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Debian For Android Installer Released
dooberrymctavish writes "You can now download an installer and bootloader for getting Debian running on your Android (G1 at the moment) device; the whole install process will take you about 10 minutes, and leaves you with access to the full plethora of programs available in Debian and lets you continue using your phone as it was intended to be: as an Android device with all the capabilities thereof. Here's a look at it running.
Is it just a chrooted Debian installation? I'm assuming so, seeing as Android's just a bunch of Java progs running on a small custom Linux distro.
Must resist purchase of new geek toy...
Don't resist! Just give in. I bought it the day of release, I got out of my Verizon contract for 200$ even. I don't regret it one bit. Loading Debian on it? Can't wait!
Article mentions Android is based on Debian, so basically what has happened is apt-get was installed (and all required software) which then gives access to the entire debain ARM library.
Is this correct?
It's sad the number of responses saying this is a boot screen... maybe if you don't actually look at it, and just go: 'oh pretty text!'
Why does the article/ video say "use Debian on Android"? If you install Debian you are no longer using Android.
I definitely plan to order one of these phones next month (I don't have T-Mobile in my area, so I need to buy the Developer Edition with the snazzy graphics on the back)
I now need to stop procrastinating and (vastly) improve my Java skills and start writing some Android apps.
Point is, you can work around the OS.
I'm not sure how easy it is on WM, but consider if it was desktop Windows vs the iPhone OS. Worst case, just replace explorer.exe with your own shell, use a layer like Cygwin or Services for Unix, and it's hard to tell it's actually Windows under there.
On the other hand, if you like the iPhone, it's great, but if you don't, or you want to change it in some interesting way, you're pretty much boned.
Don't thank God, thank a doctor!
Oh, I have to jailbreak it. That makes sense... Oh wait, you're asking me to crack my own phone.
To be fair, TFA mentions that in order to run Debian on Android, you have to use modded firmware to gain root access (it was removed by default by an update a little while ago). Probably won't brick the device, but there are no guarantees.
Maybe I'll make it run in the background, so I can have something play music while users do something else... Nope, not allowed.
What I've read suggests that the iPhone will continue iPod playback in the background, but not other apps. Never used one, though.
I'm more than happy with my Android G1 in this respect, because I can run things like the StreamFurious Shoutcast client in the background while surfing or reading eBooks.
Information wants to be beer.