Hi,
I'm playing with ROM building recently and I when building 2.1 ROM, everyone say "We can't fix X issue because we don't have kernel sources".
I was shocked seeing all great hardware support is on the Eris leak based ROMs.
Why thoses ROMs have better hardware support ? I thought when we port a ROM, we take a working boot.img (kernel + drivers) and the new system.img together. So if I'm not wrong, what make thoses ROMs better ?
I'm probably missing some key understanding. If you can help me, I'll really appreciate.
Regards,
mik
Eris is basically Verizons Wireless's re-branded version of Hero.
The hardware and everything is same, just the physical appearance.
So our new kernel base is now this one ?
I'm asking because I'm building AOSP (cyanogenmod) ROMs so if this new kernel+drivers is the way to go, I'll start wirking with this as base and not the old HERO2.1 one
mik- said:
So our new kernel base is now this one ?
I'm asking because I'm building AOSP (cyanogenmod) ROMs so if this new kernel+drivers is the way to go, I'll start wirking with this as base and not the old HERO2.1 one
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Click to collapse
The kernel of the Eris is different to the Hero, they are still using the old kernel on the Eris port
l0st.prophet said:
The kernel of the Eris is different to the Hero, they are still using the old kernel on the Eris port
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Click to collapse
So why the hardware support is so good ?
hardware driver...
Isn't all of this supposed to be open source anyway? Like, if the official kernel has better hardware support, why isn't it in the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), if Android is GPL-licensed Free Software? Is there a violation of the GPL going on here?
FunkTrooper said:
Isn't all of this supposed to be open source anyway? Like, if the official kernel has better hardware support, why isn't it in the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), if Android is GPL-licensed Free Software? Is there a violation of the GPL going on here?
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Click to collapse
Because the official kernel isn't officially available, it's still technically in development. They are under no obligation to release it until they release it to the public, by which point we will have it anyway
FunkTrooper said:
Isn't all of this supposed to be open source anyway? Like, if the official kernel has better hardware support, why isn't it in the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), if Android is GPL-licensed Free Software? Is there a violation of the GPL going on here?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Common misconception number 1 - Android is *not* licensed under the GPL, it is licensed under the Apache Software License (ASL). This license is not a copy left license so OEMs who modify the Android source are under absolutely no obligation to make their modified source code available.
However, the Linux kernel upon which Android runs is licensed under the GPL, so HTC must provide the source for any *shipping* software that uses said kernel. Since HTC have not officially released their version of Android 2.1, again they are under no obligation to supply kernel source. The second that they official ship the update, this changes and they are obliged under the terms of the GPL to make the kernel source available.
Regards,
Dave
And I hate to be a complete noob, but are these drivers that provide the nice hardware support part of the kernel?
If not, what difference would it even make if we didn't have the official kernel sources?
Since the Eris has the exact same hardware as the Hero, why can't we use the same kernel as the Eris rom ?
Latoc said:
Since the Eris has the exact same hardware as the Hero, why can't we use the same kernel as the Eris rom ?
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Because it isn't the same hardware.
The Eris is close, but not identical to the Hero. The major difference is it's CDMA, not GSM. And, it uses touch buttons instead of physical buttons.
Other than those two, I'm not sure if there are any other significant differences. Point being that those differences are enough to warrant a different kernel.
e.japonica said:
hardware driver...
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So if I understand correctly, the Eris leak based ROM use the old kernel (2.6.29) but newer hardware drivers so my question is correct ... Should we use any Eris based ROM as base to make new AOSP ROMs ?
This way, we will keep the old kernel but new drivers ...
Please correct me if I'm wrong.
mik- said:
So if I understand correctly, the Eris leak based ROM use the old kernel (2.6.29) but newer hardware drivers so my question is correct ... Should we use any Eris based ROM as base to make new AOSP ROMs ?
This way, we will keep the old kernel but new drivers ...
Please correct me if I'm wrong.
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Click to collapse
Really, it's all going to change when we get to official Hero 2.1 ROM (and kernel,) because that's what we'll be using very soon (if we're to believe the hype about 2.1 finally coming this month.)
