how open is open? AT&T Locks Sirius XM Out of Android Phones

[Dave Farber <dfarber () me com>]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Adam Fields <ip20398470293845 () aquick org>
> Date: June 17, 2010 10:11:43 AM EDT
> To: dave () farber net
> Cc: ip <ip () v2 listbox com>
> Subject: Re: [IP] AT&T Locks Sirius XM Out of Android Phones

> For IP, if you wish:
>
> On Wed, Jun 16, 2010 at 10:45:02PM -0400, Dave Farber wrote:
> [...]
> > > AT&T???s decision to not embrace the open source nature of the
> > > Android OS is surprising, especially in light of CEO Ralph de la
> [...]
> > > that???s gonna happen. I mean, I see a lot of activity, I think
> > > it???s got a good future, and I think it makes a lot of sense that
> > > the OS is open-source, separate from Google apps that are also
> > > very good.
>
> The claim that Android is an open OS, from the point of view of the
> end customer, is largely baseless. Android is open source from the
> perspective of the handset maker, in that they can use and modify the
> source without any cost. However, Android itself is licensed using the
> Apache License, not the GPL, so the handset makers are under no
> obligation to release the source, keep it open, allow you to root the
> device or install your own OS, or even release modifications under the
> same license.
>
> To put it bluntly: Android phones are no more guaranteed to be "open"
> to the end user than any other phone.
>
>
> -- 
>                               - Adam
> ----------
> If you liked this email, you might also like:
> "Some iPad apps I like" 
> -- http://workstuff.tumblr.com/post/680301206
> "In praise of the Sous Vide Supreme" 
> -- http://www.aquick.org/blog/2010/05/17/in-praise-of-the-sous-vide-supreme/
> "Brooklyn Botanic Garden" 
> -- http://www.flickr.com/photos/fields/4520236537/
> "fields: What happened to the option to preorder an iPhone and have it shipped ..." 
> -- http://twitter.com/fields/statuses/16242892196
> ----------
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>
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