N950/Aegis-notes
Aegis is a security framework that differs significantly from normal Unix, though sharing ideas from SELinux.
There is an apparent lack of documentation on what the security framework is intended to address, and how it is intended to be configured.
Some of these questions may be based on misunderstandings, or bugs in the image available to developers.
There are three broad classes of issues it raises to address.
End Users
What limitations does it pose on software that developers can write for users for the N9.
For example, if the developer wants to compile a new kernel with more iptables modules available, or to expose more hardware features, what are the implications?
Can Aegis run at all in this environment? What are the implications if Aegis cannot run - what stops working? Is it just (for example) Angry Birds, or does this include Maps, and other software.
Developers
While Aegis is a powerful platform for security, it raises issues for lower-level developers trying to understand the device, and trying to prototype code.
For example, under what conditions does it lock down the platform, requiring a reflash, as mentioned in this post on TMO.
End of Life/Meego
At some point Nokia will stop signing packages. Exactly when this might be is hard to predict with the changing mobile space. It might be in 2025, after Harmattan derived phones have taken over the marketplace, it might be 2012, after windows phone is a roaring success for Nokia.
At this point - what happens?