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Linux on Samsung Galaxy smartphones

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91–100 of 255 posts

Re: Linux on Samsung Galaxy smartphones

#91
post #24
post #10

It's quite interesting that with the power of today's mobile devices (multicore 1GHz+ CPUs, GPUs, 2Gb+ RAM) we still don't have a standardized interface to plug them into desktop peripherals and launch a desktop OS/GUI. One would thing that such an universal interface would quickly become a standard offering in airports, hotels, libraries, conferences, etc.

It's the natural desire in a free market to gain monopoly status and the desire to decrease the support matrix. Therefore most smartphone companies will try to log you into their own choice of OS. It's not an asshole move, it's just the most logical conclusion given the context they are in. The way to get around that is supporting such kind of project (like fairphone, ubuntu mobile, linux on samsung) and gaining a tr…

> It's not an asshole move, it's just the most logical conclusion given the context they are in.

I don't think those two are mutually exclusive.

Re: Linux on Samsung Galaxy smartphones

#92
post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thunderbolt is developed by Intel. As for Apple products, it's available on the desktop (using Intel CPU's/chipsets) but not compatible with their iOS devices. So it's far from "universal" given that iOS devices are an overwhelming majority of their sales. My intuition is that USB-C standards will eventually replace most Thunderbolt interfaces (e.g. for eGPUs etc.)

can usb-c support multiple monitors + keyboard + other peripherals? can it support running an egpu?

Yes. USB-C can transport multiple protocols (such as HDMI and USB) at the same time. Some eGPU have USB-C support (though not all).

Re: Linux on Samsung Galaxy smartphones

#93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wish wish wish USB-C was that reliable across the spectrum https://marco.org/2017/10/14/impossible-dream-of-usb-c

These things take time. Remember that blue screen when they announced USB plug and play support in Windows 98?

Windows 98 'Second Edition' supported USB.

I just want to say that Windows 10 does feel like Windows Millenium (an 'incomplete' OS).

Re: Linux on Samsung Galaxy smartphones

#94
This has exactly the same problem as Microsoft's WSL: they're conflating Linux with "distribution built around GNU userland".

I'm not a gnu zealot. I think rms has many faults. But a major company saying "now you can run Linux on android" or "now you can run Linux on Windows subsystem for Linux" is beyond stupid.

In the case of Samsung it's Like saying you can make a sandwich out of a sandwich. In the case of Microsoft it's like saying you can make a real roast chicken out of a soy chicken.

Re: Linux on Samsung Galaxy smartphones

#95

Just bought a Dex Station. If Emacs runs well enough then it will be a lifesaver.

If Emacs is all you need, you can run it today with Termux. Dex is of course nice for giving a bigger screen etc.

What this "Linux on Galaxy" thing will provide on top of Termux is X (or Wayland?) and probably a bigger selection of software.

Re: Linux on Samsung Galaxy smartphones

#96

No thanks! I'm not buying a phone that won't get updated with security updates. My trash box is littered with Korean Android phones that have no upgrade path or ability to clean with a fresh install. I'm opting for a Pixel 2 and an iPhone X for work and personal. They're expensive at first, but way cheaper and far more convenient in the long run. They always have immediate security updates, and they update their OS f…

It doesn't matter who the OEM is. All Android phones are now wrappers around the Qualcomm snapdragon SOCs if they're sold in the US. They all have the update problem because Qualcomm has refused to work with other organizations or maintain their kernel forks.

Re: Linux on Samsung Galaxy smartphones

#97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wish wish wish USB-C was that reliable across the spectrum https://marco.org/2017/10/14/impossible-dream-of-usb-c

These things take time. Remember that blue screen when they announced USB plug and play support in Windows 98?

The controller/driver side of USB-3 is still in a miserable state. USB-3 is the source of endless frustration both at the lab and at private computers. Issues range from:

USB-3 controllers won't initialize reliably if there's a single low speed device conntected, like e.g. the keyboard/mouse I've connected to the USB-3 hub my my monitor, which I'd like to connected to a USB-3 port of my computer so that I can plug thumb drives into the side ports of the monitor.

If the do initialize they take ages to go through POST.

After waking from S3 it takes several minutes(!) for all devices to come up properly. Often the OS drops the controller into USB-2 mode, because keeping it USB-3 creates interrupt storms or similar.

Just having enabled the on-board USB-3 support without anything connected may cause random POST hangs.

All of this happening on pretty recent hardware (late 2015, but still available for purchase in that configuration as of today) with latest BIOS and drivers.

And that's without the issues USB-C introduces (alternate modes, power delivery, which requires driver support, etc.).

Re: Linux on Samsung Galaxy smartphones

#98

This has exactly the same problem as Microsoft's WSL: they're conflating Linux with "distribution built around GNU userland". I'm not a gnu zealot. I think rms has many faults. But a major company saying "now you can run Linux on android" or "now you can run Linux on Windows subsystem for Linux" is beyond stupid. In the case of Samsung it's Like saying you can make a sandwich out of a sandwich. In the case of Microso…

I've always thought of WSL as "implementing the Linux kernel API on Windows so you can run software written for it." I don't think it's necessarily restricted to GNU it's just that's what most people use and it's what's included.

Re: Linux on Samsung Galaxy smartphones

#99
post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thunderbolt is developed by Intel. As for Apple products, it's available on the desktop (using Intel CPU's/chipsets) but not compatible with their iOS devices. So it's far from "universal" given that iOS devices are an overwhelming majority of their sales. My intuition is that USB-C standards will eventually replace most Thunderbolt interfaces (e.g. for eGPUs etc.)

can usb-c support multiple monitors + keyboard + other peripherals? can it support running an egpu?

You guys are talking about the same thing (and on the other side, not, but you don't realize how): Thunderbolt 3 uses USB-C, because USB-C is the connector spec.

If I understood it correctly, Thunderbolt at the same time can "carry" USB. So basically if you have Thunderbolt 3, you also (potentially) have USB.

A non-Thunderbolt USB 3.1+ USB-C can via Alternate Mode (depending on devices and cable) carry e.g. a DisplayPort A/V Signal over dedicated lanes (but has not nearly the same Bandwidth as Thunderbolt, so restrictions apply).

So: "Every Thunderbolt 3 is USB-C, but not every USB-C is Thunderbolt 3".

Yes, it can get confusing, but essentially you both are arguing about A is better than A, because Thunderbolt 3 uses USB-C. The "fullest" features set though you only get with Thunderbolt, for now at least.

Re: Linux on Samsung Galaxy smartphones

#100
post #59

> Linux on Galaxy allows the latest Samsung Galaxy smartphone users to run their preferred Linux distribution on their smartphones utilizing the same Linux kernel that powers the Android OS to ensure the best possible performance. (emphasis mine) I knew there was a catch somewhere. I seriously doubt there's a technical reason why older Galaxy models can't support running Linux as well. I don't understand why it's so…

We're all used to having desktop computers with generic x86 compatible processors and highly standardized internal interfaces and components, and compiling our software and installing it on any x86 computer we want. Smartphones with ARM SOCs aren't like that because they aren't just a CPU, they also include a crapload of additional system components. Even SOCs like the Snapdragon within a specific model will offer ma…

You can actually compile the userspace (which is more or less most of what is meant by a distro) and install it on pretty much anything. I do this a lot. The kernels have to be recompiled but that's trivially easy.
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