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> you can't just buy a smartphone and install any operating system like you can with an actual computer, despite technically being one. What's stopping you fro
by Gander5739 2mo ago
> you can't just buy a smartphone and install any operating system like you can with an actual computer, despite technically being one.
What's stopping you from buying a phone, unlocking the bootloader, and flashing whatever ROM you want?
- nsonha 2mo agothe "whatever ROM"s are all Android, what difference does it make? Many bank apps have this SafetyNet thing and will refuse to run on non-official ROMs, that too.
- Gander5739 2mo agoWell, there's various linux options like postmarketOS. So long as you have the fundamental freedom, that is, an unlocked bootloader, everything else follows. If you decide to write a new OS for a phone, notning is stopping you.
- nsonha 2mo agoThe linux distros support very few devices officially. Even including community maintained ports, it's always old devices that you would not buy if you wanna maximize specs to run as a server. That is one of the reasons you want linux in the first place. I have several old Android phones, the newest one is s10e from 2019, decent specs but only supports an abandoned version of UBports, not the current one, and no port for postmarketOS.
- Gander5739 2mo agoWhy would you buy a phone to run as a server anyway? If you really want linux you can root the phone and chroot.
- nsonha 2mo agoI don't need to root the phone to run linux, and even rooting it doesn't change the fact that you're running linux on top of android.
- hurfdurf 2mo agoOEMs removing bootloader unlocking at an increasing rate.
- Gander5739 2mo agoI'm aware. But I've never found it difficult to get a phone with an unlocked bootloader. Also, to my knowledge, bootloader locking is more common in the US.