[mythtv-users] OT Apple vs GPL (Was: THIS IS A NON-COMMERCIAL MAILING LIST)

[Gary Buhrmaster]

On Thu, Apr 19, 2012 at 09:19, jedi <jedi at mishnet.org> wrote:
> On Thu, Apr 19, 2012 at 12:11:54PM +0100, Simon Hobson wrote:
....
>> Show me a phone that does not have any restrictions ? There are
>> none, zero, zilch. Some are less closed than others, but none are
>> truly open.
>
>   You can side load Android devices. Just get the dev kit. You can
> install other people's binaries or build your own. This an option
> for any un-rooted Android device.

As is usually the case in these discussions, it all depends on ones
definition of "open".

TTBOMK all the (mobile/cell) radio firmware is binary only.
Most (all?) of the wifi firmware is binary only.  So, the hardware
(phone/tablet) platform is not "open".  Neither is an intel CPU by
some definitions (those microcode binary blobs that are loaded
to fix bugs are not "open").

However, you are correct that on Android one can
(exceptions noted) load any application.

Is that open enough for you?  It depends on your definition
of "open", and ones placement of the line of pragmatism.

Gary