Re: NetBSD on Android using Limbo PC emulator

[Mayuresh <mayuresh%acm.org@localhost>]

On Mon, Jan 18, 2016 at 02:12:00AM +0100, Julian H. Stacey wrote:
> Might it be a good idea to suggest to owner of Limbo to consider putting
> a copy on f-droid.org ?

Yes, we should also report NetBSD as a system that works smoothly on their
emulator. Will try reaching them.

> https://f-droid.org/repository/browse/
I recently installed cyanogenmod on an android phone. Firstly I tried
f-droid, though realized I need google play as the collection on f-droid
as yet is not rich enough.

Yes, I'd prefer searching f-droid ahead of google play any day.

> I've got some Androids I want to root & go for other roms eg cyanogenmod,
> 	http://www.berklix.com/android/#roms
> Nice to know NetBSD may be an option :-)

But beware, over Qemu it is very very slow. Besides you will be better off
with an external keyboard. Limbo doesn't seem to run in portrait mode
making it difficult to you on screen keyboard.

One more disappointment with limbo is the audio device doesn't work, at
least not on NetBSD and perhaps on other guests also. (NetBSD doesn't even
find any audio device.)

I do not want root all the time. I just wanted root temporarily to allow
rw access to sd card which android disables by default (what an atrocious
choice they have made.)

I'd suggest you to look at GNURoot + GNURoot Wheezy applications.  They
give you a debian environment without rooting the phone. Among the Unix
like systems on android I tried this is the best option that has come up.

With rw access to an sd card I have really got a powerful device that I
can carry around - virtually a mobile cloud - since I can use it as a
syncing agent with various devices I work on at different places, without
use of internet.

The creator of this project insists on using GNURootDebian (a new version
of the app), but I find there are many bugs in it, severe enough to make
it unusable. (Have logged them.) GNURoot (the old app) on the other hand
is pretty stable and good. Of course, subsequent releases of the newer app
might change this scenario.

> Do you have a page I could link to re BSD on Android hardware ?
> for now I've I linked to your post on this thread:
> 	http://mail-index.netbsd.org/netbsd-users/2016/01/15/msg017631.html
> from my http://www.berklix.com/android/#netbsd

Thanks. I'll share more if I come across. I am interested in this topic as
well.

Mayuresh.