ubuntu-phone team mailing list archive

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I saw this a few weeks ago but was too busy to ask at the time:

https://lists.launchpad.net/ubuntu-phone/msg16877.html

>> Does this mean we can finally stop using an ancient kernel in the
touch stack?

> No. And this will never happen. All kernels we have are heavily
customized from what we have for Linux upstream. Porting over > 10.000
lines of code in a good quality doesn't make fun nor is it worth the
work respecting that we don't have any insight through specs or manuals
on the actual components used.

I didn't know that.  I was naively assuming that since the Linux kernel
has had support for various ARM processor architectures for ages, and
the process of integrating the Android fork was almost complete,
customisation would be the exception rather than the rule.

Can someone provide more background on this?  Are we talking adaptations
for the processor architecture, for particular peripherals, or what? 
Are the customisations in modules or in the core kernel code?  Are
efforts underway to push any of the changes upstream?  And does this
apply to all phones now and in the future or does it depend on the
model/chipset supplier?  What would it take for a chipset to support a
stock kernel, UEFI?  Is there any movement towards standardisation among
chipset suppliers?

The issue, obviously, is security.  How long will Ubuntu be integrating
security patches for?  I want my phone to still be usable in 10 years. 
Maybe not as a phone, but I would like to see it honoroubly retired to
some useful function, media player, doorbell, opening the catflap for my
cat, whatever.  But not if it's too compromised to be allowed on to my
network.