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Termux no longer updated on Google Play

wiki.termux.com

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Re: Termux no longer updated on Google Play

#81
post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How is ish on iOS circumventing it?

it interprets x86, and therefore loses a lot of performance. For just running a few bash scripts, it really doesn't matter tho.

This, plus the App Store version does not come with apk package manager so in theory all executable code is there.

Also they are on a kind of thin ice and already almost have been kicked out: https://ish.app/blog/app-store-removal

Re: Termux no longer updated on Google Play

#82
post #4

We have to replicate somehow the PC ecosystem into mobile phones. I'd like PostmarketOS / Manjaro to take off, hope it becomes ready as everyday driver one day.

The majority of people don't see any value in it, sadly. At least we can hope terminal + tools as separate app bundles approach takes off.

The majority doesn't decide what is done by the minority.

Re: Termux no longer updated on Google Play

#83
post #67
post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The actual issue is that Android does not allow executing any code that wasn't downloaded through the play store. And even then only if they're signed by the same user. 1. You can only execute binaries together if they're signed by the same key. 2. Each person has to have a unique signing key. 3. If a user wants to execute a pre-existing software, and something compiled by themselves, both need to be signed by the sa…

Instead of trying to use POSIX on Android, use the Java based APIs, several shells written in Java available on the store. As well as programming environments. I use a couple of them to code on the go.

Just curious: which shells do you mean?

Re: Termux no longer updated on Google Play

#84
post #68
post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not OP but that was announced back in March https://www.blog.google/products/android/new-malware-protect...

Ok thanks. Somehow must have missed that one - I guess it's voluntary unless you install some work related app where company security policies pretty much default to switching off any possible loophole. I don't like where this path is going to lead :(

The Advanced Protection program is opt-in for people with a high security posture

It also means you _have_ to have 2 security keys set up to login to your Google account with no other 2 factors allowed as backup

Re: Termux no longer updated on Google Play

#85
post #67
post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The actual issue is that Android does not allow executing any code that wasn't downloaded through the play store. And even then only if they're signed by the same user. 1. You can only execute binaries together if they're signed by the same key. 2. Each person has to have a unique signing key. 3. If a user wants to execute a pre-existing software, and something compiled by themselves, both need to be signed by the sa…

Instead of trying to use POSIX on Android, use the Java based APIs, several shells written in Java available on the store. As well as programming environments. I use a couple of them to code on the go.

That's also not possible anymore. The new rules explicitly forbid loading any Java code that wasn't previously verified, signed, and published through the Play Store.

Those apps are affected by the same rules as Termux.

Re: Termux no longer updated on Google Play

#86

TL;DR: Android is trying to enforce all data being either writable, or executable, never both. iOS already does this. There are big security benefits (it becomes much harder to exploit an app). A disadvantage is it becomes much harder to make things like terminal emulators and things that want to download random code and run it. But those are by far the minority of apps, and it seems crazy to make a pretty massive se…

> But those are by far the minority of apps, and it seems crazy to make a pretty massive security tradeoff for something that 99% of apps don't need to do.

Yet oddly, I as the user who paid $550 for my device would like to do that. I understand wanting to put a warning on it, but otherwise my device can kindly screw off and do what I've told it to do, or it will be taking a one way ride out the nearest window.

The device serves me, not the other way around.

Re: Termux no longer updated on Google Play

#87
post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Indeed, the $2k example was misleading, but the fact it's still $800 for a phone with 2014 specs alone would have been more than enough to get his point across. You do have to pay 3-4x the price you would otherwise to get the privilege of running another OS on older hardware with arguably less functionality (OOTB, at least).

Librem 5 provides features which no other phone provides. Simple specs comparison does not show the whole picture. See FAQ: https://source.puri.sm/Librem5/community-wiki/-/wikis/Freque... . Edit: Also, why do you need a better performance? Browsing and 3D games work fine.

Again, those "selling points" are extremely fringe. Let's not pretend like grandma (and the average phone user) cares about hardware killswitches, DP over USB-C, etc...

Like they say themselves in that very article you posted :

> For people who want these specialized features that no other phone offers, the Librem 5's price is not unreasonable.

Also, specs are obviously not the only thing that matters, but having seen Librem 5 phones run, it's pretty damn obvious they do kind of matter - the thing seems to run quite choppy.

Re: Termux no longer updated on Google Play

#88
post #20

The GitHub discussion is significantly more informative and carries a lot of thinking behind the changes: https://github.com/termux/termux-app/issues/1072 IMO a better link than a short paragraph on Wiki.

Sadly, since January 1st, 2020 Termux team dropped[0] support for Android 5.x/6.x, so actually in F-Droidrepo it now requires minimum Android 7.x:

> Support for Android 5.x.x - 6.x.x is dropped forever. Time to upgrade your devices or learn how to backport git changes.[1]

And this part from Termux devs reply is especially cynical:

> ... Time to upgrade your devices...[1]

It looks like they has a contract with devices manufacturers...

... No, I no need such type of "app improvements in new version" which require me to buy a new device.

FTR, In F-Droid Archive[2] repo there is still Termux v0.75 for Android 5.x/6.x (which I'm using on Ido device), but it is horrible because Termux packages repo for Android 5.x/6.x are now disabled[3] too.

[0] https://github.com/termux/termux-app/issues/1516

[1] https://github.com/termux/termux-app/issues/1407#issuecommen...

[2] https://apt.izzysoft.de/fdroid/index/apk/com.termux?repo=arc...

[3] https://github.com/termux/termux-packages/issues/4467

Re: Termux no longer updated on Google Play

#89
post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How is ish on iOS circumventing it?

it interprets x86, and therefore loses a lot of performance. For just running a few bash scripts, it really doesn't matter tho.

By the way, UserLAnd [1] does something very similar on Android (and is accordingly not affected by these changes).

[1] https://github.com/CypherpunkArmory/UserLAnd

Re: Termux no longer updated on Google Play

#90
post #67
post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The actual issue is that Android does not allow executing any code that wasn't downloaded through the play store. And even then only if they're signed by the same user. 1. You can only execute binaries together if they're signed by the same key. 2. Each person has to have a unique signing key. 3. If a user wants to execute a pre-existing software, and something compiled by themselves, both need to be signed by the sa…

Instead of trying to use POSIX on Android, use the Java based APIs, several shells written in Java available on the store. As well as programming environments. I use a couple of them to code on the go.

The real problem is not the shell itself, but all the other software that you can install using Termux.
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