No they don't. We have enabled builds but we also have "open only builds": https://android-build.linaro.org/builds/~linaro-android/panda-ics-gcc46-kwg-upstream-open/ [linaro.org] That is a 100% open Panda Android build based on the upstream Linux kernel. No proprietary libs at all. Or this one: https://android-build.linaro.org/builds/~linaro-android/imx6-ics-gcc47-freescalelt-stable-open/ [linaro.org] That's a 100% open iMX6 build against GCC 4.7 that has no proprietary components. So not only is it possible, its being done.

We already have it at Linaro: Look at this build from Linaro: https://android-build.linaro.org/builds/~linaro-android/panda-ics-gcc46-kwg-upstream-open/ That is a 100% open Panda Android build based on the upstream Linux kernel. No proprietary libs at all. Or this one: https://android-build.linaro.org/builds/~linaro-android/imx6-ics-gcc47-freescalelt-stable-open/ That's a 100% open iMX6 build against GCC 4.7 that has no proprietary components. So not only is it possible, its being done.

I disagree. The blobs are the root problem (at least with ARM chips). Without acceleration, ARM systems are unusable. ARM partitions the system into compute units and optimizes for lots of units cooperating through a shared memory. This is in contrast to Intel which is optimized for centralized processing. This fundamental is why ARM systems use 1/10th the power. Got a little video about it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1WDrhL-vUI

This is really awesome. People are welcome to take a look Linaro's Android builds, which are aimed at the development boards that most of the SoC manufactures are creating. The builds are easy to try. Insert an SD card into your computer, run one command and bingo! There even easy to build from source. See http://www.linaro.org/engineering/getting-started/low-cost-development-boards for the complete list of boards.

We've got:

AOSP clone (Panda):
AOSP with 4.6 (Panda)
Snowball
iMX6
iMX53
Origen

People cannot run their own software on their tablet. How would the Geniuses help them?

Hopefully Linaro can be blamed for a few other dents in the universe.

Check out the Lilliput, http://store.mp3car.com/Lilliput_869GL_80NP_C_T_8_Touch_Screen_LCD_Monito_p/MON-110.htm. We'll have support for this out of the box.

Yeah. We're working on it. Because of the way we do kernels (always tracking the latest) it becomes hard to get both Graphics and MM working in these builds. See our current plan for this monthly milestone at: https://launchpad.net/linaro-android/+milestone/11.12.

Yup, ZP for Zach Pfeffer. Linaro Android Platform lead. :) Checkout our work at: https://launchpad.net/linaro-android/+milestone/11.09 https://launchpad.net/linaro-android/+milestone/11.10 https://launchpad.net/linaro-android/+milestone/11.11 ...and our team at: https://wiki.linaro.org/MeetTheTeam and https://wiki.linaro.org/Platform/Android feel free to talk to us on freenode in the #linaro-android channel!

By using a series of topic branches including an "Android" tracking branch that contains just those patches needed for core functionality Linaro is able to rebase on most kernel versions, 3.1, 3.2..etc. We keep a Linus HEAD and a last -rc version around, calling Linus HEAD "tracking" builds and -rc "staging" builds. We also have all of the enablement for each board split out into topic branches. These can then get octopus merged or stgit'd into a single tree. For Pandaboard this git has all of this broken out: http://git.linaro.org/gitweb?p=people/andygreen/kernel-tilt.git;a=summary.

...was it, Liquid Hot Magma?

Your company is within its rights to disable your access. It owns the underlying resources and everything you've produced so far. From the post, it sounds like your slightly incredulous that your company would do this to you, get over it. You gave 4 weeks so spend it documenting and talking with everyone in the company to make sure they have as smooth a transition as possible. When you move on, show good faith by providing a way for them to contact you. If your new job doesn't work out, what you do over the next 4 weeks may be a deciding factor if you want to try and come back.