Linux and Open Source

Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols & Paula Rooney
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Google's decision to delay Android 3.0 code is unacceptable

By | March 25, 2011, 9:37am PDT

Summary: Android is what it is today because of Linux and because of Google’s open source following — developers, organizations, customers and vendors. Delay the open source release? No. Justice delayed is justice denied.

It was very disturbing to learn that Google will not open source Android 3.0 in timely fashion.

Shortly after the release of the Honeycomb 3.0 SDK in February, I was told by a source in the know that tablet source code would be available to developers. But I assumed that this would be done when the code was firmed up — not when Google felt like doing it.

“The version of Android (3.0-Honeycomb) showed today is optimized for tablet form factors. It’s not yet been open sourced. All of the UI changes are the future of Android,” the source told me, and then answered by obvious follow up question. “As with all releases on Android, we make it available by open sourcing it - but we haven’t announced a timeline.”

Google is releasing the source code to OEMs and “select” developers — but so does Microsoft. That doesn’t make it open source.

Google is hinting that its a minor delay, and as noted by my colleague, that its decision is in the best interests of its user base.

“While Google claims that they don’t want people experimenting with the OS on smartphones for which it wasn’t designed, ” the story maintains.

I find that rationale a bit ironic,  considering that it is Google that has caused much of the market confusion by developing multiple open source operating systems and then spewing forks of each for different purposes.

Ok. Chrome OS is for notebooks. Android is for smartphones and Android 3.0 is for tablets. Clear.

If it’s clear to me, then it is clear to developers.

Google ought to be able to trust its developers enough to use the proper code base for the proper purpose. Google, after all, has experimented with the core Android code for which it wasn’t initially designed. (Why shouldn’t developers if they wish?)

Google’s commitment to open source has been questioned in the past, in spite of its mega contributions to Mozilla, standards work and decision to use Linux. Yet it always seems to weather the controversies.

But this? This decision to delay is simply unacceptable.

Android is what it is today because of Linux and because of Google’s open source following — developers, organizations, customers and vendors. Delay the open source release? No. Justice delayed is justice denied.

Developers need the full Android 3.0 code to create the best Android tablet apps possible. Windows developers know full well that Microsoft’s access to internal APIs not available in the SDK gave the company an edge in the apps business.

That may not be Google’s true motive in this case, but the company needs to be reminded that it does not control Linux or the GPL.

Transparency is paramount in the open source community. The tablet market is going to be huge. It’s not fair to lead the entire open source developer community along, enjoy massive success and then pull the plug on its open source commitment as the market wave is poised to peak.

I would strongly urge Google to reconsider this decision — or face a serious revolt by the open source community.

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Topics

Developer, Google Inc., Android 3.0, Tablets, Open Source, Notebooks, Hardware, Notebooks & Tablets, Paula Rooney

Paula Rooney is a Boston-based writer who has followed the tech industry for almost two decades.

Disclosure

Paula Rooney

Paula Rooney owns no stock in the companies that she covers. She holds a 401K that is managed by JPMorgan.

Biography

Paula Rooney

Paula Rooney has covered the technology industry for more than 15 years, starting with semiconductor design and mini-computer systems at EDN News and later focused on PC software companies including Microsoft, Lotus, Oracle, Red Hat, Novell and other open source and commercial software companies for CRN and PCWeek. She received a silver award from the American Society of Business Publication Editors in 2005 for her profile on Linus Torvalds and edited and co-authored "Partnering With Microsoft," a book about Microsoft's channel published by CMP Publishing in 2004. Rooney graduated from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in 1997. In her off time, she enjoys scuba diving, sailing, sun worshipping, running and reading. She resides on the shores of Scituate, Massachusetts.

Talkback Most Recent of 46 Talkback(s)

  • It's fine. It's not like we're talking about MS here
    it's Google so its ok.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Will Farrell
    25th Mar
  • RE: Google's decision to delay Android 3.0 code is unacceptable
    @Will Farrell Lol, very appropriate. I think his open source world with Google as the rulers is falling apart.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Alansonit
    25th Mar
  • LOL @ folks believing in "do no evil"
    You almost immediately smell a rat when someone advocates altruistic stuff such as "open", "free", "transparency" and all that un-backed claims.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    LBiege
    25th Mar
  • I think you just made a friend of DonnieBoy
    @Will Farrell
    wink
    ZDNet Gravatar
    John Zern
    25th Mar
  • I believe this is a legal issue.
    We can only blame Microsoft and Apple for this. Google is just trying to save it's self from further patent lawsuits.

