Mercurial > hg > toybox
annotate www/about.html @ 1746:b11f536bac74 draft
install -D bugfix from David Halls.
(I tweaked some comment text while I was there.)
| author | Rob Landley <rob@landley.net> |
|---|---|
| date | Sat, 21 Mar 2015 15:49:38 -0500 |
| parents | 24d21baf52a3 |
| children |
| rev | line source |
|---|---|
|
1180
94eb7b9127d2
Change header and pages so each page has its own title.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
927
diff
changeset
|
1 <html><head><title>What is toybox?</title> |
|
365
8f0b24cc7cd7
Minor web page updates (put header/footer back, add a few <hr> tags).
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
360
diff
changeset
|
2 <!--#include file="header.html" --> |
|
8f0b24cc7cd7
Minor web page updates (put header/footer back, add a few <hr> tags).
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
360
diff
changeset
|
3 |
|
1491
24d21baf52a3
Capitalize "toybox" more consistently on the about page.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
1180
diff
changeset
|
4 <h2><a name="what" />What is toybox?</h2> |
| 226 | 5 |
| 927 | 6 <p>Toybox combines the most common Linux command line utilities together into |
| 7 a single <a href=license.html>BSD-licensed</a> executable. It's simple, small, fast, and reasonably | |
| 8 standards-compliant (<a href=http://opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799>POSIX-2008</a> and <a href=http://refspecs.linuxfoundation.org/LSB_4.1.0>LSB 4.1</a>).</p> | |
| 226 | 9 |
| 927 | 10 <p>Toybox's 1.0 release goal is to turn generic Android into a |
| 11 development environment capable of compiling <a href=http://www.linuxfromscratch.org>Linux From Scratch</a>. | |
| 12 A tiny system <a href=/aboriginal>built from</a> just toybox, linux, <a href=http://musl-libc.org>a C library</a>, and a C compiler (such as LLVM or | |
| 13 gcc 4.2.1+binutils 2.17) should be | |
| 14 able to rebuild itself from source code without needing any other packages.</p> | |
| 226 | 15 |
|
1491
24d21baf52a3
Capitalize "toybox" more consistently on the about page.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
1180
diff
changeset
|
16 <b><h2><a name="status" />What commands are implemented in toybox?</h2></b> |
| 226 | 17 |
|
652
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
18 <p>The current list of commands implemented by toybox is on the |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
19 <a href=status.html>status page</a>, which is updated each release. |
| 927 | 20 There is also <a href=roadmap.html>roadmap</a> listing all planned commands for the |
|
652
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
21 1.0 release.</p> |
| 226 | 22 |
| 23 <p>In general, configuring toybox for "defconfig" enables all the commands | |
| 24 compete enough to be useful. Configuring "allyesconfig" enables partially | |
|
652
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
25 implemented commands as well, along with debugging features.</p> |
| 226 | 26 |
|
410
3d87f15f4c60
Add wiki link and make about less stale.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
385
diff
changeset
|
27 <p>Several toybox commands can do things other vesions can't. For example |
|
3d87f15f4c60
Add wiki link and make about less stale.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
385
diff
changeset
|
28 the toybox "df" isn't confused by initramfs the way other df implementations |
|
652
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
29 are. (If initramfs is visible, df shows it like any other mount point.)</p> |
| 230 | 30 |
| 226 | 31 <b><h3>Command Shell</h3></b> |
|
1491
24d21baf52a3
Capitalize "toybox" more consistently on the about page.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
1180
diff
changeset
|
32 <p>The toybox shell (toysh) aims to be a reasonable bash replacement. It |
| 226 | 33 implements the "sh" and "toysh" commands, plus the built-in commands "cd" and |
| 34 "exit". This is the largest single sub-project in toybox.</p> | |
| 35 | |
| 36 <p>The following additional commands may be built into the shell (but not as | |
| 37 separate executables): cd, exit, if, while, for, function, fg, bg, jobs, source, | |
|
410
3d87f15f4c60
Add wiki link and make about less stale.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
