
Shuttleworth: Ubuntu is heading to phones and tablets - evo_9
http://arstechnica.com/open-source/news/2011/10/shuttleworth-ubuntu-is-heading-to-phones-and-tablets.ars
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nkassis
I feel that the Ubuntu project is really stretching it's resources trying to
be on so many different type of devices. I get that focusing on the desktop is
probably not a good long term strategy but I really don't feel the work their
is anywhere near good enough to shift to mobile/touch development.

Also, I really don't get how they will penetrate this market considering
Android is pretty well suited for this and I don't know of many good native
Linux applications out there built for touch that can compete with what is in
the Android realm (I guess they could try to have dalvik run and emulate the
APIs for more low level stuff). How will us users get Ubuntu mobile? We can't
really get a touch device today that is as easy as a desktop to switch to
Ubuntu.

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jiggy2011
Why would focusing on the desktop not be a good long term strategy?

Contrary to what seems to be printed in the tech press, I think desktop/laptop
computers will be around for quite some time as productivity platforms even if
other formats become more popular for passive consumption.

With the other big players focusing on other areas, Linux desktop can fill a
niche here.

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cs702
I see several possible markets for this:

* Mobile device manufacturers who want an 'unbiased' alternative to Android and Google TV, so as to reduce their dependence on Google and transition away from a variety of marginal dead-end proprietary platforms that will be difficult to maintain and extend in the long run.

* Governments and corporations that have standardized on Ubuntu for desktops and laptops and would derive many benefits from using the same platform and administrative tools (e.g., Landscape) on tablets and mobile phones.

* Emerging vendors who want to bring to market new consumer devices and home-automation systems and would want an independent software platform that is easily extensible (e.g., Control4's products are built atop Ubuntu).

* Individuals and other entities who could take advantage of a full, unfettered, 100% Free GNU/Linux stack on their mobile devices. (If it works well, I, for one, would at least try it.)

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Adaptive
If Ubuntu had solved the hardware problem in the laptop space already I'd say
more power to them. As it is, they really should be cherry picking a limited
number of best-of-breed laptop make/models, ensuring support for those and
then baking that into their LTS support cycle.

Given the unbelievably more complex hardware environment of handsets, the fact
they haven't solved the laptop problem space yet makes me feel like they are
biting off more then they can chew.

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wmf
In some sense, phones are much simpler than PCs: if your phone ships with
Ubuntu installed then Ubuntu will work on your phone. Otherwise it won't.

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taken11
I want multi boot for phones. Why is it acceptable for phones that one can not
install another operating system?

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protomyth
If they are going into mobile they better have unique take on it and not just
be doing it to say they can. If it looks and works like W8, iOS, or Android
then they should not spend he resources.

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ard0r
At the very least, their unique take will be their commitment to openness,
which iOS abhors and Android also makes difficult. Hopefully this means we can
decide what software to install ourselves, and that we won't need to "root"
our phones because they gladly give us root access.

~~~
protomyth
Openness doesn't sell phones to non-geeks. If they cannot do something unique
then they shouldn't spend the resources. Also, on a phone, how many of those
drivers are going to be closed? Right now it is pretty much video, on a phone
it will be interesting.

<https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BinaryDriverHowto>

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yaix
That's a stable project.

1\. Started as Desktop Linux... 2\. then went via a Ubuntu Server... 3\. to
now become a smartphone Linux?

How about sticking to #1 and let those that are specialized in #2 and #3 do
theirs? It's not like the desktop environment will disappear any time soon.

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jwallaceparker
This sounds great to me. Any additional competition in the phone/tablet space
should reap benefits for users.

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tankenmate
The article linked to this posting provides more details; the arstechnica
article is sadly lacking. <http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3175558>

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scubaguy
I wonder if they can do this without getting in trouble with smartphone
patents.

