Q: Advantage of ImageView over LinearLayout background Is there any advantage in using an ImageView over just setting the backgrounnd of a LinearLayout to an image?
For example, here is just setting the background image of a LinearLayout
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:id="@+id/container">

    <LinearLayout
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:id="@+id/image"
        android:background="@drawable/bg"
        android:orientation="vertical" > 
    </LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>

Here is using an ImageView inside a LinearLayout
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:id="@+id/container">

    <ImageView
        android:id="@+id/image"
        android:layout_width="75dp"
        android:layout_height="75dp"
        android:src="@drawable/bg" />
</LinearLayout>

Does it matter which one I use? I am currently using the LinearLayout background way and am wondering if there are advantages to doing it the other way. 

A: By setting the imageView in a linearLayout, you will not be able to put anything over the image view. It will put all of the widgets one after another, so you would not accomplish the "background image effect". However, if the root container was relativeLayout, you could. But I don't see the reason or the advantage to doing it this way. Maybe if you wanted to control the size of the image more extensively.
Ultimately, it is best practice to just set background of your container.

A: See, the thing is that when you set a background to a layout. The image reshapes and resizes to the dimensions of that layout. So when you set an image as a background, it sometimes becomes too tall or too wide. And that's probably not what you're looking for.
However when you use an ImageView, you can set the width and height to 'match_parent' and then use a feature called android:scaleType in the layout xml and use the centerCrop option and it will automatically... you got it... center and crop the image. Now note that the actual ImageView does not get cropped. It just increases its size so that it can fill the bounds of the container layout.
For your purpose, I would recommend using a RelativeLayout and putting an ImageView and then a TextView on it. Unless your LinearLayout has the same dimension ratios as your image. Then you can set the image as a background.
Ultimately the decision is up to you. See what works out best for you...
