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The Search for a Free/Open Source Mobile Operating System

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Re: The Search for a Free/Open Source Mobile Operating System

#151

Post by m4rtink »

usr1106 wrote: post #149
mpol wrote: post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Android 4.4 support is only an issue for the Xperia X. The Xperia XA2, 10 and 10II have updated support, first at Android 8, I think it is now at Android 9. The Xperia X is somewhat tricky in this regard. It uses the "old" way of Android support. Android 8 and 9 is supported with an LXC container. Bringing that to the Xperia X would mean reflashing. Then you end up in the situation where some users reflash, and some…

The problem is not reflashing, we all have flashed the first time, we could do it again. The problem is kernel support. There is no new enough kernel for Xperia X hardware. For obvious reasons Sailfish does not have resources to port a kernel for a 3-4 year old device. Not sure whether source is even available from Sony for all drivers. https://source.android.com/devices/architecture/kernel/core-... A 4.4 kernel woul…

That's incorrect - Sailfish OS uses the Sony Open Device program kermel and blobs as a base and there is up to kernel 4.9 available for the Xperia X:

https://developer.sony.com/develop/open-devices/get-started/...

Re: The Search for a Free/Open Source Mobile Operating System

#152

Post by xanaxagoras »

betwixthewires wrote: post #124

I just want to address 2 gripes I have with the article. 1) AOSP, not ASOP, you even spelled out the acronym and made this mistake twice, 2) OSM is phenomenal. OSM maps are not bad. IMO the accuracy, even in the US, is better than Google, particularly in rural areas. There's this project https://github.com/pnoll1/osmand_map_creation also that bundles in address data from OpenAddresses, plugging what is the biggest ga…

What do you use for maps, OsmAnd ?

Re: The Search for a Free/Open Source Mobile Operating System

#154

Post by betwixthewires »

xanaxagoras wrote: post #152
betwixthewires wrote: post #124

I just want to address 2 gripes I have with the article. 1) AOSP, not ASOP, you even spelled out the acronym and made this mistake twice, 2) OSM is phenomenal. OSM maps are not bad. IMO the accuracy, even in the US, is better than Google, particularly in rural areas. There's this project https://github.com/pnoll1/osmand_map_creation also that bundles in address data from OpenAddresses, plugging what is the biggest ga…

What do you use for maps, OsmAnd ?

Yep.

Re: The Search for a Free/Open Source Mobile Operating System

#155

Post by usr1106 »

m4rtink wrote: post #151
usr1106 wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is not reflashing, we all have flashed the first time, we could do it again. The problem is kernel support. There is no new enough kernel for Xperia X hardware. For obvious reasons Sailfish does not have resources to port a kernel for a 3-4 year old device. Not sure whether source is even available from Sony for all drivers. https://source.android.com/devices/architecture/kernel/core-... A 4.4 kernel woul…

That's incorrect - Sailfish OS uses the Sony Open Device program kermel and blobs as a base and there is up to kernel 4.9 available for the Xperia X: https://developer.sony.com/develop/open-devices/get-started/...

Thanks for correcting me. I wish all vendors would provide such clear and easy to read information. I was just repeating what I had heard elsewhere.

So is it just one of those management decisions that we don't put any work into an old device? It annoys me mostly because the X is the last device of a reasonable size. I would not even pay for a new one because I am entitled to a new work phone. But I don't like the huge devices you get these days.

Re: The Search for a Free/Open Source Mobile Operating System

#156

Post by m4rtink »

usr1106 wrote: post #155
m4rtink wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's incorrect - Sailfish OS uses the Sony Open Device program kermel and blobs as a base and there is up to kernel 4.9 available for the Xperia X: https://developer.sony.com/develop/open-devices/get-started/...

Thanks for correcting me. I wish all vendors would provide such clear and easy to read information. I was just repeating what I had heard elsewhere. So is it just one of those management decisions that we don't put any work into an old device? It annoys me mostly because the X is the last device of a reasonable size. I would not even pay for a new one because I am entitled to a new work phone. But I don't like the hu…

Yep, IMHO it's a management/resource decision - the choose to only support one base port stream, not two.

Still if you manly use native Sailfish OS apps, you will be getting all support and updates on Xperia X for years to come.

It's unfortunate but at least the newer devices should hopefully be in better shape. And as for size, Xperia10 II does not feel so much bigger than X as its the same width, just a bit longer. Feels quite subtleactually.

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