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Linux on Dex

linuxondex.com

171–180 of 228 posts

Re: Linux on Dex

#172

For those of us who don't have a supported device, there's an android app called [Termux]( https://termux.com/ ) which provides a surprisingly linux-y experience. I sometimes code on my 10" tablet with a small (60%) keyboard.

Termux is incredible. You can even run Arch on it https://github.com/sdrausty/termux-archlinux

PRoot's overhead is very significant though. Especially the moment you have more than one thread running..

Re: Linux on Dex

#173
post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Permission granted to the user is also granted to malware.

Nobody is arguing against sandboxing. The problem is sandboxing schemes that put the device manufacturers' needs ahead of the device owners' needs.

Traditionally when device owners bork the device they show up at the shop and have no idea how it happened, or it was the neighbor's kid. /s

Re: Linux on Dex

#174
post #43
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>I won't hope that a phone would handle 10000 rows much better. Galaxy S9 has 2 X 4 Core @ 2GHZ , my corporate laptop has an i5 from 2015 with 2 @ 2GHZ. I'll go with the Galaxy.

x86 GHz != ARM GHz

Well, GHz is GigaHerzs or 10^9 cycles/second.

So Ghz is Ghz regardless of x86 or ARM as thisvis just the clock speed.

Another discussion is how much work is done each cycle. For that you might use GigaFLOPS or TeraFLOPS (10^9 or 10^12 dloating operations per second) or another absolute measure of performance.

Re: Linux on Dex

#175

I have pretty much given up on the prospect of running a full fledged FOSS OS on devices that don’t give access to the bootloader’s root of trust, or give you a userland that works with a kernel you can’t control (eg Crouton). It all sounds great until you start trying to do actuall work. As soon as you need anything that’s not provided by the manufacturer software image you start to notice all the foundational thing…

Indeed. I'm on the lookout for a solid system that can boot a vanilla Linux kernel (something like an x86 laptop or ARM laptop, sub 10 inches preferably) that can make phone calls, receive SMS, and has a built in 4G modem. Does such a thing exist? I'd rather have a crap phone attached to a powerful computer, than a powerful phone that locks itself down so much that it's a crap computer.

Some laptops with a built in SIM module can actually text. I don't know about calls, but have a look around. I know for a fact that the Fibocom modems don't support sms, maybe the Huawei ones do.

Re: Linux on Dex

#177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Indeed. I'm on the lookout for a solid system that can boot a vanilla Linux kernel (something like an x86 laptop or ARM laptop, sub 10 inches preferably) that can make phone calls, receive SMS, and has a built in 4G modem. Does such a thing exist? I'd rather have a crap phone attached to a powerful computer, than a powerful phone that locks itself down so much that it's a crap computer.

Maybe something like the Cosmo Communicator [1]? It's a 'reboot' of the Psion PDA form factor by the same people who created the Gemini PDA. [1] https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/cosmo-communicator/

Not likely. Both the Cosmo and Gemini use Mediatek SoCs. You're unlikely to ever see a mainline kernel go anywhere near those things, let alone one supporting the majority of the hardware.

Odds are high you'll even be stuck with a 3.10 (or maybe 4.4 if you're lucky) fork of the kernel.

As much as I love the formfactor, it's way more likely that we'll see a mainline kernel running on one of the various Snapdragon 845 devices before the Gemini or Cosmos.

Re: Linux on Dex

#178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I do lots of work on my phone thanks to Termux and a 60% bluetooth mechanical keyboard. It's one of my most essential apps on Android. Either using it directly or using it to SSH into servers, raspberry pis, etc.

I'd really appreciate knowing which keyboard you're using!

He probably meant hardware keyboard. I don’t think anyone makes Bluetooth mechanical keyboards. Ok I’m apparently totally wrong about that last thing and possibly the first as well.

Re: Linux on Dex

#179
post #175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Indeed. I'm on the lookout for a solid system that can boot a vanilla Linux kernel (something like an x86 laptop or ARM laptop, sub 10 inches preferably) that can make phone calls, receive SMS, and has a built in 4G modem. Does such a thing exist? I'd rather have a crap phone attached to a powerful computer, than a powerful phone that locks itself down so much that it's a crap computer.

Some laptops with a built in SIM module can actually text. I don't know about calls, but have a look around. I know for a fact that the Fibocom modems don't support sms, maybe the Huawei ones do.

Older thinkpads have empty minipcie bays for cell modems. I think my x201 does but I haven’t checked.

Re: Linux on Dex

#180
post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> DEX opens a door for next generation Mobile Desktop , where you SmartPhone is also your Desktop Computer. Remember, Microsoft tried this with Continuum for Windows 8/10 and Windows Mobile, it failed. No-one actually wanted the core of their desktop inside their phones. People have partitioned off different use-cases for their PC and smartphones, and the overlap is smaller than designers think.

You can't discount the confused product strategy re: old software in this failure. People want desktops to run desktop software. Not WinRT/universal/modern/UWP. They did not understand this. So for multiple iterations, they shipped tablets, phones, etc., under the "Windows" brand that could not do what people think of when they hear "Windows". They should have shipped a device circa 2012 that let you recompile deskto…

Just like with the Ubuntu Phone: we just wanted a regular X11 on the phone, not a copy of Android app space on Android base.
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