Android - An Open Source Platform

[Note: This article is not written by me, see the name of the writer below]

If you’re like me interested in modifying you phone to the max, the most important thing is the code, why you ask me … well for one the code gives you an insight into the inner works of the software and is the key to any kind of modification, superficial  or core one, android has always been an open sourced platform that publishes it’s source through its open source project page where developers and even hobbyists can check it out and contribute bug fixes and suggest improvements https://androidreview.googlesource.com/#/q/status:open,n,z

All is fine then….but:
Being open sourced the OEMs have the right to modify vanilla android “nexus android for the non techies” and add their skins that very from design changes to libraries recording, similar to drivers, all of these changes result in the new firmware flocking away from the vanilla configuration so any type of proper modification is going to require much more work to first decipher the code and then be able to modify it. The source code acts as a blueprint to the alien code thus giving developers more freedom.

A personal experience:
I’m no developer but I’ve up-close with some of the most developer unfriendly devices, galaxy SII and SIII, ask any cyanogen mod maintainer the biggest problem they face and they immediately tell you the lack of source and documentation , team hacksung the cm maintainers for the galaxy family of devices have declared they weren't planning to buy or maintain the SIV http://forum.xdadevelopers.com/showpost.php?p=39255132&postcount=27 as they've long suffered Samsung’s unwillingness to publish code ,yes they publish code… but it doesn't contain anything useful to the developers : a hole topic on the subject here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1929188, not to mention other firms not even offering any code.


The GPL fraud:
All of the manufacturers that adopt android as their operation system are required to comply to the terms and conditions of GPL licensing while all of them pretend to comply only a few really do, Sony for example,  while it’s the gnu project’s responsibility to review the status of the firms and decide to grant them the license or withdraw it, it is also the consumers responsibility to boycott these firms until they start to follow the terms as boycott is and will always be the consumer’s single greatest weapon.

What it means to the average consumer:
Source availability virtually unlimited firmware updates, your phone will no longer be bound by the latter most firmware that your manufacturer decides to ditch your phone at , I meant your Motorola and htc, all thanks to the magical power and efforts of the developers.

-------By: Kareem Ayman-------