Pinephone

Powering a mobile phone with RISC OS is like converting a camper van into a submarine1, in that it’s technically possible, but isn’t really a sensible place to start.

I think the real point is that while RISC OS would make a spectacularly bad phone OS, the lesson also works the other way round, as despite much money and development time Android is likely to give you a pretty crap experience as a desktop OS.

Rather like a submarine being used as a camper van.

Android is likely to give you a pretty crap experience as a desktop OS.

I am writing this with my Samsung S5e with a 10" screen and keyboard on my lap in front of the tele. It is in DeX desktop mode, with multiple windows. It is a very good desktop experience.

It seems I’m out of date.

converting a camper van into a submarine

Can’t help but wonder if Top Gear ever tried to do that…

likely to give you a pretty crap experience as a desktop OS.

You need to look up Dex. Samsung (others?) phones plug into a docking station, the phone turns into a tiny computer and you use a normal screen (or modern TV), keyboard, etc. I think the main problem with Dex is not Android’s abilities as a desktop OS, but whether or not the apps can cope with the change in paradigm.

On the other hand, we can agree that RISC OS would be terrible as a phone OS due to the general lack of privileges and protections that would be necessary in such a device.

Oh, Steve got there first, Steve… Steve Steve Steve argh!

Early DeX was not much fun. Now, pretty well everything will work and I have RealVNC to use my mini.m in 1920 X 1200 mode 30cm in front of me. ;-)

Now, pretty well everything will work

It’s also possible to run RPCEmu running on debian buster via Termux. Plus everything else that runs on debian.