

Instructions for flashing a phone or tablet device with Ubuntu - madmaze
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Touch/Install?action=show&redirect=TouchInstallProcess

======
jrogers65
I'm glad that ARM tablets are finally getting a decent operating system.

Android is a pain for productivity - only one visible window, applications are
killed in the background when you want them to persist, switching windows is
tedious if you have many applications open at the same time, various
deficiencies in third party applications like waking the screen and draining
your battery, a Google account is required to do basic things like download
apps, it's not possible to download APK's from the market in case you want to
perform offline installations, plugging in an external hard disk results in a
crash and reboot too often, media sound volume is reduced whenever an email
notification comes in. That last bug has been around for three years -
<http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=5012> \- and this is a
piece of commercial software, not someone's hobby OSS project!

Not to mention that it's based on GNU/Linux [EDIT: NOT GNU, just Linux] yet
misses important features like a good package manager, X11 and alternative
window managers. Things like Debian Kit For Android address some of these
issues but it still feels like a compromise.

I understand that it was originally designed as a smartphone OS but it just
doesn't scale well to tablets.

Another alternative which is looking extremely promising, even moreso than
Ubuntu, in my opinion, is Plasma Active - <http://plasma-active.org/>

~~~
freehunter
>it's based on GNU/Linux yet misses important features

I don't like this misconception. Yes, it uses a Linux kernel, but it's not a
Linux operating system. It's nothing like a Linux OS, like you mentioned. It's
not even trying. I mean, my Roku box sitting in front of my TV is based on the
Linux kernel as well, and it doesn't have a package manager, X11, or
alternative window managers.

Based on the Linux kernel is completely different from a Linux OS. Android
isn't trying to be Linux for smartphones. You're complaining that your car is
a frame on wheels but it's too heavy for a horse to pull. They're designed for
completely different purposes.

~~~
jrogers65
It seems I was mistaken about there being much GNU code in Android.

I'm complaining that the software which came with my hardware is not fit for
purpose and does not make good use of the horsepower. It would have been easy
to include the things I mentioned in Android and a niche market would have
been catered for as a result. A different decision was made and some of the
customers are unhappy. I'm well within my rights to complain about something I
paid for.

------
yebyen
This might belong on AskUbuntu, but I thought I'd start here...

The ASUS Transformer EeePad ubuntu flash instructions have not been updated
since 2011. Does this new method apply to ASUS Transformer pads? Is anyone
trying to make it?

I haven't flashed Ubuntu since I was able to try it with OLife Prime (method
for TF-101), and the included image was an ancient Natty, not upgradeable to
current version without breaking everything, so I gave up and went back to
using Android+Chroot. Is there any reason why these instructions would need to
change?

Would appreciate a reply from any Transformer Pad users who have tried any
method of installing a recent Ubuntu (or even Debian.) Where are the hangups?
Kernel drivers? Touchpad?

~~~
madmaze
I believe you may be confusing the "ubuntu" you are mentioning with the
"ubuntu for phones" version of ubuntu.

The main difference is an optimized interface
<http://www.ubuntu.com/devices/phone>

~~~
yebyen
OK, but the instructions say for Nexus / Galaxy devices, well I believe that
ASUS Transformer is an equivalent device except for having the option of a
nice keyboard dock. Hoping that someone knows more than me.

The ubuntu that you mentioned my mentioning is ancient. I'm just looking for a
modern way to get the latest, I would try Ubuntu for Phones unless I learn
that it won't work for some technical reason / will brick my device if I try.

My biggest gripe with using Ubuntu in a chroot is that the kernel included
with most Android distros does not support SYSV IPC, which rules out any local
apache or sql servers. This is obviously not Ubuntu's fault, but I don't have
the knowledge to compile and install a kernel on an ARM device that won't use
GRUB for booting (or too scared to try.)

Otherwise, it's pretty good using the chroot, and I would need a compelling
reason to switch (like possibly this new phone interface.)

EDIT: Same questions all around apply to Tizen.

~~~
disposabubble
Have you tried the Debian Kit for Android? It is not a chroot OS, but is
installed 'side-by-side' with Android. I successfully installed Ubuntu Lucid
and LXDE using it to my TF201. Not sure about Apache, but Eclipse works well.
I tried their Precise too, but ran into problems.

Edit: I guess this will not solve your kernel problems, but I'll leave it here
for people thinking about Debian Kit for Android, which is not documented as
working on TF201, afaik.

