Where are the True Linux Based Tablets?
I have yet to buy a tablet. I am unlikely to buy one until truly based on the Linux core. Android is nothing but a data mining operating system and was designed that way from the beginning. Do not be deceived — the Google folks only pursue ventures related in some way to data mining. This is what they do. This is their nature. Apps that run on Android are intended to extend that purpose.
Chromebooks are yet another extension of the Google philosophy.
Apple iPads might or might not be designed for data mining but likely do. Not to forget the walled-garden nature of all Apple products.
With Windows 10 the Microsoft folks now are salivating over all of the data they collect. Probably wetting and soiling their pants too. Kids with new toys and all that.
The Canonical folks are on the verge of creating a Linux based tablet. Their mishandling with sharing search data with Amazon, anonymized or not, indicates that data mining likely will be a way for monetizing an Ubuntu based tablet.
Being a free/libre operating system, vendors other than Canonical will be able to sell an Ubuntu based tablet. I will surprised if those vendors fail to embed various sorts of data mining apps. App developers will not care that Ubuntu is free/libre. They will design their apps to mine data.
Hopefully the concept of a Linux based tablet means data mining apps and daemons can be ripped from the system, unlike Android devices. Yet expect many vendors to lock the system in some way to prevent removals.
Another question to consider is whether the Canonical folks can master user-friendly. Linux desktop design remains influenced heavily by geeks rather than focusing on non technical users. Non technical users are the target of tablets and similar devices. Non technical users will not care about daemons, services, terminals, or other typical geek poop.
I keep waiting.
Posted: Category: Commentary, Usability Tagged: General
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