FAQ

Why create new distribution?

Original Arch Linux does not have official port to ARM nor any plans to create one. Arch Linux ARM is distributed in monolithic fashion and requires full-blown environment with ability to install/bootstrap bootloader and drivers for every device (both requirements are total no-go for most cheap Android devices). AFAIK Droid Overlay is the only Android distribution, using Arch Linux tools and ALARM package base. Before starting work on it I was not aware of most of [Alternatives], nor they were open-source at that time (and many are not fully open-source yet). To sum up, Droid Overlay fits my needs most well, and I plan to develop it until Arch Linux and Android finally become one or vanish completely.

Why exactly /fhs?

Indeed, virtually all devices use rootfs for /, so that /fhs has to be recreated after every reboot. Unfortunately, neither /system, nor /data are fixed-placed (/system/bin/linker must exist for backward-compatibility, but it may be on rootfs or be symlink itself) and some calls to mount would probably be necessary anyway.

Why not use Bionic as C library?

Initial development of Droid Overlay will occur in compliance with Arch Linux ARM, which uses glibc. Bionic support may be eventually added with multilib. Note, that unlike glibc-based packages, which are compatible with all versions of Android, Bionic-based ones would be limited to the oldest kernel, supported by used version of Bionic.

Will the graphics be supported?

Only Xorg via framebuffer. If building with Bionic happens to be successful, hardware-accelerated Wayland may be added as well. See also [tickets:#12].