4 ms·

Microsoft is a kernel contributor, and Android isn't really linux http://go.linuxfoundation.org/who-writes-linux-2012 http://go.linuxfoundation.org/who-writes-

Microsoft is a kernel contributor, and Android isn't really linux http://go.linuxfoundation.org/who-writes-linux-2012 http://go.linuxfoundation.org/who-writes-linux-2012

m_mueller 13y ago
Android isn't really linux? Please expand.
- eq- 13y ago
  It's not like it runs Linux now, is it? ;)
  - knocte 13y ago
    Linux is a kernel. Android uses the Linux kernel. WTF are you talking about?
    - ent 13y ago
      The grandparents post was probably a play on the old "But does it run linux" meme from slashdot.
- gilgoomesh 13y ago
  To the extent that Linux is technically just the kernel and fundamental services, Android uses Linux but is not itself "Linux". To the extent that Linux implies "GNU Linux", i.e. a whole operating system and a broadly interoperable and source compatible set of *nix services, Android is not Linux any more than iOS is FreeBSD.
  - aceofspades19 13y ago
    Then you could argue that any embedded device that runs the Linux kernel is not Linux because it doesn't use the GNU userland. I think its splitting hairs, anything that runs the Linux kernel is by definition, Linux. You can replace the GNU userland with anything you want, it doesn't suddenly make it a completely new operating system.
    - dTal 13y ago
      Sounds like the argument is a question of definitions - does "operating system" mean kernel, userland, or both? You argue that changing the userland doesn't change the OS. I could counterargue that Debian/kFreeBSD is the "same operating system" with a different kernel. RMS believes that userland makes an OS, because he wrote a userland. Linus believes that kernel makes an OS, because he wrote a kernel. Calling Android "Linux" is like calling Windows 8 "Windows NT", i.e. correct if you're talking about kernels and wrong otherwise.
rbanffy 13y ago
Microsoft's contribution to the Linux kernel, is, AFAIK, limited to device drivers that make Linux run better under Hyper-V. So, they are not really improving Linux - they are using it as a bait for you to run your Linux workloads on your Windows servers, using Microsoft's virtualization technology.
- sz4kerto 13y ago
  Intel's contribution to the Linux kernel, is, AFAIK, limited to device drivers that make Linux run better with Intel hardware. So, they are not really improving Linux - they are using it as a bait for you to run your Linux workloads on your Intel servers, using Intel's hardware technology. Qualcomm's contribution to the Linux kernel, is, AFAIK, limited to software that make Linux run better with Qualcomm SoC. So, they are not really improving Linux - they are using it as a bait for you to run your Linux workloads on your Qualcomm phones, using Qualcomm's hardware technology.
  - varjag 13y ago
    > Intel's contribution to the Linux kernel, is, AFAIK, limited to device drivers that make Linux run better with Intel hardware. No, not really.
    - sliverstorm 13y ago
      I'm waiting for the part where you say more than three words to support your claim.
      - varjag 13y ago
        The amount of words is a poor metric. And sorry to point out but your original statement is not supported either, so burden of proof is on you. To make it easier though I can point you in direction of Alan Cox commits around 2010-2013 and his work on TTY subsystem in particular.
vetinari 13y ago
Android is Linux. It is not GNU/Linux. Do you see RMS's point now?

Microsoft is a kernel contributor, and Android isn't really linux http://go.linuxfoundation.org/who-writes-linux-2012 http://go.linuxfoundation.org/who-writes-linux-2012

m_mueller 13y ago

Android isn't really linux? Please expand.

eq- 13y ago
It's not like it runs Linux now, is it? ;)
- knocte 13y ago
  Linux is a kernel. Android uses the Linux kernel. WTF are you talking about?
  - ent 13y ago
    The grandparents post was probably a play on the old "But does it run linux" meme from slashdot.
gilgoomesh 13y ago
To the extent that Linux is technically just the kernel and fundamental services, Android uses Linux but is not itself "Linux". To the extent that Linux implies "GNU Linux", i.e. a whole operating system and a broadly interoperable and source compatible set of *nix services, Android is not Linux any more than iOS is FreeBSD.
- aceofspades19 13y ago
  Then you could argue that any embedded device that runs the Linux kernel is not Linux because it doesn't use the GNU userland. I think its splitting hairs, anything that runs the Linux kernel is by definition, Linux. You can replace the GNU userland with anything you want, it doesn't suddenly make it a completely new operating system.
  - dTal 13y ago
    Sounds like the argument is a question of definitions - does "operating system" mean kernel, userland, or both? You argue that changing the userland doesn't change the OS. I could counterargue that Debian/kFreeBSD is the "same operating system" with a different kernel. RMS believes that userland makes an OS, because he wrote a userland. Linus believes that kernel makes an OS, because he wrote a kernel. Calling Android "Linux" is like calling Windows 8 "Windows NT", i.e. correct if you're talking about kernels and wrong otherwise.

rbanffy 13y ago

Microsoft's contribution to the Linux kernel, is, AFAIK, limited to device drivers that make Linux run better under Hyper-V. So, they are not really improving Linux - they are using it as a bait for you to run your Linux workloads on your Windows servers, using Microsoft's virtualization technology.

sz4kerto 13y ago
Intel's contribution to the Linux kernel, is, AFAIK, limited to device drivers that make Linux run better with Intel hardware. So, they are not really improving Linux - they are using it as a bait for you to run your Linux workloads on your Intel servers, using Intel's hardware technology. Qualcomm's contribution to the Linux kernel, is, AFAIK, limited to software that make Linux run better with Qualcomm SoC. So, they are not really improving Linux - they are using it as a bait for you to run your Linux workloads on your Qualcomm phones, using Qualcomm's hardware technology.
- varjag 13y ago
  > Intel's contribution to the Linux kernel, is, AFAIK, limited to device drivers that make Linux run better with Intel hardware. No, not really.
  - sliverstorm 13y ago
    I'm waiting for the part where you say more than three words to support your claim.
    - varjag 13y ago
      The amount of words is a poor metric. And sorry to point out but your original statement is not supported either, so burden of proof is on you. To make it easier though I can point you in direction of Alan Cox commits around 2010-2013 and his work on TTY subsystem in particular.

vetinari 13y ago

Android is Linux. It is not GNU/Linux. Do you see RMS's point now?