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Diffstat (limited to 'src/SW/is-android-free/document.en.rest.txt')
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diff --git a/src/SW/is-android-free/document.en.rest.txt b/src/SW/is-android-free/document.en.rest.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..cff3242 --- /dev/null +++ b/src/SW/is-android-free/document.en.rest.txt @@ -0,0 +1,55 @@ +============================= + Is Android “free software”? +============================= +:CreationDate: 2009-09-17 10:59:01 +:Id: SW/is-android-free +:tags: - software + - rant + +A couple of months ago, I bought a `Samsung Galaxy (I7500) phone`_; it +runs a version of the Android_ environment. I'm reasonably happy with +it: it works as a phone, it allows me to stay connected when I'm not +at home, and developing applications for it does not seem too hard. + +I have a big gripe, though: I can't touch the OS. + +No, I don't mean "I don't have ``root`` access": I know how to get it, +and I even pretty much agree with the whole «make it as hard as +possible for users (or malicious software) to brick the phone». + +What I mean is this: I have the (purported) `source code of the +Android system`_, from the Linux kernel up to the various +applications. But I can't do anything useful with it: I don't have the +"corresponding source", to use GPLv3_ terminology. There is no way for +me to rebuild the exact same system image that is running on my +phone. The FSF_ says that the `Apache license version 2.0`_ is a +"`free software license, compatible with version 3 of the GPL`_", but +it's apparently possible to release a set of programs under it, and +have the resulting collection not meet the `free software +definition`_: I can't actually run the program! + +OK, I can run it on the emulator. I say that's not good +enough. Samsung has given me a binary copy of their Android +version. According to the license, they are in no obligation to give +me the source code. How can I call this "free software"? + +As an aside, the reason I started this rant is this: there are a few +features that I would like to change (e.g. add support for OpenVPN_ to +the nexus_ program; add the ability to change input language for each +input box, independently from the system locale). Since I can't +actually benefit from those changes (I can't build a new Samsung image +with my modifications, and use it), and I don't have any assurance as +to when they will arrive on my phone (assuming they are accepted in +the Android platform), why should I even attempt to make them? + +.. _`Samsung Galaxy (I7500) phone`: +.. _Android: http://www.android.com/ +.. _`source code of the Android system`: http://source.android.com/ +.. _GPLv3: http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/gpl.html +.. _FSF: http://www.fsf.org/ +.. _`Apache license version 2.0`: http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0 +.. _`free software license, compatible with version 3 of the GPL`: http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/#apache2 +.. _`free software definition`: http://www.fsf.org/licensing/essays/free-sw.html +.. _OpenVPN: http://www.openvpn.net/ +.. _nexus: http://android.git.kernel.org/?p=platform/system/core.git;a=tree;f=nexus;h=5ac2cb9f0cee2394fa2d070d3df309090e222828;hb=refs/heads/donut + |