[kwlug-disc] Nexus7/Installation - Ubuntu Wiki

[L.D. Paniak]

I'm not sure how closely Ubuntu ties into Android in U4A.  I think it is
more than just another Android app.  chroot?

Running Ubuntu on the Nexus 7 makes sense for me for two main reasons:
availability and extensibility.  I spend a lot of time on high
performance computing and storage and ARM devices are becoming more
relevant for these tasks.  I wanted a modern development platform for
brainstorming that was accessible and the Nexus 7 with Ubuntu gives
that:  I can literally buy one at the corner store and painlessly
install a familiar operating environment in a few minutes.  From a
software point of view, Ubuntu gives a large fraction of the packages I
want and the tools to compile the remainder.  It is markedly more
extensible than Android:  Android users are concerned with mounting NFS
shares, Ubuntu allows one to turn the Nexus 7 into an NFS server with an
"apt-get install" and changes to familiar config files.

I have not used the Nexus 7 much in the mode it was meant for and I have
Ubuntu to thank for that.  That said, I am typically a reboot away from
a reasonable Ubuntu Unity desktop and a reflash away from a stock
Android tablet.


On 11/15/2012 07:28 PM, unsolicited wrote:
> Thanks for the post!
>
> Am I reading the link right - Ubuntu for Android is 'Windows' on top
> of the phone (OS)? [Or a 'side' GUI, 'type of thing'?]
>
> Catch me up / curious ... what attracted you to running Ubuntu on the
> device instead of Android? ('Full featured OS'?)
>
> - this is how the world is going? Docking the android and having the
> accompanying display and keyboard operate as a coherent whole?
>
> On 12-11-15 10:43 AM, L.D. Paniak wrote:
>> Well, I took the plunge and picked up a Nexus 7 (16GB) which I promptly
>> reflashed to Ubuntu 12.10 according to the instructions below.  It was
>> an effortless process which left the device with a 7" Unity desktop,
>> touch screen and a soft keyboard.  It behaves exactly the same as the PC
>> desktop and is just as functional modulo some issues with clicking on
>> buttons that are now just large enough to see.  Package management works
>> and has a surprisingly large number of apps ready to go for the
>> ARM-hardfloat arch.  Wifi works well as does USB expansion (ethernet and
>> disk) with the appropriate OTG cable.  Performance is slower than the
>> native Android but reasonable (seems to be a little short on RAM).
>>
>> There are a few bugs that pop up - the system doesn't appear to react to
>> screen "clicks" from time to time.  These are cleared with a quick
>> reboot.  Some tailoring for the small form-factor is going to be needed
>> as well.
>>
>> Also today, I came across Ubuntu for Android.
>>
>> http://www.ubuntu.com/devices/android/features-and-specs
>>
>> Looks like Canonical wants Ubuntu to be the killer app for Android.
>> Given the way 12.10 runs natively on the Nexus 7 hardware, it should not
>> be a stretch.
> .
> .
> .
>
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