ubuntu-phone team mailing list archive

[Max Kristen <max@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Well I see your point, but it really is easier than creating bootable
media every time an distro updates. All you need to to is copy the Isos
and choose wich one to boot from. And I really thing this would be a
great possibility for Ubuntu Phones to shine, because people that use
Ubuntu Phones also install Ubuntu or other Distros for Friends and
Family, and you don't have to remember to bring your install media,
just bring your Ubuntu phone and have some isos on there... I'd really
dig it, but I see your point. 
Technically Ubuntu has to let an app take over the USB controller, so
it can emulate USB-Sticks or CDs. Its that even possible without
bricking everything?


Am Freitag, den 27.11.2015, 11:01 +0100 schrieb Benjamin Tegge:
> Am Donnerstag, den 26.11.2015, 22:33 +0100 schrieb Max Kristen:
> > Hi,
> > Is there a way to emulate some functionality of "DriveDroid" on the
> > Ubuntu Phone?
> > 
> > DriveDroid is a program where you can drop Distros in a folder on
> > your
> > phone, and it emulates a bootable USB-Stick/Usb-Cdrom, wich is
> > awesome,
> > so that you don't have to rewrite USB sticks or Burn USBs all the
> > time.
> > Can I emulate something like that... It makes it really easy to
> > install
> > Linux for people ;)
> > 
> > With Regards
> > 
> > Max
> > 
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I don't understand why so many people make a big problem out of
> booting
> an operating system from removable media. CDs booting several
> operating
> systems like Windows PE and Linux based Acronis solutions was solved
> over 10 years ago and it only got easier with in size shrinking USB
> storage devices and increasing capacities. I don't see why carrying
> an
> additional +16GB micro SD card in a not much bigger OTG card reader
> and
> editing text files to add another ISO is such a big problem for
> today’s
> selfproclaimed tech-savvy people but it's deeply concerning to see.
> The
> wheel has probably been reinvented too many times, too many 3rd party
> clickbait ad-selling blogposts have been written and existing
> projects
> with good documentation are ignored.
> 
> That being said it is certainly a nice hack, but "really easy" is a
> bit
> misleading when you read the prerequisites:
> 
> http://softwarebakery.com/projects/drivedroid
> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.softwarebakery.driv
> edroid
> 
> - DriveDroid requires a rooted Android system (or Ubuntu Phone in
> this
> case)
> - DriveDroid requires support for USB mass storage on your phone.
> - Do NOT use DriveDroid while your SD card is mounted (being used on
> your PC). This can cause loss of data.
> 
> As far as I know all Ubuntu devices allow you to gain root access and
> you are free to shoot yourself in the foot. Many users have done so
> already by treating their phone like a desktop, sometimes bricking
> it.
> Being able to use UMS and MTP at the same time is a very bad design
> because many users will not notice this warning, but you suggested to
> them that it is an "essential" tool that apparently makes installing
> operating systems easier. It does not and using a +100 USD or EUR
> smartphone to piggyback an ISO on precious smartphone storage space
> doesn't look smart.
> 
> Sadly not many users install operating systems and even fewer have to
> juggle multiple ISOs. Teaching these people that they don't have to
> rely
> on one particular, apparently closed source solution, should be
> priority. (I remember seeing the SARDU acronym back in the days:
> http://superuser.com/q/267385/252532)
> 
> I don't know if the module that provides UMS is already/still
> included
> in Ubuntu phone and I don't have time to check. If it is, one would
> just
> need to look at what DriveDroid does and reimplement it on Ubuntu
> phone.
> 
> 
> Best Regards,
> Benjamin
>