~~~
yebyen
I really liked Debian Kit, but I decided eventually that I preferred Linux
Deploy from <http://github.com/meefik/linuxdeploy>

A word of warning: if you try to use more than one of these on the same
system, you can easily hose the work that you've already done!

I really do not want a system that runs side-by-side, or chrooted,
realistically I'm not so terribly concerned about SYSV IPC and what it brings
(who doesn't love sqlite?), but I would like to know how to compile my own
kernel and boot it without Dalvik or the Android userland stuff.

That used to be the most important thing to feel good about using Linux to me.
I would like to have GNU Userland and X11 desktop. I would like to do this
without destroying my existing Android (separate partition?) but beggars can't
always be choosers. Using OLife Prime, I once was able to alter my partition
table without understanding what I had done (is this what GPT is like?) and
feeling very much like I had just started to install OpenBSD for the first
time.

I have a great working system in that partition, mmcblk0p8.

I just don't have the foggiest idea how to boot to it directly. I think I
would go back and start with oLIFE prime. I couldn't help but feeling like the
trick to usurp the bootloader by overwriting the recovery tools was a hack.

So now, when I want to boot into GNU/Linux, I've got to hold the down volume
like I used to do to get into OpenRecovery? (When I tried the instructions to
reverse this, hold down arrow to boot into Android, I just couldn't boot
anything either way.)

Can't I have all three of Android, TeamWin, AND GNU/Linux somehow? I will try
it and submit something to HN next chance I get. Maybe there are more
Transformer owners than I think. /rant>

------
freehunter
The certifiate verification failed due to a common name mismatch. Host:
wiki.ubuntu.com Common name: _.canonical.com Alternative subject names:
regex([^.]_ \\.canonical\\.com), regex(canonical\\.com)

Looks like they're using the canonical.com cert on ubuntu.com, which it's not
registered for.

------
ghrev
Has anyone seen mention of Ubuntu plans for it to work with the toro Galaxy
Nexus (Verizon)?

------
chinchang
Oh man...only Nexus devices are supported :(

------
warfangle
Note that step #2 is currently illegal in the United States, and providing
instructions to do so is similarly illegal in the United States.

~~~
andrewaylett
I don't think that's the case in this scenario -- jailbreaking is illegal, but
this isn't jailbreaking, it's unlocking. The manufacturer put this
functionality in for you to use (if you accept the consequences), in contrast
to Apple's complete locking down.

~~~
Rudism
Jailbreaking is still not illegal. Only carrier-unlocking a device is illegal,
which is unrelated to both jailbreaking and unlocking the boot loader. Here's
a quick and dirty breakdown:

Jailbreaking -- Modifying the software/OS on your device to give you "root" or
administrative access, which allows you to do things on the phone that are
normally restricted. NOT illegal. Doing this generally involves getting a copy
of the "su" (superuser) executable that's been compiled for the OS on the
phone in question.

Unlocking the boot loader -- Android phones from the factory do not allow you
to install alternate OSes on them until you do this. Doing this simply puts
the phone into a state that is receptive to flashing new OSes, and is
functionality that's built in to the phone. As far as I know there's no
equivallent concept on the iOS side. NOT illegal. I think doing this just
involves invoking some special commands via the official adb tools while the
phone is connected via usb, and wipes all of the data from your phone when you
do it.

Unlocking/Carrier unlocking -- Phones that you buy from carriers such as AT&T,
Verizon, etc. are usually carrier-locked, meaning they'll only work with SIM
cards that came from whatever carrier you bought them from. It means you can't
(for example) sign up for a Verizon plan and get their subsidized price on a
new phone, then cancel your plan immediately (paying whatever exorbitant early
termination fees they charge which hopefully still nets you at less than the
full cost of the phone you got), and bring the phone to T-Mobile for a cheaper
pay-as-you-go plan. The only way to do that would be to carrier-unlock the
phone. This IS illegal. I'm not really sure what this generally involves but I
know for at least some phones it's just a matter of dialing up a special
keycode on the phone.