385
diff
changeset
|
38 <a href="http://opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799/utilities/alias.html">alias</a>, |
| 226 | 39 export, set, unset, read, trap, and exec. (Note: not done yet.)</p> |
| 40 | |
| 41 </ul> | |
| 42 | |
| 43 <h2><a name="commands" />Which commands are planned?</h2> | |
| 44 | |
| 45 <p>The toybox <a href=todo.txt>todo list</a> mentions many potential commands | |
| 46 which may be added to this project. (Whether that file is readable by anybody | |
|
410
3d87f15f4c60
Add wiki link and make about less stale.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
385
diff
changeset
|
47 but the project's maintainer is open to debate.) The roadmap wiki in the |
|
3d87f15f4c60
Add wiki link and make about less stale.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
385
diff
changeset
|
48 nav bar has a more human readable version.</p> |
| 226 | 49 |
| 50 <p>The criteria for a toybox 1.0 release is that a system built from just the | |
|
410
3d87f15f4c60
Add wiki link and make about less stale.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
385
diff
changeset
|
51 Linux kernel, toybox, C library (such as uClibc), and a compiler (such as |
|
3d87f15f4c60
Add wiki link and make about less stale.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
385
diff
changeset
|
52 tinycc) can rebuild itself from source code.</p> |
| 226 | 53 |
| 54 <b><h3>Relevant Standards</h3></b> | |
| 55 | |
| 56 <p>Most commands are implemented according to | |
|
410
3d87f15f4c60
Add wiki link and make about less stale.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
385
diff
changeset
|
57 <a href=http://opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799/idx/utilities.html>The |
|
805
0db28494d17d
Accumulated web page changes. (Release announcement for previous release, roadmap updates, etc.)
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
652
diff
changeset
|
58 Single Unix Specification version 4</a> where applicable. This does not mean |
|
1491
24d21baf52a3
Capitalize "toybox" more consistently on the about page.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
1180
diff
changeset
|
59 that toybox is implementing every SUSv4 utility: some such as SCCS and ed are |
| 226 | 60 obsolete, while others such as c99 are outside the scope of the project. |
| 61 Toybox also isn't implementing full internationalization support: it should be | |
| 62 8-bit clean and handle UTF-8, but otherwise we leave this to X11 and higher | |
|
805
0db28494d17d
Accumulated web page changes. (Release announcement for previous release, roadmap updates, etc.)
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
652
diff
changeset
|
63 layers. And some things (like $CDPATH support in "cd") await a good |
|
0db28494d17d
Accumulated web page changes. (Release announcement for previous release, roadmap updates, etc.)
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
652
diff
changeset
|
64 explanation of why to bother with them. (The standard provides an important |
| 226 | 65 frame of reference, but is not infallable set of commandments to be blindly |
| 66 obeyed.)</p> | |
| 67 | |
| 68 <p>The other major sources of commands are the Linux man pages, and testing | |
| 69 the behavior of existing commands (although not generally looking at their | |
|
805
0db28494d17d
Accumulated web page changes. (Release announcement for previous release, roadmap updates, etc.)
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
652
diff
changeset
|
70 source code), including the commands in Android's toolbox. SUSv4 does not |
|
410
3d87f15f4c60
Add wiki link and make about less stale.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
385
diff
changeset
|
71 include many basic commands such as "mount", "init", and "mke2fs", which are |
|
3d87f15f4c60
Add wiki link and make about less stale.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
385
diff
changeset
|
72 kind of nice to have.</p> |
| 226 | 73 |
| 74 <b><h2><a name="downloads" />Download</h2></b> | |
| 75 | |
| 76 <p>This project is maintained as a mercurial archive. To get a copy of the | |
| 77 current development version, either use mercurial (hg clone | |
|
425
312b8acb65aa
Fix bad link that was confusing people. (Oops.)
