Jay Freeman successfully ports Debian for Android

[talkbackdroid]

Since the first day we heard about Google?s Android platform we have been waiting for the open source phone that allows us to customize it just as we like. It seems now that the first Android-powered handset has been released we have all been a bit... Read more

[Sheraz150]

Wait, so what do I get out of doing all this on my phone?

[Drzprince973]

Yes I'm a bit confused as well, can someone explain what all this means? lol

[JohnnyLicious]

im so confused also
read his blog and everything

i want video on how this works on the G1

gosh im so lost haha

[benji]

Yeah right......just as soon as I finish developing that more efficient space shuttle fuel

[johnkzin]

What you get is "a fully functional linux environment on your phone".

If you _want_ that, then you've got it and you're golden (assuming you do all of this before RC30 hits, as you no longer have the ability to set it up, since you can't be root anymore).

If you _don't_ want that, then don't perform the operations he specifies.

[MrGibbage]

That is really freakin cool. If I only had the guts to do it...

[MobileMan]

Would be nice to see how it operates but I dont want to risk messing anything up. I dont somehow what to render my phone useless if I need to send it in for a repair. I can hear the call from a Tmo rep asking me what have I done to my phone. LOL.

[71CH]

You guys have no idea how excited I am. Imagine Amarok and GIMP on the G1? Or running Compiz???? (I doubt this but it would be nice)

[Crashdamage]

First, any mods like this are only for advanced Linux geeks who are not worried at all about warranties, customer support or brickin' their phone in general. If any of that applies to you - don't try it.
Second, I can think of a few good reasons for running a more or less 'normal' Linux distro on a G1. But I can think of a lot more good reasons not to.

Let's just say I think Android is a very good adaptation of Linux for the purpose intended, much better than even Mobile LInux, with lotsa future potential. Debian (or Unbuntu or Mandriva or CentOS - pick any disktop distro) is not well adapted for mobile use. Expect lotsa problems.
In fact, I would think Android has a better chance of evolving into a good desktop OS than Debian does of evolving into a good mobile OS.

I've used Linux for a long time and always will. But I'm not even the least bit tempted to try this. A lot more disadvantages than advantages.

71CH wrote:

Imagine Amarok and GIMP on the G1? Or running Compiz????

Keep imagining. No phone yet has anything like the necessary horsepower to run such software really well. Well, Amarok - but then I hate Amarok...