# Ubuntu for Android on Galaxy Nexus + Questions



## jaskerx (Apr 1, 2012)

So I'm reading around the internet and I notice that Ubuntu has got better ARM support in version 12.04 and has pre-installed images for OMAP4 which is the hardware that the Gnex is based on...I think. Trouble is how would you go about getting this to run on the Gnex? Installation speaks of SD cards, which the Gnex doesn't have so I think I'll wait for a tutorial. Guessing that this would also replace Android with Ubuntu. I know that there is the Linux on Android free and paid app in the Play store. However this method seems to use Chroot and VNC to access Ubuntu on the phone which I don't see the practical use for (doesn't mean it isn't cool). I'm assuming this is some kind of virtualization or emulation. Also I don't know what apps are working as I haven't tryed it but he's got unity going on the 12.04 image. 

The better option it seems is this Ubuntu for Android as it runs Android and Ubuntu at the same time using the same kernel (shared kernel architecture). I can totally see the benefit in this as it would allow the end user to only have one device eg. your phone that docks into a tablet, that docks into a keyboard (ASUS Padfone). Or for us Galaxy Nexus owners simply buy a portrait style dock with micro-USB, HDMI out and 4 USB ports and we could hook this device up to a HDMI device with a mouse and keyboard to get a full desktop experience. Android when mobile, Ubuntu when docked. As phones get more powerful I think this would replace the desktop for people after just the "internet of things". Cannonical is waiting for more OEM's to jump onboard their Ubuntu for Android platform. Then they can announce it, and release the source code. Once that happens I would guess that some uber dev would port it over to the Gnex and every other phone/tablet possible. As a sidenote I also notice that there is a version of Android that Linaro has come out with that runs on the Gnex.

These questions are based on the following. That Cannonical and Ubuntu along with ARM and Linaro (among others) are working together to get Linux working on ARM, which means porting over just about everything to multiarch. That Ubuntu is now supporting OMAP4 in their 12.04 release. That Ubuntu for Android is the "killer app" in 2012 and its release date might coincide with the dot one release of 12.04 in July or in 12.10 in October. That the Android Mainlining Project has started merging Android code into the Linux kernel. That Ubuntu 12.10 will use the 3.4 Linux kernel, and Linaro 12.04 uses a 3.4 rc kernel.

Now my questions are:

1.) I notice that Android 4.0 ICS uses the 3.0.x branch of the linux kernel, and I just want to know why? Can it use a newer one? Would it make a difference? Or are all the fixes backported anyways? 

2.) From an Ubuntu for Android standpoint the Android Mainlining Project has merged Android into the Linux kernel starting with the 3.3.x branch and the new 3.4.x branch so why wouldn't Google start using the 3.4 kernel in future versions of Android, or can it?.

3.) Would using a 3.4 kernel require a major overhaul of the Android operating system? I notice that this is the kernel that Ubuntu 12.10 is based on and since Android is Linux and they want to use a shared kernel architecture for Ubuntu for Android wouldn't that make sense? 

4.) Linaro 12.04 uses kernel 3.4 rc3 and I imagine 12.05's kernel it will be the final release does this mean that Android can use the 3.4 kernel? 

5.) Was Linaro not aware that the Gnex was already running Android? Why did they come out with their own version? What is the difference between Linaro's version and AOSP and or AOKP/CM9? Is Linaro's version required to use Ubuntu for Android?

Mainly alot of kernel questions relating to Ubuntu for Android that I haven't been able to find the answers for, thought you guys might know.


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## RVDigital (Sep 4, 2011)

I'll be honest, I STARTED reading your post, but the font man, it's too small. Not trying to be a jerk here, just suggesting you make it a little bigger to increase your chances of a legitimate reply.


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## jellybellys (Apr 3, 2012)

Can't read it, sorry.


