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Google's new 'Aluminium OS' project brings Android to PC

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Re: Google's new 'Aluminium OS' project brings Android to PC

#181

Post by theandrewbailey »

wild_egg wrote: post #97
vbezhenar wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't want extensible software. KDE is terrible in that regards. They have miriads of options, that's too much for me. I want opinionated software. I don't like GNOME, but it's the lesser evil and I learned to deal with its issues. Also I don't like that KDE does not have its native launcher. I need to install some SDDE stuff which works under Xorg or something like that and looks ugly. Pretty weird stuff all that.…

XFCE is plenty mature and very stable

Add Chicago95, and you've got some comfortable nostalgia.

https://github.com/grassmunk/Chicago95

Re: Google's new 'Aluminium OS' project brings Android to PC

#182

Post by jacquesm »

carlosjobim wrote: post #180
jfoster wrote: post #177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The market for operating systems naturally falls into oligopolies. It's usually not financially feasible for third-party applications to support more than a few of them. Users tend to have strong preferences toward operating systems that have lots of applications built for them.

But here we're talking about developers. They will have other platforms they can use. And I don't believe for a moment that Google will have any success with this new project. They simply aren't capable anymore of making projects such as these work. MacOS, Windows and Linux will stick around long after this project is abandoned.

Here's to hoping that's the case. But the GGGP was arguing about that other case, where in fact Google manages to lock down the desktop to the point that you have to ask their permission in order to be able to ship a piece of software.

And since we've already seen two other players take that exact stance thinking that the third (who is already doing similar stuff on their mobile platform) is going to do the same thing is not just a theoretical risk.

Re: Google's new 'Aluminium OS' project brings Android to PC

#183

Post by rock_artist »

We're now in a mixed computing era that is shaping the future of computing: Ignoring niche OSes (eg consumer electronics such as TVs/dishwashers/etc)

- PC (Windows, Linux, macOS) - Mobile (to simplify, this includes phones, watches and ongoing AR / AI progress based around Android and iOS with some Meta)

Mobile already "broke" the rules, and we have locked down devices with simplified "app stores" and more complex off-the-market OSes since each device is a unique SoC combination many times with closed-sourced blobs.

Web did a major change for desktop (which I guess part of the assumption for ChromeOS). but there are still some scenarios where native APIs are needed.

On the other hand, current Desktop OS market is a mess, Windows is focusing on intrusive features and enforcing user account, Apple is all about "notarizing" and making desktop similar to mobile, and Linux is diverged with multiple variants.

I really hope for opinionated Linux distribution promoted by a big player (I've always hoped Adobe or someone in the right size will understand the need and their ability to get enough common products to it).

Having said that, Linux did great advancement over the years. Many companies including closed source already have some support and also gaming made great advancement.

Anyway, Making a "locked os" won't do much. So unless Google plans to shoot their own leg, they'll need to make it open enough.

Re: Google's new 'Aluminium OS' project brings Android to PC

#184

Post by kotaKat »

rockskon wrote: post #161
omnifischer wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't think it is targeted at you. A lot of people like you say so - but will be shoved Win11 or Apple Intelligence. Enjoy.

How? What leverage does Google have in the Desktop space? They have no captive market that they can leverage a forced installation of Aluminum OS.

Rugpulling the education market that got suckered into buying all those Chromebooks and grooming the kids into Google products from kindergarten onwards.

Re: Google's new 'Aluminium OS' project brings Android to PC

#185

Post by happosai »

matejdro wrote: post #165
liendolucas wrote: post #158

No one tech-savvy wants this. We are already sick of Google's Android lockdowns on mobile phones, and now coming after laptops and desktops? What's that going to be like? Will developers have to beg to have control over devices they own? Will we be locked down on the store and have to manually install "unverified" software? Will I be able to take screenshots at will on MY computer, or get a black screen because Googl…

I guess this is more meant as an replacement for Chrome OS? That one is already pretty locked down, so switching to Android does not change much.

ChromeOS is much more close to regular Linux systems than Android. The vendors had support Linux properly to get into ChromeOS. This allowed google go support ChromeOS laptops for very long period. Also, a a side-effect Chrome OS contractors got to contribute a lot into mainline Linux.

Android Otoh let's vendors get away with shipping binaries that work once on one Android version, making upgrades pain. And thus Android devices are generally stuck with the build they released with.

The Google decision to drop ChromeOS in favour of Android is going is going to be a huge disaster for Linux ecosystem.

Re: Google's new 'Aluminium OS' project brings Android to PC

#186

Post by Yizahi »

0manrho wrote: post #34

If you, like me, were wondering why Google thinks it needs another operating system (ChromeOS, Android, Fuchsia - which is presumably dead (edit/turns out it's not/edit)) or where it fits in with the "stack": > ChromeOS and Aluminium Operating System (ALOS) Commercial devices across all form factors (e.g. laptops, detachables, tablets, and boxes) and tiers (e.g., Chromebook, Chromebook Plus, AL Entry, AL Mass Premium…

Google wants an OS with Play Market on any and all devices possible. That's the end goal.

Re: Google's new 'Aluminium OS' project brings Android to PC

#187

Post by Yizahi »

tomComb wrote: post #52
mynameisash wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For all the complaints against Windows, legit or not, I can't envision a world in which I want the world's largest advertiser to run my desktop OS.

Pixels and Chromebooks have never had any ads. Windows 11 is plastered with them.

Pixels literally have unremovable Google ad right on the home screen. The search bar. Just because it has additional functionality, doesn't mean it's not an ad.

Re: Google's new 'Aluminium OS' project brings Android to PC

#188

Post by phantasmish »

gf000 wrote: post #132
devinprater wrote: post #65

Android accessibility is so not ready for PC. Navigate with keyboard and TalkBack and you'll hear "selected" everywhere which is redundant, since if TalkBack is speaking a UI element, it is selecting it for action. Apps aren't ready for keyboard either. They really, really aren't ready for a launch next year. But I'm sure they will. And few blind people will care because (almost) every blind person uses windows or an…

I don't really get your point. The accessibility story can surely be improved, but it's absolutely 100% better on Android, than what we have on GNU/Linux today, so at the end of the day it's just one more choice for end-users. And keyboard and the like will also get a chance to get fixed if more people are interested in the platform.

I dunno that it will be improved. ChromeOS is pretty bad on that front (or at least was a couple years ago when I set up a chrome book for my elderly dad).

Re: Google's new 'Aluminium OS' project brings Android to PC

#189

Post by [deleted] »

carlosjobim wrote: post #176
liendolucas wrote: post #158

No one tech-savvy wants this. We are already sick of Google's Android lockdowns on mobile phones, and now coming after laptops and desktops? What's that going to be like? Will developers have to beg to have control over devices they own? Will we be locked down on the store and have to manually install "unverified" software? Will I be able to take screenshots at will on MY computer, or get a black screen because Googl…

[flagged]

[deleted]

Re: Google's new 'Aluminium OS' project brings Android to PC

#190

Post by kurtis_reed »

te0006 wrote: post #130

Does anybody think Aluminium as a brand name is a good choice? Especially considering the intended expansion towards the premium market. To me it sounds cheap, second-rate, ersatz. What you use if you cannot afford a better metal. Chrome is shiny, aluminium surfaces soon get dim again after any polishing attempt.

Sounds British
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