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You may have heard that Android is a Linux-based operating system for mobile devices. This description of Android is incorrect on several levels.
Linux, itself, only refers to the Linux kernel. The kernel is the software that manages requests from devices and requests from applications. In 1991, Linus Torvalds, while a student at Helsinki University of Technology, released the first version of Linux. In his October 1991 announcement on Usenet, he asked for feedback from others about his project. This lead to the formation of the Linux community that today includes over a thousand developers from around the world.
The kernel is just part of an operating system. In 1993, the first Linux distributions Slackware and Debian, incorporated the Unix-like utilities from the GNU Project, which is part of the Free Software Foundation. Richard Stallman, then a student at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), started the GNU Project to create an open source version of Unix. The marriage of the two communities brought about the name GNU/Linux. Android uses these utilities. Thus, Android should be referred to as a GNU/Linux operating system.
As with all software, there is a software license. GNU/Linux is licensed under the GNU GPL (General Public License). GPL means that the software is free, and that the source is available for free. Consequently, the source code for Android is available for free from Android Open Source Project (AOSP) community. The term “non-free” simply means that the source code for the software is proprietary. There may be a charge for the software, but much of the software is available at no cost. AOSP also directs the Android Compatibility Program. All applications on the Android Market must comply with the ACP guidelines.
Android, Inc. began the development of Android in 2003. In 2005, Google, Inc. acquired Android, Inc. as a wholly owned subsidiary. Google then formed the Open Handset Alliance (OHA) to set open standards for mobile devices. Currently, there are 84 technology and mobile companies that are members of OHA. Google formally announced both Android and OHA in 2007.
When you combine all the communities involved in Android, you have a GNU/Linux distribution. There are over 250 distributions of GNU/Linux, including such popular distributions as Linux Mint, Ubuntu, openSUSE, and Fedora. Enterprise distributions include SLED (SUSE Linux Enterprise Edition) and RHEL (Red Hat Enterprise Linux). There are over 200 million activated Android devices, with another 700,000 being activated every day. Android currently holds 52% of the market for mobile devices. Without doubt, Android is the largest GNU/Linux distribution.
GNU/Linux distributions have a tradition of having a codename for each released version. Starting with version 1.5, Android joined this tradition. References to an Android release often reference the codename, or the version, but not both together. The following table dispels this mystery, and provides a clues as to the codename convention:
| Codename | Version | Description |
| Cupcake | v1.5 | Added supported for third-party virtual keyboards, widgets, automatic Bluetooth pairing, Bluetooth stereo, video recording in MPEG-4 and 3GP formats, and animated screen transitions. |
| Donut | v1.6 | Included an enhanced the voice and text search, multilingual speech synthesis, integrated gallery, camera, and camcorder, WVGA screen resolutions, expanded gesture framework. |
| Eclair | v2.0.x/2.1 | Included expanded account sync, tap contact photo for calls and text messages, expanded camera support (flash, digital zoom, scene mode, white balance), support multi-touch events, ability to have live wall papers. |
| Froyo | v2.2.x | Included enhanced performance, support for Android Cloud to Device Messaging (C2DM), USB tethering, WiFi hotspot, Bluetooth enabled car devices, Adobe Flash, and extra high Pixel Per Inch (PPI) screens. |
| Gingerbread | v2.3.x | Refined the User Interface (UI), improved soft keyboard, added support for SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) for VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), and Near Field Communications (NFC). |
| Honeycomb | v3.x | Release was strictly for Android tablets to support larger screen devices. Added features for dual-core processors, hardware accelerated graphics, full system encryption, USB support for cameras and camcorders, loading multi-media files directly SD card, and support for the Huawei MediaPad. |
| Ice Cream Sandwich | v4.x | Brought the Honeycomb features to smartphones. Added support for facial recognition unlock, network data usage monitoring and control, unified social network contacts, photography enhancements, file sharing over NFC, and an enhanced User Interface. |
If you haven’t already guessed the code name convention, they are all names of desserts. It looks like someone read Linus Torvalds autobiography “Just for Fun.” Why begin with Cupcake? Because there were two previous releases of Android. How many of you knew that Froyo is another name for Frozen Yogurt? When the next version of Android is released, you will be looking for the next dessert name. If you immediately thought of Jelly Bean, you are correct. I wonder if they will continue the alphabetical sequence? What dessert names begin with the letter “K?”
