ANDROIDER

ANDROIDER is an open source project derived from the world’s most popular distribution of Linux, Ubuntu, and designed from the ground up to be used by Android developers involved in the building process of AOSP (Android Open Source Project).

Distributed as a Live CD only image

This special Linux distribution can be downloaded from its official website or via Softoware as a single, dual-arch Live CD ISO image or approximately 300MB in size, designed to support the 64-bit (x86_64) and 32-bit (i386) hardware platforms.

Boot options

Being based on Ubuntu, the OS uses a hidden boot prompt that can be revealed by pressing any keyboard key within 5 seconds. From there, the user will be able to start the live environment, boot an existing operating system installed on the first disk drive, check the bootable medium for defects (only if using a CD media), change the language, keyboard map, accessibility options, or add extra kernel parameters.

Based on Ubuntu Mini Remix

The operating system is actually derived from the Ubuntu Mini Remix distribution and provides users with a very minimal graphical desktop environment where you can only start terminal emulators. Please keep in mind that you will first have to log in using the “androider” username without a password, and without quotes, of course.

ANDROIDER features a classic login manager, a wireless manager and a web browser that can only be executed from the command-line, as well as various utilities that will help users build Android projects. It supports FroYo, Gingerbread and newer versions of the Android operating system.

Bottom line

There isn’t much to say about this tiny distribution of Linux that is promoted by its developer as one of the worst possible Ubuntu derivatives. The truth is that at this moment it’s unusable by anyone who actually searches for an open source operating system dedicated to AOSP developers.