63 lines
3.6 KiB
Plaintext
63 lines
3.6 KiB
Plaintext
page.title=Philosophy and Goals
|
|
doc.type=about
|
|
doc.hidenav=true
|
|
@jd:body
|
|
<p>Android is an open-source software stack for mobile phones and other
|
|
devices.</p>
|
|
<h2>Origin and Goal</h2>
|
|
<p>Android was originated by a group of companies known as the Open Handset
|
|
Alliance, led by Google. Today, many companies -- both original members of the
|
|
OHA and others -- have invested heavily in Android, typically in the form of
|
|
allocating significant engineering resources to improve Android and bring
|
|
Android devices to Market.</p>
|
|
<p>We created Android in response to our own experiences launching mobile
|
|
apps. We wanted to make sure that there would always be an open platform
|
|
available for carriers, OEMs, and developers to use to make their innovative
|
|
ideas a reality. We wanted to make sure that there was no central point of
|
|
failure, where one industry player could restrict or control the innovations
|
|
of any other. The solution we chose was an open and open-source platform.</p>
|
|
<p>The goal of the Android Open Source Project is to create a successful
|
|
real-world product that improves the mobile experience for end users.</p>
|
|
<h2>Governance Philosophy</h2>
|
|
<p>The companies that have invested in Android have done so on its merits,
|
|
because we believe that an open platform is necessary. Android is
|
|
intentionally and explicitly an open-source -- as opposed to free software --
|
|
effort: a group of organizations with shared needs has pooled
|
|
resources to collaborate on a single implementation of a shared product.
|
|
The Android philosophy is pragmatic, first and foremost. The objective is
|
|
a shared product that each contributor can tailor and customize.</p>
|
|
<p>Uncontrolled customization can, of course, lead to incompatible
|
|
implementations. To prevent this, the AOSP also maintains the Android
|
|
Compatibility Program, which spells out what it means to be "Android
|
|
compatible", and what is required of device builders to achieve that status.
|
|
Anyone can (and will!) use the Android source code for any purpose, and we
|
|
welcome all such uses. However, in order to take part in the shared
|
|
ecosystem of applications that we are building around Android, device builders
|
|
must participate in the Compatibility Program.</p>
|
|
<p>Though Android consists of multiple sub-projects, this is strictly a
|
|
project-management technique. We view and manage Android as a single,
|
|
holistic software product, not a "distribution", specification, or collection
|
|
of replaceable parts. Our intent is that device builders port
|
|
Android to a device; they don't implement a specification or curate a
|
|
distribution.</p>
|
|
<h2>How We Work</h2>
|
|
<p>We know that quality does not come without hard work. Along with many
|
|
partners, Google has contributed full-time engineers, product managers, UI
|
|
designers, Quality Assurance, and all the other roles required to bring
|
|
modern devices to market. We roll the open source administration and
|
|
maintenance into the larger product development cycle.</p>
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>At any given moment, there is a current latest release of the Android
|
|
platform. This typically takes the form of a branch in the tree.</li>
|
|
<li>Device builders and Contributors work with the current
|
|
latest release, fixing bugs, launching new devices, experimenting with new
|
|
features, and so on.</li>
|
|
<li>In parallel, Google works internally on the next version of the
|
|
Android platform and framework, working according to the product's needs and
|
|
goals. We develop the next version of Android by working with a device partner
|
|
on a flagship device whose specifications are chosen to push Android
|
|
in the direction we believe it should go.</li>
|
|
<li>When the "n+1"th version is ready, it will be published to the public
|
|
source tree, and become the new latest release.</li>
|
|
</ul>
|