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Open-source apps removed from Google Play Store due to donation links

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Re: Open-source apps removed from Google Play Store due to donation links

#191

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is one aspect and admittedly Android is better than Apple, but the other aspect (and more fundamental) is the ability to gain root on the system and do whatever you wish, and here both Google and Android (in the former case if not Google themselves then all the 3rd party Android vendors) lock down their devices. Rooting through exploits is not an acceptable solution.

All Google phones and Android One devices have unlockable bootloaders.

Not unless they are sold through a wireless carrier that aggressively locks down bootloaders on even the Pixel phones

Re: Open-source apps removed from Google Play Store due to donation links

#192
post #7

When is an alternative Android play store coming? To all the entrepreneurs reading this: please create one. To all the VCs reading this: please fund one. It's badly needed. I heard Huawei is working on one but I wouldn't bet on it.

F-Droid already exists.

Too bad you need a rooted phone with F-Droid Privileged Extension installed in order to have the same functionality as Gplay.

Re: Open-source apps removed from Google Play Store due to donation links

#193

The Apple/Play stores are essentially a totally broken implementation of something that had existed for over a decade before: package repositories. It's embraced and extended Linux/BSD package/ports trees, except without things like the ability to add a 3rd party repository with other authors signing keys, pin certain versions, etc. https://battlepenguin.com/tech/android-fragmentation/#packag... We could go on about…

Your analogy is certainly interesting... but expecting everyone to want or know how to look under the hood of their car is a little delusional. Most people don’t even know or care to check their oil. They drive from A to B and only take their car in for service when a light is illuminated on the dash or if it’s making a funny noise. Personally, I do all my own maintenance and love to look under my hood. My wife? She’…

A better analogy might be a hood locked with a separate key only Apple has. Your wife wants to visit an experienced local car shop? Pound sand.

Re: Open-source apps removed from Google Play Store due to donation links

#194
post #36
post #8

It's unfortunate that the developer resubmitted the app without the donation link, open source projects having a donation link in their apps does not violate Google Play policies. > Here are some examples of products not currently supported by Google Play In-app Billing: > One time-payments, including peer-to-peer payments, online auctions, and donations. https://play.google.com/about/monetization-ads/

>Apps that employ in-store or in-app purchases must comply with the following guidelines A donation is not a purchase.

So what is stopping all apps from being “free with a donation”?

Re: Open-source apps removed from Google Play Store due to donation links

#195

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or in Germany to get an emergency court order ("Einstweilige Verfügung"), dunno if the US has a similar legal venue. At least with an EV you get the immediate attention of their legal department.

Does GDPR cover these kind of issues where accounts/apps are demonetized or taken down because of some automated process mistake?

No.

Re: Open-source apps removed from Google Play Store due to donation links

#196

A general comment: the need of the hour is to educate the billions of 'ordinary' computer users about the basics of software, privacy, security and trust. We must not fall into the narrative being parroted around off-late that considers end-users as pretty much dumb content consumers who should not be expected to ever know even the minimum about the underlying tech and therefore every decision needs to be made for th…

I've tried to educate many people on a personal level and failed miserably almost every time, being perceived and dismissed as an evangelist for some weird ideology they don't care about (and I took it very slow and tried really, really hard not to sound as one). Maybe they are right, after all? Who am I to dictate or even influence what they should care about, especially if they don't experience that clearly. People never become tech literate until it bites them in the ass. They have to face the consequences, that's how it works.

Meanwhile in 2019, most people still find "nothing to hide" attitude perfectly reasonable.

Re: Open-source apps removed from Google Play Store due to donation links

#197

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't conflate Apple's monopoly with Google's store. Anyone can go install F-Droid or Amazon or whatever on their Android phone. The only thing stopping people is satisfaction with the status quo and/or ignorance. However, Apple totally rules their walled garden, with some added gross exploitation to boot (recent "Sherlocking" story for Luna Display).

This is one aspect and admittedly Android is better than Apple, but the other aspect (and more fundamental) is the ability to gain root on the system and do whatever you wish, and here both Google and Android (in the former case if not Google themselves then all the 3rd party Android vendors) lock down their devices. Rooting through exploits is not an acceptable solution.

[deleted]

Re: Open-source apps removed from Google Play Store due to donation links

#198

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is one aspect and admittedly Android is better than Apple, but the other aspect (and more fundamental) is the ability to gain root on the system and do whatever you wish, and here both Google and Android (in the former case if not Google themselves then all the 3rd party Android vendors) lock down their devices. Rooting through exploits is not an acceptable solution.

All Google phones and Android One devices have unlockable bootloaders.

Rooting the Pixel 2 (I haven't tried the other Pixels) is not trivial for the average user, it still involves downloading third-party software and doing stuff on the command line.

I had hoped that the pure-Google devices would have just had a switch: "I am now root," but alas it wasn't to be.

Re: Open-source apps removed from Google Play Store due to donation links

#199

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, we, as tech workers. Most people aren't "us". It's perfectly understandable for places like the android/apple app stores to be heavily moderated. Same reasoning for forcing people to have their cars serviced by mechanics and not do their own maintenance in their backyards. Otherwise we'd have people driving cars without pipes and DIY break pads. I'd much rather have that enforced by megacorps/govt than by an inf…

Yikes. Really? Where do you live? I can’t imagine living someplace where I’m forbidden from picking up a wrench. Heaven forbid I buy some PVC pipe. Who knows what mischief I might get up to! For the record, I do my own break pads. And have done the master cylinder (thing that powers the breaks) on my cars a couple of times. Not just without formal training. Without any training except what I could quickly Google.

Europe. When I lived in the US I saw cars with bald tires, clearly damaged frames, spewing insane amount of smoke &c. on the road daily, I'm glad I don't have to deal with that over here.

Re: Open-source apps removed from Google Play Store due to donation links

#200
A lot of these threads feel like complaining that McDonalds doesn't offer more sauces, or that they don't let you leave their store with the sauce. It's their store, it's their sauce. I don't think you can even claim monopoly, because nobody needs to use these devices. We can still use dumb phones for voice and texting, and regular computers for the internet.

You have to accept that these are commercial products for commercial gain. They are not a product of or for a community. Massive corporations use these systems to create products that drive their revenue. They will do whatever works for the majority; the fact that a minority wants certain kinds of changes does not impact their bottom line, so why should they consider it? They do not care about your outrage or opinions, they care about cash.

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