Slashdot Mirror
Debian Running On the T-Mobile G1
chrb writes "Following hot on the heels of the G1 root exploit, Jay Freeman now has Debian ARM running on the G1. The RC30 update has fixed the root hole, but with utilities and images already available to replace the flash image with your own signed code, it looks like the manufacturer-hacker arms race is on."
So let me get this straight?
Google G1 / Android / HTC / TMobile have been telling us this is going to be an open platform.
Someone already "broke" the phone (which isn't a problem on an open platform)
Someone is already working on getting unsigned code working? I thought it was an open platform?
Manu / Hacker arms race? Why? Isn't this an open platform?
Sounds to me like its just about as open as the IPhone, and a few early adoption idiots where taken for a ride.
Very much happy with my Windows Mobile HTC Wizard. And, I don't have to go to anyones "repository" or "app store" to purchase things, nor do I have to worry about MS telling me what I can and cant run on my phone (I know, the albatross IS the last part of that statement).
IOW, Good job, Google. You've turned into everything you detested.
NEXT!
--Toll_Free
The CEO of T-Mobile did not say how much he's going to charge Android users for data, or how certain data might just be given a low priority.
Now assume the position.
I'm sorry. I never would have replied to you if I knew you had such a profound emotional involvement.
Where is the distrust coming from? You're perfectly right... the poor telecom companies, most especially the mobile providers, have NEVER done anything that would justify anything but the utmost trust and dedication! Why, I'm sure they'll be delighted to surrender much of their revenue stream!
As I recall, your major US ISPs sold you all "unlimited" Internet access and said you could use anything you wanted on them as well. It's not like they'd ever change their minds about that, would they? Nor would they actually have hidden limits in place all the time. And of COURSE they'd never fiddle with the connection to discourage some applications they didn't like!
I'm not disputing that it would be great to have a really open smart phone. Nor am I disputing that Android, in concept, is a great idea.
The problem is, no battle plan survives first contact with the enemy.
All you need is (1) a nice open handset, (2) a nice open platform like Android and (3) someone to provide you connectivity.
When Google manages to finagle some open spectrum and builds out a network they control (or nobody controls), MAYBE you'll get something approximating the ideal. In the meantime, the only option for (3) is to go to a telecom company that already has such a network. If you think those guys are going to just roll over and let everyone run bittorrent, make unlimited VOIP calls and send free texts, you're in for a bitter, bitter disappointment.
I wish Android could deliver everything that has been attributed to it. I really do. But even if Google has the best of intentions, they currently only control one of the three required items. They might push that to two (hardware and software). Three will require some serious investment, in direct opposition to the interests of some seriously entrenched players.