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
410
diff
changeset
|
78 http://landley.net/hg/toybox) or click on one of the zip/gz/bz2 links |
| 226 | 79 at the top of the <a href=/hg/toybox>mercurial archive browser</a> page to get |
| 80 an archive of the appropriate version. Click | |
| 81 <a href="/hg/toybox?cmd=tags">tags</a> to see all the tagged release | |
| 82 versions ("tip" is the current development version).</p> | |
| 83 | |
| 84 <p>The maintainer's <a href=/notes.html>development log</a> and the project's | |
|
410
3d87f15f4c60
Add wiki link and make about less stale.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
385
diff
changeset
|
85 <a href=http://lists.landley.net/listinfo.cgi/toybox-landley.net>mailing |
| 226 | 86 list</a> are also good ways to track what's going on with the project.</p> |
| 87 | |
|
652
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
88 <!-- |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
89 <b><h2><a name="why">Why do toybox?</h2></b> |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
90 |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
91 <p>Because smart phones are replacing the PC, and Android must become |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
92 self-hosting to beat the iPhone in establishing the new standard.</p> |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
93 |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
94 <p>This is the third such major transition in computer history: |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
95 (mainframe->minicomputer->microcomputer->smartphone). |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
96 The mainframe was replaced by the minicomputer, which was replaced by |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
97 the microcomputer (renamed the "personal" computer to make clear you could |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
98 access porn through it), which is being replaced by the smartphone. Nobody |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
99 needed to wait for printouts from a big computer in another building when they |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
100 could use a little one down the hall. Then nobody needed the big computer |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
101 down the hall when they had a little one on their desk. Now nobody needs the |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
102 big computer on their desk when they have a little one in their pocket.</p> |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
103 |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
104 <p>The new platform displaces the old when it becomes natively self hosting. |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
105 Often they leverage existing technology: just as early microcmputers used |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
106 teletypes and televisions for output, phones can use |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
107 <a href=http://us.toshiba.com/accessory/PA3575U-1PRP>USB docking stations</a> |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
108 to access a bigger screen, mouse, keyboard, speakers, etc. Plugging a phone into |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
109 USB even charges the battery. But to use the phone as a development |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
110 workstation, it needs more software, such as a Posix command line, a native |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
111 compiler, and drivers for the USB peripherals.</p> |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
112 |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
113 <p>The new platform also eventually weans itself off of its dominant language. |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
114 Dalvik is to Android what ROM Basic was to the PC: something it must |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
115 eventually outgrow. Thus toybox is native C code, not Java.</p> |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
116 |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
117 <b><h3>So why aren't self-hosting smartphones attracting more attention?</h3></b> |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
118 |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
119 <p>Because most people are focusing on the legacy platforms, not on the new |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
120 stuff. Existing multi-billion dollar industries are getting evicted from their |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
121 decades-old established niche, and are trying to spin the transition as an |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
122 opportunity instead of a forced march onto reservations. When elephants run |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
123 from mice, it's easier to notice the elephants.</p> |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
124 |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
125 <p>History's our guide here: the previous technology always gets kicked up into |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
126 the "server space", moving from "the thing you stood in front of waiting for |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
127 your printout" to "that thing you sometimes accessed remotely via the new |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
128 computer". This time around they're calling it "the cloud" and pretending it's |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
129 a big deal; it's really just a beowulf cluster with a layer of |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
130 virtualization/containerization software implementing hotplug hardware and |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
131 live migration to provide cheap |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
132 commodity processing power that dominant players (like amazon) literally |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
133 give away for free. These old machines become secondary, only |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
134 accessed through the new machines users now directly interact with.</p> |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
135 |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
136 <p>Since there's only one server space, the mainframe ate the minicomputer in |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
137 the 1980's (when DEC went under), and this time around "the cloud" seems to be |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
138 eating the mainframe (IBM ain't happy). The inevitable consolidation leads |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
139 to drama, but doesn't mean much in the long run.</p> |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
140 |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
141 <p><a href=http://landley.net/notes-2012.html#12-07-2012>For more |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
142 on this topic...</a></p> |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
143 |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
144 <b><h3><a name="why_android">Why is Android important?</h2></b> |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
145 |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
146 <p>Major hardware transitions introduce |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
147 <a href=http://landley.net/notes-2011.html#26-06-2011>new software |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
