Ubuntu and Android

[dmiller2007]

I'm about to start building my first pc and I'm going to install ubuntu 10.10 on it. I would really like to get into the dev community for android. My question is, how familiar to android is ubuntu? I mean at the system files level. I know android is built off a linux kernel. Is it just a base and that's where the similarities stop or are there recurring items? And can anyone provide any good books to help me get started in developing for android?

 

[mrspeedmaster]

The only commonality between Ubuntu and Android is the Linux kernel.


Android uses a sandbox layer and a run-time layer for their apps. Most apps are run through a Dalvik run-time. You can't simply compile a GNU X11 app and have it run on Android. It needs to be ported over.

There is no window manager like the way Ubuntu uses Gnome/KDE.
There are no multi-users on Android
There are no real direct POSIX access. You need to run busybox.
There are dozen more reasons why the two OS cannot be equally compared.

If you want a real desktop LINUX like experience on a phone. I suggest Meego.
Unfortunately, Meego does not have the traction that Android has. Heck, even Maemo is closer to the desktop than Android.

As for developing Android apps under Ubuntu, download Eclipse and the SDK. It will take a total of 20 minutes to set-up.

 

[dmiller2007]

I'm perfectly satisfied with android on my phone. I'm very unfamiliar with ubuntu and have not done much with android outside of some theming on my phone and customization. I was basically wondering if understand 1 would help me with understanding the other. Which I now understand they are very different. I guss its just a coincidence that ubuntu has root and superuser access features also? also I'm familiar with the android operating system.