When it comes to open-source mobile operating systems, Google's Android and Mozilla's Firefox OS are two of the most popular choices. But which one is truly more open-source? In this article, we'll take a closer look at both options and compare their level of openness.
What is open-source?
Before we dive into the comparison, let's first define what we mean by 'open-source.' An open-source software is a type of software where the source code is openly available for anyone to view, modify, and distribute. This allows for a community-driven development model, where developers from all around the world can contribute to the project.
Google Android's level of openness
Android is based on the open-source Linux operating system, which is freely available for anyone to use and modify. However, while the core of Android is open-source, there are many proprietary components added by manufacturers and carriers, such as drivers and pre-installed apps. This makes it hard for developers to create Android forks or custom ROMs that are truly open-source.
Firefox OS's level of openness
Firefox OS, on the other hand, is a completely open-source mobile OS. All of its code is freely available on Github, and there are no proprietary components added by manufacturers or carriers. This means that developers can easily create forks and custom ROMs based on Firefox OS.
Winner: Firefox OS
While Android is technically open-source, the many proprietary components added by manufacturers and carriers make it hard to consider it a truly open-source mobile OS. In contrast, Firefox OS is completely open-source, making it the clear winner when it comes to openness.
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