Android (operating system)
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- the best full featured free OS we have today, since POSIX gave up short of any UI specification, and Chrome OS is not there yet
- usable and likely efficient Java API for apps if Oracle doesn't manage to destroy it with its lawsuit
However, many, many, many terrible horrors come with it:
- it hasn't made the move to desktop for too many years. It could destroy Microsoft Windows and replace it with open source, but they just won't budge towards an unified mobile/desktop setup.
- vendors litter it with uninstallable bloatware that should be illegal. European Union to the rescue!!! www.cnbc.com/2020/12/15/digital-markets-act-eus-new-rules-on-big-tech.html
- vendors lock down devices so it is very hard to get sudo, let alone to modify their images!
- there isn't enough hardware standardization for open source distros to thrive like on desktop
- code drops mean that "master" is useless and trying to contribute from outside vendors' closed walls is a waste of time: stackoverflow.com/questions/1809774/how-to-compile-the-android-aosp-kernel-and-test-it-with-the-android-emulator/48310014#48310014
- if you ever go below the Java API, e.g. to C++ or AOSP build, everything is horrendous and undocumented
- Google doesn't care about the CLI, even the hello world requires creating infinite out-of-control boilerplate from a GUI: stackoverflow.com/questions/20801042/how-to-create-android-project-with-gradle-from-command-line/46994747#46994747
- the boot is uber bloated and takes forever in cycle simulators