148 standards</a> which are extremely sticky once |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
149 established, due to network effects.</p> |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
150 |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
151 <p>Last time around, the PC was stuck with |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
152 a proprietary operating system (DOS/Windows) which is still dominant on that |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
153 hardware platform's descendants 30 years later. This time around, the choice |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
154 is between Android (a Linux derivative) and iPhone (a closed BSD fork ala |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
155 SunOS, put out by a company already engaged in multiple aggressive IP lawsuits). |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
156 The main difference between Apple and Microsoft is that Apple is competent.</p> |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
157 |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
158 <p>And yes, it has to be Android, it won't be vanilla Linux any time soon, |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
159 for three reasons. 1) <a href=http://landley.net/notes-2010.html#13-08-2010>Open |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
160 Source can't do user interfaces</a> for about the same reason wikipedia can't |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
161 write a novel, 2) it's too late to the |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
162 party (a 5 year headstart is forever in computers), 3) preinstalls matter |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
163 (GPLv3 spooked all the hardware vendors, Android has a "no GPL in |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
164 userspace" policy which is rigidly enforced).</p> |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
165 |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
166 <p>And "any time soon" is important: attempting to displace an existing |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
167 entrenched de-facto standard is what linux has spent the last 20 |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
168 years trying (and failing) to do on the desktop. Spending another 20 |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
169 years fighting for less than 1% of the phone market would just be sad.</p> |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
170 |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
171 <b><h3><a name="how_google">How is Google less evil than Apple?</h3></b> |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
172 |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
173 <p>Because Android isn't Google's core business, attaching advertising to large |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
174 scale data searches is. Android and Chrome and such are Google's way of |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
175 "commoditizing their co-factors" to drive down the price of ingredients |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
176 to their core business.</p> |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
177 |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
178 <p>Thus Google is pursuing a commodity market and encouring as many vendors as |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
179 possible to participate, not to control the new space but to hold it open, |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
180 so that its search products are widely available without requiring the |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
181 permission of some other monopoly gatekeeper. Apple is attemping to corner the |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
182 smartphone market and extract monopoly rents, excluding all |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
183 vendors except itself.</p> |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
184 |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
185 <p>So if Google wins we get a commodity market in smartphone/tablet software, |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
186 and may be able to open it further in future. If Apple wins we get a proprietary |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
187 smartphone/tablet OS with a single monopoly vendor, which is likely to close it |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
188 further.</p> |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
189 |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
190 <b><h3>Why not just use BusyBox?</h3></b> |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
191 |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
192 <p>Android can't. Busybox predates android |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
193 by many years; if they were ever going to ship it they'd have done so by |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
194 now. Android has had a "No GPL in Userspace" policy ever since GPLv3 |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
195 came out (before the first Android phone shipped), and they mean it.</p> |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
196 |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
197 <p>Toybox also has a better design and simpler code. I did both |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
198 and this is the one I enjoy banging on; I tried to contribute a few things |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
199 to busybox and it was like crawling through a thornbush of #ifdefs. Busybox |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
200 development is just no fun anymore.</p> |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
201 |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
202 --> |
|
2d7c56913fda
Some dubious asides, currently commented out.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
425
diff
changeset
|
203 |
|
360
f7780b485e6f
Remove header/footer includes to prepare for css instead.
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
230
diff
changeset
|
204 <b><h2><a name="toycans" />What's the toybox logo image?</h2></b> |
| 227 | 205 |
| 206 <p>It's <a href=toycans-big.jpg>carefully stacked soda cans</a>. Specifically, | |
| 207 it's a bunch of the original "Coke Zero" and "Pepsi One" cans, circa 2006, | |
| 228 | 208 stacked to spell out the binary values of the ascii string "Toybox", with |
| 209 null terminator at the bottom. (The big picture's on it's side because | |
| 210 the camera was held sideways to get a better shot.)</p> | |
| 211 | |
| 212 <p>No, it's not photoshopped, I actually had these cans until a coworker | |
| 213 who Totally Did Not Get It <sup><font size=-3><a href=http://www.timesys.com>tm</a></font></sup> threw them out one day after I'd gone home, | |
| 214 thinking they were recycling. (I still have two of each kind, but | |
| 215 Pepsi One seems discontinued and Coke Zero switched its can color | |
| 216 from black to grey, presumably in celebration. It was fun while it lasted...)</p> | |
|
365
8f0b24cc7cd7
Minor web page updates (put header/footer back, add a few <hr> tags).
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
360
diff
changeset
|
217 |
|
8f0b24cc7cd7
Minor web page updates (put header/footer back, add a few <hr> tags).
Rob Landley <rob@landley.net>
parents:
360
diff
changeset
|
218 <!--#include file="footer.html" --> |