Take a Look at the Mer Wiki

https://wiki.maemo.org/Mer

But still... that isn't maemo...

It's not that you have failed to find it. You cannot get the complete source code for maemo. You cannot run maemo on your own system.

The OP's rant is off base. Most commercially available devices running Android are locked down - yes but that doesn't mean that Android is not open. Google apps are not open and a C&D letter was sent relating to the apps- that doesn't mean the OS is not open.

I don't really care how much more "open" Android or Maemo are... they're both closed to some extent.

The difference I see is with the parts that are actually open:

Maemo: mostly "copyleft", which means you are not allowed to take the open code and distribute it as closed source.

Android: non-copyleft. Whoever packs it on a handset and sells it may well throw the whole open source idea overboard and distribute it as a closed, locked, non-free binary. (exception: kernel and a few low-level components)
This is exactly what handset manufacturers want. This is exactly what they do with Android. And this, in turn, is the reason why Google chose this licensing model for Android in the first place. They know most manufacturers aren't ready for free software the way Nokia is. They want to get the benefits of the free development (like Motorola - they benefit from Nokia's work on the kernel, as I learned here), but they don't want to get their hands dirty with community involvement and open platforms and stuff.

That's one difference.

The other one is that what Nokia does for Maemo improves my user experience on whatever GNU/Linux desktop distribution I use. Can't say that for Android, which is a different planet from a technical point of view.

That's what counts for me. Not how many lines of the original OS I can download, read, compile, whatever.

I would have to disagree . . . . I have used Mer OS in Virtual Box for testing.

Mer is just as much Maemo as the Android source that is distributed by Google is Droid

Mer is Maemo without the Nokia Extras

No Ovi App Store

No Ovi Maps


Hey come to think of it Maby they are not that different after all

I think I'm pretty convinced... Until there is a totally free phone (for example a non-branded android), I think I'll guess I'm looking at maemo and n900... (maybe mer if it works on n900)

I am not sure if Mer would function ideally "OUT OF THE BOX" on a N900 . . . Alot of those Nokia Extras Really make the phone into the great device that it is . . . Removing Maemo in exchange for Mer alone would probably leave you with an very stripped down internet tablet(and an amazing UI). However in MORE control and you REALLY want to turn your tablet into a mini desktop computer maby you should take a look at Easy Debian.


https://wiki.maemo.org/Easy_Debian

I thought Openmoko was more open than all aforementioned options.

Too bad "open" didn't equate success.

I am a maemo user and love my N900 more than any phone out there. But I don't like fud where ever i see it.

Android is indeed an open source OS, afaik most of it is released under the apache license, bsd license and gpl. Sure like maemo some component of android are closed source mainly the google apps like gmail, gtalk etc. The R&D you spoke about happened because the dude tried packaging some of the restricted part of android with his own custom mod. Google where within their right to send him a R&D and from what I heard both parties where able to reach an working solution.

Another issue i would like to talk about is the one concerning android devices not restricting the user by not giving them root access. That is not an essential requirement of an opensource device. Has long as the source code are available and the user can always download it and remove all restrictions then its all well and fine.

Most android devices are not as open as maemo in term of the power and freedom maemo users have with the N900. But comparing N900 with any of the line of android device out there is really comparing apple to oranges.

N900 is seen as a geek device, Nokia hope to use the device to appeal to developers, to allow people thinker with the device so that all feed backs can be used in developing an even better consumer ready device. Do not expect the same type of freedom and power with N910 because the target audience would be different. Already we are hearing that they would be some level of drm introduced into maemo6 based device to appease the commercial 3rd party developers. Android as it is is a consumer ready device. You may not know this but the average consumer dont even care about root access or sudo or any of those things. There are guides available online allowing people to root their device and even install custom roms, hence modding your device is allowed unlike apple which calls jail breaking illegal.

Anyway as I said before I don't see myself using an android device anytime soon because I love to be able to run native codes and the closeness of the N900 to the linux userland suits me perfectly. But am happy with what google is doing with android. The more choice of open source phones out there the better. Choice is the strongest point of open source. Things should never be an either or. The fact that you use a maemo device and it works for you does not make android evil or closed source.

OTOH, I'm quite sure their failure wasn't because of being so open, either. They just changed direction too often during their early stages.