ubuntu-phone team mailing list archive

[Alan Pope <alan.pope@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 03/04/13 10:43, Andreas Poulsen wrote:
> 1. Why can't it run standard Ubuntu applications? Debian has compiled
> most of the software for ARM CPUs, so it should not be that hard to run
> X. What's the problem then?

Being "compiled for ARM" is only part of the puzzle. Standard desktop 
apps will run fine on an ARM based laptop such as the Toshiba AC100 or 
Chromebook. However they aren't optimised for low resolution, vertical 
orientation touch based interfaces.

Then there's the issue that we don't ship X on the Ubuntu Touch 
Developer Preview. This currently knocks out a huge number of apps. If 
you use the Nexus 7 *desktop* which ships with a pretty much stock 
Ubuntu stack, you can run those applications.

> 2. How comes that it can't run Android apps? Ubuntu Phone builds on
> CyanogenMod, a customized android, and most users is missing the tons of
> apps you find on android. I know, that the Dalvik VM has been removed,
> but why? It seems like a good strategy, at least in the beginning, to
> make as many apps run on the platform as possible.

We don't currently run Dalvik apps. I'm sure someone will do some 
fettling to make that happen in the future. My personal opinion is that 
this isn't a worthwhile activity for a shipping phone. How many 
non-Android devices have succeeded by virtue of having Android+Dalvik 
support?

I imagine it's possible to do, but debatable whether it's wanted on a 
shipping device.

> 3. The 13.4 Ubuntu image is tested on the Nexus 7 tablet. Why shouldn't
> I just install desktop Ubuntu on my tablet and theme it touch-friendly?

You can. We provide a desktop image too, but as mentioned previously, 
many apps are not touch friendly and their developers may not currently 
be willing to accept patches to make them so.

Cheers,
--
Alan Pope
Engineering Manager

Canonical - Product Strategy
+44 (0) 7973 620 164
alan.pope@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://ubuntu.com/