[NTLK] Einstein, Android, new Hardware, old Hardware

[Forrest Buffenmyer]

Yes, thank you for pointing out that distinction...which I realized after I sent this. While I do understand the difference, I was not clear in making that distinction.

Agreed that the OEMs are primarily responsible for the updates...from what I've read, if Google had its way, *they* would be in charge of pushing out those updates, the way Apple does.

Thanks,
--Forrest

Sent from my First Generation iPad

On Dec 1, 2011, at 3:42 AM, Mark Crutch <mark.crutch at gmail.com> wrote:

>> 
>> While in theory I generally support the concept of open sourcing, I am
>> concerned that it has caused a severe dilution of the Android platform, to
>> the point of frustration to some of its users. While some Android users are
>> still waiting for the latest update, and a few recent Android
>> devices--according to Google--won't be offered *any* updates from here on,
>> the recent iOS 5 update covered iPhones all the way back two years ago to
>> the 3G, and was (mostly) done unobtrusively.
>> 
> 
> I fail to see how this has anything to do with Google or with Android being
> Open Source. It's a problem with individual manufacturers who chose not to
> provide upgrades to older products. Any of those manufacturers _could_
> chose to keep older devices updated (assuming the hardware is capable
> enough), but have decided not to. Yes, it's disadvantageous to users and
> may provide an argument for Apple being "better", but the problem doesn't
> lie with Google or Open Source software.
> 
> The one advantage that Open Source does offer in this case, however, is
> that third parties can continue to provide upgrades even when the original
> manufacturer doesn't - e.g. CyanogenMod ROMs which are available in recent
> Android flavours for some rather old devices that would otherwise have been
> left behind. Nobody can legitimately offer such a service for an iOS
> device, once Apple decides it's too old to support anymore.
> 
> 
> You're also conflating the notion of "Open Source" with the idea of an
> "open platform". They're not the same thing at all. Android, Linux, Windows
> and MacOS are open platforms - I can run any software I like on them
> without having to have that software approved by anyone first. This has
> nothing to do with whether or not that software is Open Source. iOS is a
> closed platform which limits the software you can run to that which Apple
> has explicitly approved (jailbreaking aside).
> 
> 
> Mark
> 
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