- rbanffy 14y ago
  > unlike the other projects you mentioned, Android development happens behind closed doors, That doesn't make it any less free than any other project. This is a governance issue, nothing more. If you get an Android handset you're able to download all parts of Android that went into it. Software freedom is not about getting access to unreleased software.
MatthewPhillips 14y ago
> Make your own fork. Can't, only Google employees have access to the current version of Android. > You don't have commit privileges on the Linux kernel, Apache Tomcat or the GCC compilers and they are all free software. But there is a process for getting commit privileges that doesn't involve job interviews. > Oh... As for the source, http://bit.ly/UhVbyk http://bit.ly/UhVbyk That gives me source for old, outdated versions of Android, not what I'm looking for. You can get the source for old idTech as well, does that make idTech open source?
- rbanffy 14y ago
  > Can't, only Google employees have access to the current version of Android. Wrong. Google employees have access to source of binaries you don't have access to. If you happen to have the binaries of an unreleased version of Android, you are entitled to the source. At least, all of the parts that are under GPL licenses. Google may or may not release sources for other versions. > But there is a process for getting commit privileges that doesn't involve job interviews. Being able to contribute to the upstream is not what defines free software. Being able to fork released software and work on it is. Android passes this test. Also, accepting patches from third parties could open Android to all sorts of litigation. What if a former Microsoft employee contributes leap year handling code from their products? The fact Android phones will crash on every February 29th will be the least of Google's problems. > That gives me source for old, outdated versions of Android No. It gives you access to the sources of the Android versions publicly available. Being open source doesn't mean you get access to pre-release versions or to every single commit to the codebase. It means you can have the source code for the binary you have.