Hm. It sounds a little like Google would be doing really bad to seize control over their infrastructure. But since they do, the whole Android world has improved, at least in my opinion. Think about the upgrade complains we had a few years back. As far as I know that's gone now.(?) So I think it's actually good what Google is doing in that regard.
From my own experience with developing FOSS is also that other people don't try to integrate their solutions into your system. Everybody heads off and makes their own stuff.
Stupid forking is no problem for a project like GCC. But Android is a brand name. And if other people fork it and head off doing their own stuff and fail, then it is always Android that fails.
And really as a developer I also fight for the freedom of software, but as an end user I want to be able to go to a shop and buy an "Android phone" and it just works. Therefore, yes, please, Google take control! Good job!
From my own experience with developing FOSS is also that other people don't try to integrate their solutions into your system. Everybody heads off and makes their own stuff.
Stupid forking is no problem for a project like GCC. But Android is a brand name. And if other people fork it and head off doing their own stuff and fail, then it is always Android that fails.
And really as a developer I also fight for the freedom of software, but as an end user I want to be able to go to a shop and buy an "Android phone" and it just works. Therefore, yes, please, Google take control! Good job!