Update (Nov 20): See also part 2 of this post.
A few days ago ars technica published an article “Google’s iron grip on Android: Controlling open source by any means necessary”.
If you are considering Android for embedded this article is a must-read to understand the severe ramifications of Google’s tight (and tightening) control on the Android technology and ecosystem.
Some quotes from the ars technica article:
- “Android is open – except for all the good parts“
- “Android actually falls into two categories: the open parts from the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) … and the closed source parts, which are all the Google-branded apps”
- “Android open source apps … turn into abandonware by moving all continuing development to a closed source model.”
- “Joining the OHA requires a company to sign its life away and promise to not build a device that runs a competing Android fork.”
- “Google Play Services is a closed source app owned by Google … to turn the “Android App Ecosystem” into the “Google Play Ecosystem”
- “You’re allowed to contribute to Android and allowed to use it for little hobbies, but in nearly every area, the deck is stacked against anyone trying to use Android without Google’s blessing“
Compare this with a recent Wired article “Oracle Makes Java More Relevant Than Ever”:
“Oracle has actually opened up Java even more — getting rid of some of the closed-door machinations that used to be part of the Java standards-making process. Java has been raked over the coals for security problems over the past few years, but Oracle has kept regular updates coming. And it’s working on a major upgrade to Java, due early next year.”
Cheers,
— Terrence
3 comments
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10/23/2013 at 21:59
Daniel Latrémolière
Where can I found an open-sourced version of the JIT for ARM 32 bits (included in Oracle’s binaries builds of JDK8)? For me, it seems an essential part of embedded Java!
Have Oracle solved the problem with Apache on Field of Use of Java:
https://blogs.apache.org/foundation/entry/statement_by_the_asf_board
Apache is currently not a member of JCP given that.
I don’t know who is better or worse between Google or Oracle but having trust in one is difficult: it can be good for C/C++ in embedded.
This is not necessary a bad idea, given generating and compiling small native code and deploying it on embedded part avoid time to obtain fastness (hot code in JIT) and memory cost of runtime.
10/24/2013 at 18:38
m1k0
Android stolen Java to have all existing enviroment.
Now Google trying stoping the same with Android.
10/25/2013 at 14:18
terrencebarr
Hi Daniel,
There are several 3rd party open source projects in various stages related to ARM JIT for OpenJDK, e.g. cacao. For a readily available, product-quality solution you should also look at Oracle’s Java SE Embedded and Java ME Embedded products, both of which feature ARM JIT for several platforms.
Best,
— Terrence