    I welcome the move, remember all Microsoft wants to do is destroy the competition, by delaying the release of the source code, this means that android can still compete for decades to come.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    ziggyfish
    25th Mar
  • RE: Google's decision to delay Android 3.0 code is unacceptable
    @ziggyfish So if I understand what you are saying it's all Microsoft and Apple's fault because Google violated patents in the source code and to open source it now just brings they lawsuits that much faster? It's alright for Google to violate patents but not for the companies that hold them to use the legal system to protect those patents?
    ZDNet Gravatar
    non-biased
    31st Mar
  • RE: Google's decision to delay Android 3.0 code is unacceptable
    @Will Farrell I agree. What's the rush? It will come. If Google had announced that it would never release it, then I can see your point, but no yet. Relax

    Besides, at CES, Duarte said that Honeycomb would be available for smartphones as well. He explained how "fragments" in Honeycomb are used to customized the OS depending on the device. So, Honeycomb, will be available for phones, but it won't look the same as on a tablet, but it will still be Honeycomb.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    mrxxxman
    28th Mar
  • RE: Google's decision to delay Android 3.0 code is unacceptable
    It could be totally acceptable for a number of reasons, all of which you choose to ignore and implant your own conspiracy theories as to why. Some competitor is involved here I would guess, if so it means you are very, very bad journalist.

    You are looking a gift horse in the mouth.
    "Android code for which it wasn?t initially designed. (Why shouldn?t developers if they wish?)" Because "developers" aren't of the same caliber as the google engineers. It's why they get paid WAY MORE!

    Will Farrell makes a good point (hi Will, I love you in Talladega Nights). Just kidding I know your not the real Farrell. Just like I am not the real Bilbo Baggins (he is real though).
    ZDNet Gravatar
    bilbobaggins2
    25th Mar
  • Right Google's developers are what matters
    @bilbobaggins2 and they have a difficult job to do. Who cares what the complainers say, as they have no say in the process.

    Development is difficult work, that's why you have to pay people to do the heavy lifting.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    otaddy
    25th Mar
  • RE: Google's decision to delay Android 3.0 code is unacceptable
    Serious revolt. Over what is probably at 8 to 12 weeks wait.

    An the one the community will get, will be more stable and probably more useful as a developer platform as it will support phones and tablets, and I suspect TVs as well.

    But I suspect the main reason the open source community are not getting there greasy little mits on it is because of Google Music is built directly into the OS and they do not want that to get in the public domain to early, and most importantly the APIs and feature lists. Which I suspect will also contain details of Google Circle as well. Which again Google would not want to get into the public domain to early, after all they want Zuckerberg to continue to fight the invisible, unknown , undefined enemy.

    I also suspect that Honeycomb is short life version anyway and we will get the combine Tablet/Phone Version during the summer.

    There nothing in Linux licence as far as I understand that forces companies to release code in a timely manner either, they just have to release it a time in the future.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Knowles2
    25th Mar
  • RE: Google's decision to delay Android 3.0 code is unacceptable
    @Knowles2 "I also suspect that Honeycomb is short life version anyway and we will get the combine Tablet/Phone Version during the summer."

    Actually its the other way around. Tablets are being forked off from phones, and the new Android for phones with Honeycomb app support is due out in the next few weeks. That being said, I've already seen Android 3.0 ports for smartphones in development on XDA. They're not at all stable, but it was only a matter of days from 3.0s release to alpha roms being tested.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    biglama
    25th Mar
  • The champion of Open Source is now the abuser
    Google, long thought to be the champion of Open Source is now the abuser. Actually, they've been as bad as MS for quite a while, but because they championed Open Source many chose to look the other way.

    Funny how Open Source fans react to things like this, screaming and ranting and raving how Google is acting unacceptably. Funny how Google ignores them.

    Funny how Open Source fans really have no power in the movement.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Cynical99
    25th Mar
  • RE: Google's decision to delay Android 3.0 code is unacceptable
    @Cynical99
    "Bad as MS"
    Funny how you offer no evidence to backup your claims and speak rhetoric.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Google

    Note that it says:
    "Much of the criticism of Google pertains to issues that have not yet been addressed by cyber law."

    Ie. Much of the criticism of Google should be directed at Congress and the courts.

    Just look at some of the criticisms, they are a complete joke (Doodles).

    Microsoft's site however:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Microsoft#Labor_practices

    Way worse. Also that page links to entire other wiki articles about criticism of specific products.

    Now, onto Android which has only one criticism if you could call it that. Oracle is suing over copywrite since they now own Java. Imagine that, embrace, extend, extinguish.

    Get some perspective people!
    ZDNet Gravatar
    bilbobaggins2
    25th Mar
  • Selective postings, so what.
    @bilbobaggins2

    I can link to the "good" things that a drug lord does for his community, while linking to the fact that Steve Jobs (or whoever) doesn't contrubite to charities.

    Would that make Steve Jobs "alot more evil"?
    ZDNet Gravatar
    John Zern
    25th Mar
  • No cause Steve is loved and Gates and Ballmer are not!
    @John Zern It's so easy to cherry pick links. I mean if wikipedia says its true, it must be!
    ZDNet Gravatar
    otaddy
    25th Mar
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