Android to replace windows?
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http://www.jide.com/en I find this idea intriguing. Does anyone else think this might be a viable alternative to Windows(if you exclude gaming) I would to try it, but at the bare minimum I need Vivaldi and Libre office to work on it.
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There is Linux. Have been using it for a few years. It is FOSS.
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And Android is a fork of Linux.
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Indeed it is Linux so you can make it into a complete Linux OS
BusyBox Linux extensions - http://wikipedia.org/wiki/BusyBox
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=stericson.busybox
https://github.com/Stericson/busybox-free/tree/master/out/production/busybox-freeOr install an alternative Linux
Lil’ Debi: Mobile Debian Installer
https://guardianproject.info/code/lildebi/ -
I guess that is my point. It is linux, but it is a success where other linux versions fail. I've tried numerous Linux distros and none can compete with windows for mainstream use. Android is the first version to take the "geek" out of linux. Can they keep the geek out and still make it appeal to desktop users.
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In most cases, Android is not competing with Windows. Windows is for desktops and laptops, Android is for … well, stuff people don't consider a computer. Not that Microsoft doesn't want to compete with Android (with the recent Windows phones and tablets), but really they haven't yet.
Case in point, I suppose. Our store (a Wal-mart) carried 3 different Windows tablets last year at this time. Two of them have been replaced with Android tablets with the same specs from the same company(!), the third is simply gone. That's right, they took the same hardware and loaded it with Android, and sell it for $30 cheaper. All they did was replace some of the keys on the detachable keyboard to have a Back (left-pointing triangle), Home (circle), Apps and Menu keys - and they didn't even change those last two. The extra keys ... the key for starting the web browser has an IE logo on it!
Mind you, of course we don't have any Windows 10 devices in the store yet, but really it is hard to imagine they'll have something worthwhile in the tablet space in time for Christmas.
As long as Microsoft tries to push everything to cloud services, I see them losing ground to Linux on the desktop. Not certain who'll be the winner there - a couple of years ago everyone thought it would be Ubuntu but at this point I can't say. What I can say is people don't really want all their data off on some remote server where hackers in North Korea or wherever can break in and steal it. I have 64 GB or 250 GB or 500 GB here on my computer (depending how old it is), why do I need to store it "in the cloud"? Some things that I want all my friends to see, sure, but everything else I'll keep here.
(Even that aforementioned Android tablet has 64 GB of storage. Expandable, by adding a microSD card.)
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And Android is a fork of Linux.
Strictly speaking Linux is just the kernel, using that POV android IS Linux.
But people usually refers to Linux as synonym of GNU/Linux, the whole operating system.
According to that meaning, Android isn't Linux at all.
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The only OS for desktops work that comes close to Windows is Linux and FreeBSD but you can always look at alternatives like AmigaOS, MorphOS, SailOS and hopefully others. We all need to get away from Windows and fast.
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