You know, if you wanted to do a 2 partition solution, you could always ASK the user how they want to divide the disk. And also keep in mind that partition sizes are not fixed in stone -- there are utilities for resizing partitions non-destructively, 'parted' + resize2fs will do the job and need only be compiled for the platform. That and add a nice java frontend to allow users to resize their disk at will without needing to use their computer. Simple stuff.
On May 9, 3:12 am, Al Sutton <[email protected]> wrote: > To me the multi-partition idea is unworkable because you don't know ahead of > time how much space a user wants for apps and how much for data. > > You're proboably better of using a filesystem in a file (e.g. something like > loopbackfs) so that the apps area size can be altered without the need to > affect the vfat partition. > > Al. > > --- > > * Written an Android App? - List it athttp://andappstore.com/* > > ====== > Funky Android Limited is registered in England & Wales with the > company number 6741909. The registered head office is Kemp House, > 152-160 City Road, London, EC1V 2NX, UK. > > The views expressed in this email are those of the author and not > necessarily those of Funky Android Limited, it's associates, or it's > subsidiaries. > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of lbcoder > Sent: 08 May 2009 19:15 > To: Android Discuss > Subject: [android-discuss] Re: Soo..Apps on SD cards > > Its actually little more than TRIVIAL to implement this. > > 1) ditch vfat on the sdcard. That filesystem is obsolete junk anyways. > Change to something modern that supports permissions, i.e. ext2. > > 2) encrypt said filesystem using a key available in two locations; / > data/app-private (or any other path owned by root with 700 > permissions) and user's google account. Being located in /data/app- > private, it will be secured using the same scheme as current protected > apps. > > 3) Multiple options here: a) unionfs internal and external filesystems > into common area where applications are run from (this is how apps2sd2 > hack works), b) extend system to load applications from multiple > locations. I prefer (b) since it would allow the apps to be separated > in the drawer. > > 4) simple addition to the software handling mechanism in order to > allow apps to be moved between internal and external filesystem. Note: > there are 3 components to keep track of for each application; the apk > file, the dalvik cache, and the application home directory. > > NOTE: before anyone says something about this scheme making it > impossible to access the contents of the sdcard from a computer, > though this is true, there are simple options to deal with this, for > example, keep 2 partitions on the sdcard, an encrypted one and a non- > encrypted one. Preferably, the encrypted one would ONLY be used to > store what would otherwise be stored in /data/app-private. > > On May 8, 1:18 pm, Mark Murphy <[email protected]> wrote: > > badgaz wrote: > > > I know this has been discussed many times before but it is a > > > particular point of Android that is irritating me. > > > > There is no doubt that the demand is there for such as feature > > > (http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=1151&q=sd > > > card&colspec=ID ) but Google are keeping quiet about it. This issue is > > > restricting the success of the Market and making buying apps a > > > difficult choice for customers when they know they'll probably end up > > > having to delete it sooner rather than later. Some people seem > > > concerned about the piracy implications of this but with the only > > > current resolution being to root your device this issue is only making > > > piracy worse and a secure method to install apps on an SD card would > > > allow people to embrace the Market much more and improve sales. > > > > There are a lot of G1s out there and I'm sure the HTC Magic is going > > > to sell just as well. Lets get this issue fixed and get them buying > > > apps on the Market yes? > > > It feels like I just posted something like this five days ago... > > > As has been discussed many times, it is not that easy to implement. It's > > not impossible, just not that easy, particularly to work within the > > existing Android security framework. Moreover, there are only so many > > people on the core Android team with the expertise to implement it, and > > there are other demands being made of their time. > > > If you'd like to help make it happen, you could: > > > -- Contribute engineering time and skill and write a patch > > > -- Start and promote a fundable or pledgie or something to raise funds > > from interested people, so the funders can hire somebody to build it > > > -- Find ways to help simplify contributions to the open source project, > > and hope that with fewer barriers, more people will submit patches, and > > one of them will implement the feature you seek > > > -- Pray that ADC II has a prize pool set up for firmware contributions > > (instead of only for apps), and then try to help out some team working > > to win an ADC II prize that is building an apps-on-SD feature > > > -- Wait patiently for Android device manufacturers to offer more > > built-in capacity, and then buy their devices instead of ones with > > limited built-in capacity > > > I am sure there are other constructive tactics; these are just a few. > > > -- > > Mark Murphy (a Commons > > Guy)http://commonsware.com|http://twitter.com/commonsguy > > > _The Busy Coder's Guide to Android Development_ Version 2.0 Available! --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Discuss" group. 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