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## cubsfan187 (Jul 17, 2011)

You can't even see it in tapatalk. It shows a blank post. Must be the font color.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## marleyinoc (Oct 10, 2011)

jaskerx said:


> So I'm reading around the internet and I notice that Ubuntu has got better ARM support in version 12.04 and has pre-installed images for OMAP4 which is the hardware that the Gnex is based on...I think. Trouble is how would you go about getting this to run on the Gnex? Installation speaks of SD cards, which the Gnex doesn't have so I think I'll wait for a tutorial. Guessing that this would also replace Android with Ubuntu. I know that there is the Linux on Android free and paid app in the Play store. However this method seems to use Chroot and VNC to access Ubuntu on the phone which I don't see the practical use for (doesn't mean it isn't cool). I'm assuming this is some kind of virtualization or emulation. Also I don't know what apps are working as I haven't tryed it but he's got unity going on the 12.04 image.
> 
> The better option it seems is this Ubuntu for Android as it runs Android and Ubuntu at the same time using the same kernel (shared kernel architecture). I can totally see the benefit in this as it would allow the end user to only have one device eg. your phone that docks into a tablet, that docks into a keyboard (ASUS Padfone). Or for us Galaxy Nexus owners simply buy a portrait style dock with micro-USB, HDMI out and 4 USB ports and we could hook this device up to a HDMI device with a mouse and keyboard to get a full desktop experience. Android when mobile, Ubuntu when docked. As phones get more powerful I think this would replace the desktop for people after just the "internet of things". Cannonical is waiting for more OEM's to jump onboard their Ubuntu for Android platform. Then they can announce it, and release the source code. Once that happens I would guess that some uber dev would port it over to the Gnex and every other phone/tablet possible. As a sidenote I also notice that there is a version of Android that Linaro has come out with that runs on the Gnex.
> 
> ...


Sent from my DROID BIONIC using RootzWiki


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## That_dude_Adam (Jan 22, 2012)

jellybellys said:


> Can't read it, sorry.


I'm on my computer and I can read it just fine.


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## jellybellys (Apr 3, 2012)

That_dude_Adam said:


> I'm on my computer and I can read it just fine.


He adjusted it. Earlier it was font size 1.


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## yarly (Jun 22, 2011)

One of the most stable and one of the longest maintained ARM based Linux distros is Debian. Ubuntu is just using it as an upstream source anyways for their stuff as they always do. Also uses far fewer resources and has less bloat.


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## jellybellys (Apr 3, 2012)

yarly said:


> One of the most stable and one of the longest maintained ARM based Linux distros is Debian. Ubuntu is just using it as an upstream source anyways for their stuff as they always do.


Ubuntu is for people who can't configure Debian. 
^^ That's the way to look at life.


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## ArmanUV (Feb 1, 2012)

jaskerx said:


> So I'm reading around the internet and I notice that Ubuntu has got better ARM support in version 12.04 and has pre-installed images for OMAP4 which is the hardware that the Gnex is based on...I think. Trouble is how would you go about getting this to run on the Gnex? Installation speaks of SD cards, which the Gnex doesn't have so I think I'll wait for a tutorial. Guessing that this would also replace Android with Ubuntu. I know that there is the Linux on Android free and paid app in the Play store. However this method seems to use Chroot and VNC to access Ubuntu on the phone which I don't see the practical use for (doesn't mean it isn't cool). I'm assuming this is some kind of virtualization or emulation. Also I don't know what apps are working as I haven't tryed it but he's got unity going on the 12.04 image.
> 
> The better option it seems is this Ubuntu for Android as it runs Android and Ubuntu at the same time using the same kernel (shared kernel architecture). I can totally see the benefit in this as it would allow the end user to only have one device eg. your phone that docks into a tablet, that docks into a keyboard (ASUS Padfone). Or for us Galaxy Nexus owners simply buy a portrait style dock with micro-USB, HDMI out and 4 USB ports and we could hook this device up to a HDMI device with a mouse and keyboard to get a full desktop experience. Android when mobile, Ubuntu when docked. As phones get more powerful I think this would replace the desktop for people after just the "internet of things". Cannonical is waiting for more OEM's to jump onboard their Ubuntu for Android platform. Then they can announce it, and release the source code. Once that happens I would guess that some uber dev would port it over to the Gnex and every other phone/tablet possible. As a sidenote I also notice that there is a version of Android that Linaro has come out with that runs on the Gnex.
> 
> ...


