/e/ (operating system)

/e/ (formerly Eelo) is a free and open-source Android-based mobile operating system and associated online services.[1] The operating system is a fork of LineageOS and Android.[2] The custom firmware is developed by the /e/ Foundation, which was founded by French entrepreneur Gaël Duval. /e/ is presented as privacy software that does not contain proprietary Google apps or services,[3] and challenges the public to "find any parts of the system or default applications that are still leaking data to Google."[4]

/e/
DeveloperGaël Duval, /e/ Foundation
Repositorygitlab.e.foundation
Package managerAPK-based
PlatformsARM, ARM64
Kernel typeMonolithic (Linux)
LicenseApache 2, MIT and other licenses
Official websitee.foundation

Software

/e/ is based on LineageOS, a fork of the CyanogenMod and Android operating systems. /e/ uses MicroG as a free and open-source replacement for Google Play Services, and Mozilla Location Service for geolocation.[4][5]

History

In 2017, Mandrake Linux creator Gaël Duval proposed the concept of an operating system without privacy-invasive software as a "non-profit project 'in the public interest'". Duval wrote, "Apple, Google, Facebook etc., business models are harmful for our economical and social environments".[6] The operating system was initially called Eelo; the name was inspired by moray eels, which Duval saw as "fish that can hide in the sea".[7][8] Duval launched a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign with an initial goal of €25,000, and received at least €71,000 from contributors.[6][7][9]

Eelo was subsequently renamed to /e/ in July 2018 due to a conflict with the "eelloo" trademark, which was owned by human resources company Meurs HRM B.V.[4][10]

Beta versions of /e/ were released for 20 to 30 smartphone models in September 2018.[4][11] As of November 2019 /e/ supported 89 smartphone models.[12] As of April 2020, /e/ was teaming with Fairphone to sell phones.[13]

Reception

The Free Software Foundation declined to endorse /e/ because it "contains nonfree libraries".[14] Ross Rubin of Fast Company described /e/'s strategy as a "Google-like approach" of maximizing user adoption, in contrast to hardware manufacturer and software developer Purism's "Apple-like approach" of vertical integration.[15] Jack Wallen of TechRepublic believed that /e/ will "prove Android can exist without Google", but predicted that the operating system would not appeal to ordinary smartphone users.[16] Sascha Segan of PC Magazine was "encouraged by /e/, and by its determination to create an easy-to-use (and, hopefully, easy to install) alternative," but was "queasy about the sources of third-party apps on /e/." He also defended /e/ against InfoSec Handbook's criticisms, which /e/ "took to heart and has been working on it in public bug threads anyone can read online."[17] Steven Vaughan-Nichols reviewed a refurbished Samsung phone with pre-installed /e/ paralleling Android 8.1, and found it to be "quite stable," but said "applications can be a pain" and "installing /e/ is a monster of a job."[12] In November 2020, Tim Anderson of The Register said installation of /e is "not for the fainthearted" (sic) but the operating system "feels lightweight and responsive" because of "fewer background services than on a typical Android device."[18]

See also

References
  1. Moody, Glyn (8 October 2018). "Now Is the Time to Start Planning for the Post-Android World". Linux Journal. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  2. Schofield, Jack (4 July 2019). "Can I buy a phone that doesn't use anything from Google or Apple?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  3. Rajan, Nandagopal (1 January 2018). "Eelo, new 'privacy-enabled' smartphone OS, will have no Google inside". The Indian Express. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  4. Orlowski, Andrew (24 September 2018). "Open-source alt-droid wants to know if it's still leaking data to Google". The Register. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  5. "Meet eelo: An Android-based operating system that doesn't use Google services". BGR India. 2018-01-03. Retrieved 2019-09-07.
  6. Vaughan-Nichols, Steven J. (2 January 2018). "Eelo: A Google-less Android alternative emerges". ZDNet. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  7. Byfield, Bruce (March 2018). "You Say Goodbye, and I Say eelo". Linux Magazine. No. 208. Retrieved 2019-09-07.
  8. David, Nash (5 January 2018). "eelo: In conversation with Gaël Duval, creator of the Google-less Android project". BGR India. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  9. Nora, Dominique (13 January 2018). "Eelo, le smartphone qui veut se passer d'Apple et Google". L'Obs (in French). Retrieved 2019-09-07.
  10. Duval, Gaël (2018-07-14). "Leaving Apple and Google: /e/ is the symbol for "my data is MY data"". Gaël Duval. Retrieved 2019-09-07.
  11. Filippone, Dominique (19 September 2018). "Eelo : l'OS mobile open source de Gaël Duval sort en bêta" [Eelo: Gaël Duval's open source mobile OS is released in beta]. Le Monde informatique (in French). Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  12. Vaughan-Nichols, Steven J. "The /e/ Google-free, pro-privacy Android phone runs well -- for a beta". ZDNet. Retrieved 2019-11-21.
  13. Amadeo, Ron (2020-04-30). "Fairphone and /e/ team up to build open source, sustainable smartphone". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  14. "Explaining Why We Don't Endorse Other Systems". Free Software Foundation. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  15. Rubin, Ross (9 August 2019). "These startups aim to smash Apple and Google's smartphone duopoly". Fast Company. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  16. Wallen, Jack (3 October 2018). "Is /e/ good or bad for mobility?". TechRepublic. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  17. Segan, Sascha (October 21, 2019). "Hands On With /e/, a Version of Android That Ditches Google". PCMAG. Retrieved 2019-10-29.
  18. Anderson, Tim (November 12, 2020). "Android without Google – and yes it has apps: The Reg talks to founder about the /e/ smartphone". www.theregister.com. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
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