Live data from Hacker News

Eelo: A Google-less Android alternative emerges

zdnet.com

11–20 of 29 posts

Re: Eelo: A Google-less Android alternative emerges

#11
Where can I see the source (or at least the Eelo-specific build scripts for AOSP or any other source details)? I see "in the public interest" and see "we already have first results", but I struggle to find links to the details of what work has been done. Help?

> And as a community project, eelo will welcome contributors.

Sure...oh, "will"...well, can I at least watch?

Re: Eelo: A Google-less Android alternative emerges

#12
post #2

How quickly HN forgets. There are tons of Google-less Android builds. You can even run AOSP (Android Open Source Project) without Googles' binaries. When I want to use something without Google, I use CopperheadOS https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16030391

From the article:

> Unless you are a geek, LineageOS is not realistically usable if you don't want Google inside

Why? LineageOS plus F-Droid with Firefox, OsmAnd~ and Conversations is surprisingly usable.

I agree it could get a bit more polish. But if Eelo is going to be a big effort, maybe he should try to go for a full Linux distro like Jolla sans the closed components. With stuff like Anbox (Android containers) it should be moderately easy to bootstrap an ecosystem.

Re: Eelo: A Google-less Android alternative emerges

#13
post #10

Feels like we have enough Google-less Androids. I would rather a faster more minimal Android.

Or an android which can properly box apps, i.e. "Yes you can have access to my phonebook (because if I refuse you won't run at all..) but the container you are running in just gives you dummy entries", or not allowing internet access for certain apps.

This is all possible on desktop linux, having that possibility on a rooted Android would make me switch back.

Re: Eelo: A Google-less Android alternative emerges

#15
post #7

I like competition, but regarding "Google-less Android alternative" why everyone want to do his own project when this is a niche market with few developers who want to use their time to do this, and even less in the long run? Why do people don't join their effort to put up something better, faster, safer?

Because phones have in my opinion become a privacy nightmare. I think we all got used to it as the new normal because it happend in lots of tiny steps. However, 30 years ago people would have screamed at being constantly and at every step under surveillance, all their contacts recorded at every moment. I simply don't think that modern life with smartphones and internet must be like this. I'd like to have my private life back.

Edit: I recently signed up for LinkedIn and it was outright scary which contacts I got suggested. There were people that don't have my email address nor have I ever been in electronic contact with - I just met them plenty of times in real life. Best explanation is that smartphones correlate location and/or bluetooth MAC addresses. In other words, my phone is spying on me. I don't see any reason to give this information to unknown 3rd parties without my consent.

Re: Eelo: A Google-less Android alternative emerges

#16
post #10

Feels like we have enough Google-less Androids. I would rather a faster more minimal Android.

Or an android which can properly box apps, i.e. "Yes you can have access to my phonebook (because if I refuse you won't run at all..) but the container you are running in just gives you dummy entries", or not allowing internet access for certain apps. This is all possible on desktop linux, having that possibility on a rooted Android would make me switch back.

You've been able to do that with Xposed and Xprivacy for a while now. You can spoof just about any information that an app requests.

Re: Eelo: A Google-less Android alternative emerges

#18
post #15
post #7

I like competition, but regarding "Google-less Android alternative" why everyone want to do his own project when this is a niche market with few developers who want to use their time to do this, and even less in the long run? Why do people don't join their effort to put up something better, faster, safer?

Because phones have in my opinion become a privacy nightmare. I think we all got used to it as the new normal because it happend in lots of tiny steps. However, 30 years ago people would have screamed at being constantly and at every step under surveillance, all their contacts recorded at every moment. I simply don't think that modern life with smartphones and internet must be like this. I'd like to have my private l…

You didn't answer the question though. There are a few dozen linux smartphone projects. Why not join one of them and make it better. By making his own phone OS he is duplicating the work that all those other projects are doing instead of moving a head.

I'm not saying he is wrong for doing this - I know of many competing projects, but nothing more. Maybe there is a good reason not to join them. However my guess is not invented here which holds us back.

Re: Eelo: A Google-less Android alternative emerges

#19
post #7

I like competition, but regarding "Google-less Android alternative" why everyone want to do his own project when this is a niche market with few developers who want to use their time to do this, and even less in the long run? Why do people don't join their effort to put up something better, faster, safer?

Same reason you now have 200+ Linux distributions: people have opinions and disagreements plus free software means everybody can fork a project and do their own thing.

Meanwhile, Windows is still king of the desktop and Android is king of mobile for years to come.

Re: Eelo: A Google-less Android alternative emerges

#20
post #2

How quickly HN forgets. There are tons of Google-less Android builds. You can even run AOSP (Android Open Source Project) without Googles' binaries. When I want to use something without Google, I use CopperheadOS https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16030391

What makes you say HN has forgotten? The title is just copied from the article which describes another interesting sounding alternative.

The CopperheadOS post was 5 days ago and was in the top 10 for the majority of the day. Which also had the original title of being a Google-less Hardened version of Android.
Post reply on HN