I'm no dev but I have read some stuff here and there. Gnexus uses 3.0.x because that branch was available when ICS was being developed. 3.0.x is still being maintained (unlike 3.1 which is EOL), so there is no huge reason to jump to 3.3. Surely, a lot of things have been updated in 3.3-4 compared to 3.0, but the differences are not revolutionary. It's not an easy task for developers outside google to port the android specific features of the current 3.0 kernel to 3.3-4. However, there are some kernel devs like faux who have back-ported specific components of 3.3-4 to the 3.0 Gnexus kernel. Whether they makes a significant difference is up for users to decide. 
Regarding (2), what makes you say Google won't use 3.4? They will most likely adopt 3.4 for the next major release of android (jelly bean). As you mentioned, 3.4 has built in support for some android specific components that google developed separately from mainline linux. This will make everything easier for developers and OEMs, but it won't have a significant outcome for end users (at least in terms of features).


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## jaskerx (Apr 1, 2012)

yarly said:


> Ubuntu is for people who can't configure Debian.
> ^^ That's the way to look at life.




Yes Debian is great since it's the distro most everything is based on. Ubuntu however seems to just work which is great for the computer illiterate, and is backed by a big company (Cannonical). My Grandmother does not need or care how to edit her grub.cfg file, she just wants her updates. Come to think about it why isn't Debian a member or partner with ARM, Linaro or Cannonical for that matter?


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## yarly (Jun 22, 2011)

My comment was only in reference to using a linux distro other than android on the phone for whatever reasons, not for whatever and general. It was also not meant to demean any other distro (point to jellybellies for that and ironically, he is a ubuntu user himself despite his comment about ubuntu users).

Why arent they? You would have to ask the Debian community for the real answer. I'm not a spokesman for them. However, Debian is a community and doesn't get involved as partners with other things typically. They aren't a corporation and at least for Cannonical, they're not on the best terms with them or the worst, but mostly I don't think they overly get along that well.


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## jaskerx (Apr 1, 2012)

ArmanUV said:


> I'm no dev but I have read some stuff here and there. Gnexus uses 3.0.x because that branch was available when ICS was being developed. 3.0.x is still being maintained (unlike 3.1 which is EOL), so there is no huge reason to jump to 3.3. Surely, a lot of things have been updated in 3.3-4 compared to 3.0, but the differences are not revolutionary. It's not an easy task for developers outside google to port the android specific features of the current 3.0 kernel to 3.3-4. However, there are some kernel devs like faux who have back-ported specific components of 3.3-4 to the 3.0 Gnexus kernel. Whether they makes a significant difference is up for users to decide.
> Regarding (2), what makes you say Google won't use 3.4? They will most likely adopt 3.4 for the next major release of android (jelly bean). As you mentioned, 3.4 has built in support for some android specific components that google developed separately from mainline linux. This will make everything easier for developers and OEMs, but it won't have a significant outcome for end users (at least in terms of features).


Makes sense that they chose the latest 3.0 kernel when Android 4.0 came out. I've noticed in the rumored features that Android 5.0 (jelly bean) comes with a dual boot feature, was talking about Windows 8 but I'm sure you could subsitute that for Linux. I guess it works without acually rebooting the device. Nothing so far in the news about Google upgrading the kernel in 5.0 but makes sense that they should. Another good thing about Android coming into the mainline kernel is that if manufacturers want to make their hardware for Android phones they now have to contribute to the Linux kernel.


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