Post #1087520
2026-04-04 13:41 UTC
I don’t think you actually read what I wrote before responding.
What does the kernel have to do with the point I’m making about Linux kernel, Linux, or Android?
Yes, Android uses the Linux kernel. That’s not the argument. The kernel by itself is not the operating system people are referring to when they say they “use Linux.”
Android is not a traditional Linux system, and more importantly, it is not some bastion of open-source purity. It is developed and controlled by Google, with most real-world functionality tied to its proprietary ecosystem.
So bringing up the kernel doesn’t actually address what I said.
Replies (1)
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@BradleyUffner@lemmy.world 2026-04-05 00:04
You have it backwards. Linux is the kernel. That’s it. The distribution isn’t Linux. A distro includes the Linux kernel as well as extra user land applications. Anything that uses the Linux kernel is Linux. Android uses the Linux kernel, that makes it Linux. Yes, it’s a restricted and locked down version of Linux, but it’s still Linux.