It seems the register is censoring this post, so I'll repost it; https://www.theregister.com/2025/03/13/android_16_linux_term/
>may get a built-in Linux terminal

Android already comes with the kernel, Linux, thus it's a major error to write about Android "getting Linux".

The only existing "Linux terminal" is the fbcon terminal emulator, but you can't use that without also a getty and a shell (like GNU bash) and I guess it would be good if fbcon was accessible on Android, but this doesn't seem to be the case.

>Instead, this is a special Debian VM

The constant relentless lying to prevent the user from learning that a free software OS exists is incredible.

What is being offered is a GNU chroot (not a VM) and a terminal emulator that allows using GNU Bash to operate a GNU system.

GNU chroots have been available on Android for years, although all of them are somewhat broken and I guess things might be less broken with official support.

>this sounds very similar to the built-in Linux Terminal that's available in ChromeOS

It's incredible the level of lying this website does; https://chromeos.dev/en/productivity/terminal

>and in the “Linux” section, “Turn on” Linux

When in fact you are enabling access to GNU bash.

>Shut down Linux

When in fact that button kills GNU bash.

No wonder why there are so many GNU users who have never heard of GNU (https://www.gnu.org/gnu/gnu-users-never-heard-of-gnu.html) - people who know what Linux is and know what GNU is, are intentionally lying and calling GNU, "Linux", so people never learn of GNU, or assume it is merely a coreutils (when GNU coreutils is only one GNU package; https://www.gnu.org/software/).

>if having a Linux terminal on your Android fondleslab feels sounds like something you'd really want, there is the existing Termux app

Termux offers a terminal emulator, GNU environment, Xorg server and package manager that allows you to install GNU software and other software that works on the GNU system.

>It's open source

The license is GPLv3-only, which is a free software license.