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Android container in Chrome OS

chromium.googlesource.com

101–110 of 140 posts

Re: Android container in Chrome OS

#101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You know, there once was a time when we did everything in folders and didn't need the overhead of containerization just to keep well behaved things from stepping all over each other and breaking everything. Like all progress in computing we've reinvented the wheel, but now with a few additional layers of abstraction and the consequential performance degradation.

> keep well behaved things from stepping all over each other and breaking everything Containers help with keeping bad behaviors from stepping all over each other.

Yes, that's their value. You shouldn't need to use them for your development environment or normal every day software.

Unless of course you're saying that most software in the GNU/Linux world is badly behaved, which I'd kind of agree with.

Re: Android container in Chrome OS

#102
post #91

Better is ChromeOS 67 enables running your own containers without having to put CB in developer. It uses the KVM to run a second Linux kernel. So you will be able to use GNU/Linux applications including Steam. More to be shared at Google IO this year.

Are you sharing a rumor/insider knowledge? Can I do this right now?

Yes. No inside information. Done it myself.

Re: Android container in Chrome OS

#103
post #84

You can use gnu/Linux on Android with a CB. But you have to use a fake Chroot. Just go to play store and install GNUroot. Then install the Android XSDL app for the GUI.

can you use this to properly replicate the functionality of dropbox, though?[1] [1]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8863

Should not be a problem unless I am missing something? Can what you are talking about run on GNU/Linux?

Re: Android container in Chrome OS

#104
post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is instruction on how to use Steam on ChromeOS 67 with a Pixel Book on /r/crostini. Just visit the subreddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/Crostini/

I had read that, but from what I read they get it to launch steam, but cannot run a game yet. So still a WIP.

There are people on Reddit claiming they have it working.

Re: Android container in Chrome OS

#105

I just had a vision of all major OS projects providing developer containers for their projects. Like, you could just pull the latest Firefox dev container and run a single command to have a running debuggable app. I know one of the major pains we have when on-boarding new people is the whole dance to get to that first working build / first meaningful change. I can imagine this being significantly more simple if a wor…

You mean you want a statically linked binary?

Re: Android container in Chrome OS

#106

I just had a vision of all major OS projects providing developer containers for their projects. Like, you could just pull the latest Firefox dev container and run a single command to have a running debuggable app. I know one of the major pains we have when on-boarding new people is the whole dance to get to that first working build / first meaningful change. I can imagine this being significantly more simple if a wor…

> Like, you could just pull the latest Firefox dev container and run a single command to have a running debuggable app.

https://janitor.technology/ is attempting to provide a web-based version of this. Haven't yet used it myself, but it sounds promising.

Re: Android container in Chrome OS

#107
post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple systems are great precisely because they’re single platform and closed-source. It would be unfortunate if that changed.

I don’t see how you arrived at that conclusion. Why is the software not being open source a benefit?

While I don't agree with the parent's sentiment that iOS is great because it is closed. Neither Android Of Chrome OS is as open as proponents make them out to be. The typical Android distribution on phones have plenty of Google closed sourced parts.

Also most of the drivers are closed sourced.

Re: Android container in Chrome OS

#108

I can't wait for the day that phone operating systems development environments are a docker pull away. It's encouraging to see Google approaching my ideal workflow using containerisation. Apple systems are great until you run into the garden walls and are forced to use closed-source single platform software like Xcode. Chrome OS and Android are a lot more open in many respects. Hopefully efforts like this continue wi…

This. Apple, just give me a console access on iPad with keyboard.

Heck, I could even run it virtualized, if Apple didn't forbid it :(.

Re: Android container in Chrome OS

#109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. Boot, launch chrome tab, type Ctrl alt t, then type vmc start dev. You have a GNU/Linux kernel which you can do whatever you want. For more info visit Reddit and the Crostini subreddit. You can use Steam or really whatever.

What is happening is Google has enabled the KVM. You are using a second Linux kernel and can do whatever safely and away from the ChromeOS Linux kernel. Even GUI works as forwarded to ChromeOS. So start xclock and opens.

>Even GUI works as forwarded to ChromeOS. So start xclock and opens.

What is graphics performance like for the guest ? Does this use gpu virtualization (somewhat supported for intel gpus in recent kernels) ?

Re: Android container in Chrome OS

#110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

ChromeOS is significantly more locked down than macOS, developer mode notwithstanding. Firefox for iOS may use WebKit, but Firefox for ChromeOS isn't even a thing.

Conversely, a ChromeOS device is much less locked down than an iOS device, since you can run full Linux (with root) in a chroot on a ChromeOS device.

We may be doomed to an infinite regress here. After all, a Chromecast is more locked down than an iPad...

Someone considering running chrooted Linux on a Chromebook is going to be more interested in a Mac than an iPad, so IMO that's the more useful comparison.

I did run Crouton on a ChromeOS device and came to regret it. ChromeOS devices don't run a mainline kernel, they run something that Google provides which eventually stops receiving updates.

The audio app I wanted to run required a newer kernel, and there was no way to get it short of forward-porting a bunch of device support and building it myself.

IMO for Linux development, users are better served by a real Linux laptop than by a ChromeOS chimera.

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