[kwlug-disc] Google purchases Motorola (Mobile)?

[unsolicited]

Chris Irwin wrote, On 08/20/2011 12:58 PM:
> On Sat, Aug 20, 2011 at 10:13:14AM -0400, Glenn Henshaw wrote:
>>   From what I recall, key portions of Android that are needed for phones are closed source. I think that they took the model from Apple and Darwin (BSD based) where parts like the audio manager are missing.
> 
> There are open source builds of android (cyanogenmod in particular) that
> are fully functional on and as phones. They did get hit with a copyright 
> threat from google, but that was for distributing closed-source apps 
> (gmail, etc).

As I recall a conversation at the time, Android wasn't on pads at the 
time although I believe it was expected to come - ultimately you want 
to tie the ecosystem to a piece of hardware, and, especially, have 
that hardware communicate out over the air (wi-fi / cell). 'Freedom' 
largely stopped at that line / to get a cell carrier to carry your 
device they required you to cross a line you could not cross free of 
restrictions.

I don't suppose, let alone prior comments (e.g. cyanogenmod), there's 
any reason you couldn't run it in a vm or whatever, but why? Given the 
rich environment of alternatives available. e.g. Full Linux.
(Not speaking of developer needs, here.)

Ultimately, be it a pad, a device in your fridge or mounted on your 
cupboard, it has to run on hardware. At which point FOSS runs into snags.