On 9/20/10 16:24 , Cédric Beust ♔ wrote:


2010/9/20 Fabrizio Giudici <fabrizio.giud...@tidalwave.it <mailto:fabrizio.giud...@tidalwave.it>>

     On 9/20/10 13:53 , Cédric Beust ♔ wrote:

        There are already dozens of manufacturers/third
        parties/carriers that forked Android and shipped products with
        it without ever notifying Google about it.

        Android was designed to allow that, I don't understand where
        all the outrage about Facebook is coming from.

    BTW, can you enumerate some? I knew that it's practically a
    challenge to keep up with forks, and that only a few ones (such as
    a big chinese telco) is doing that.


Well, any phone that doesn't ship with the Google logo was developed without Google's involvement. Google has been involved in four phones in the US, so all the others that you see are potential forks, including "sequels" of Google phones (such as the Droid 2 and the Droid X).

Ok, my fault for bad wording - it's clear that we're not talking about Google branded phones, as they are pretty irrelevant. Let's restart.

The point is not only in the fork per se, but in all the other things - that are not open - that makes an Android phone successful. First, the use of the Android Trade Mark. Second, the access to the Android Market. SInce we all know that the big fight is for ads, the intention of FaceBook is clearly to divert a substantial part of the incomes from Google to them - otherwise there would be no meaning in delivering a Facebook phone, as they already have an Android app in the Market.

I don't think that such a "customization" would be ok for Google. I think they could keep the Facebook phone outside of the Market (especially after the latest update of the terms of use), and of course they can fire a roud of patent issues. OTOH Facebook might try to take advantage of the moment, as it could be embarassing for Google to play the Oracle's role at the same time that they are playing the opensource steward role.

In any case, I repeat that I hope that this Facebook phone thing is just another hoax.

--
Fabrizio Giudici - Java Architect, Project Manager
Tidalwave s.a.s. - "We make Java work. Everywhere."
java.net/blog/fabriziogiudici - www.tidalwave.it/people
fabrizio.giud...@tidalwave.it

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Java 
Posse" group.
To post to this group, send email to javapo...@googlegroups.com.
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to 
javaposse+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit this group at 
http://groups.google.com/group/javaposse?hl=en.

Reply via email to