As for right now, it's up to you. If I were to start working on a ROM, I would use the Eris dump, although you'll have to change to the official kernel in a couple weeks anyway.
I'm not really sure what to say about using "the old kernel but new drivers. I'm not into kernel dev myself, but what's "old" and what's "new" is going to change soon anyway, so I don't think it matters too much at this point.
EDIT: Let me correct myself: If you're going to make an AOSP ROM, you won't use the Eris *ROM* as the base, you'd just use the kernel and drivers. The rest of the system would not have any HTC-ness attached to it (no Sense/HTC Mail/etc), so you'd actually use an AOSP image instead of an Eris/Hero image.
craig0r said:
Really, it's all going to change when we get to official Hero 2.1 ROM (and kernel,) because that's what we'll be using very soon (if we're to believe the hype about 2.1 finally coming this month.)
As for right now, it's up to you. If I were to start working on a ROM, I would use the Eris dump, although you'll have to change to the official kernel in a couple weeks anyway.
I'm not really sure what to say about using "the old kernel but new drivers. I'm not into kernel dev myself, but what's "old" and what's "new" is going to change soon anyway, so I don't think it matters too much at this point.
EDIT: Let me correct myself: If you're going to make an AOSP ROM, you won't use the Eris *ROM* as the base, you'd just use the kernel and drivers. The rest of the system would not have any HTC-ness attached to it (no Sense/HTC Mail/etc), so you'd actually use an AOSP image instead of an Eris/Hero image.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I know. Sorry to not being clear enough. When we build AOSP build, we take an existing ROM to extract kernel and drivers to make the AOSP code working. When I say take Eris leak based Roms as base, I mean just the kernel/drivers part. I know the whole system will not be taken into account.
Eris and AOSP 2.1 roms
After looking at the previous 2.1 roms that were being used to cook and the Eris now being used by everyone, although both being 2.1 they do appear to be different versions of the same product
The Eris appears to be a cut down version of the ASOP 2.1 version, the mail app is still based around the 1.5 version HTC mail, rather than the mail app that is on ASOP which gives you global address list search etc on exchange, and new features on incoming mail for normal mail accounts.
Are features like this built into the kernel themselves ? or things like mail, dialers just apk files
A few forums are now reporting that the new official version of 2.1 for the hero will be a basic version compared to the versions running on desire and nexus. Which would be a disappointment
Currently, using Jboogie's Rom. I haven't used the new roms based on UK versions yet. Anyway, just came across CM7 RC has just released.
forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=956196
I know its not possible to replace the kernel in Defy. Yet, is it possible that the rom itself can be ported on top of the current available ROMS? Not just the themes, but some functions as well.
I love my defy, but the locked bootlader is taking a huge toll in defy development.
I'd recommend you to check their forums. There are some people that are already talking about this.
But as far as I got it, until the signing key problem is not solved (there are some rumors that Motorola might release it), nobody is going to come up with an CyanogenMod for the Defy.
an official one is not likely unless moto unlocks the bootloader. bcs the bootloader restricts moto-signed kernels and cyanogenmod makes edits to the kernels.
that being said, milestone has got cyanogenmod, they grabbed a cyanogenmod-compatible kernel from a certain brazilian rom and so...
could someone please make a reference post sticky to discourage people from asking this again and again and again
I have been flashing ROMs for years but have never understood the process which moves the build from unofficial to official status (or release candidate to stable in CM terminology.). Is it strictly the developer's decision? Or do the users have input? Or maybe the developer decides based on comments in the ROM thread? Just curious.
Since there have been no replies in 24+ hours, I respectfully ask the moderator to delete this thread. Thank you.
Since nobody answered, I don't think they ever gain official status.
Unofficial Builds are developed by independent developers (not approved by LOS), where official builds are from approved developers.
Could be wrong!
https://www.reddit.com/r/LineageOS/comments/696evq/official_and_unofficial_lineageos/
Thanks for the reply.