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Google have declared Droidscript is malware

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Re: Google have declared Droidscript is malware

#51

Post by Jiocus »

Jaygles wrote: post #6
vntok wrote: post #3

Well, is it? The linked post is obviously biased, so I'd rather wait for more information instead of getting my pitchfork out immediately.

It seems to me that the nature of the app is whats causing the issue. From one of the emails they got from Google: > We don't allow apps with any code that could put a user, a user’s data, or a device at risk. Maybe they think the ability to execute arbitrary code is too powerful of a feature?

“Hold my beer," - mobile Google Chrome.

Trying to see it from Googles point of view though. Perhaps there is a useful distinction to be made between end-user apps, and apps and functionality targeting developers. There is developer tooling to be found outside the Play store. Far away from the general audience and the risk of causing them security issues.

I can't say I agree with it, and Droidscript could well be a godsend to somebody making good use of it.

There should be an avalanche of truly malicious apps and related dev malpractice they could root out from their platform before this.

Re: Google have declared Droidscript is malware

#52

Post by lopis »

vntok wrote: post #3

Well, is it? The linked post is obviously biased, so I'd rather wait for more information instead of getting my pitchfork out immediately.

It could even be. Maybe Google found out they were hijacked in some way and the app contained malware. The main issue if that Google refuses to let publishers know the reason for bans and take-downs.

Re: Google have declared Droidscript is malware

#53

Post by goda90 »

x86ARMsRace wrote: post #42
eplanit wrote: post #25

It's seriously time to re-embrace the idea of ownership and control of our devices, and reject Android and iOS altogether. Developing for those platforms has become worse and more restrictive over the years, and this kind of crap is now just everyday news. How good are Pinephones[1]? Are there better alternatives? [1] https://www.pine64.org/pinephone/

> Small numbers (1-3) of stuck or dead pixels are a characteristic of LCD screens. These are normal and should not be considered a defect. Their product line does not really inspire much faith. I can't say I've bought a device in the past 10 years which has dead pixels on the display. To me, this is a defect, given that I can pick up a device, overwrite Windows with Linux, and have a device without dead pixels.

Check out their philosophy[0]. They aren't exactly a company targeting end user consumers. They want to put affordable hardware in the hands of a community of tinkerers.

[0]https://www.pine64.org/philosophy/

Re: Google have declared Droidscript is malware

#54

Post by numpad0 »

throwawayffffas wrote: post #27
ajross wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Time for one of these again. So... having read through their marketing material, this is an on-device tool that opens up what appears to be most of the Android application API to at least the user of the device, and potentially to any Droidscript applications they grab from other sources, and... maybe to other apps on the device? It's not clear from a quick read how extensive the runtime control is. So just right out…

> Add to that that it's a closed source IDE for an open platform, and my intuition sides with Google here. If I can't ship my closed source IDE on the platform is the platform really open? > My guess is that when details come out it will turn out that at-least-plausibly harmful Droidscript garbage was being pushed to users and Google decided to kill it. Of course they will say it was because x, y, and z were done to…

Sounds like effective lack of means of production available inside the platform is fundamental to sustainable platform...

Re: Google have declared Droidscript is malware

#55

Post by shadowgovt »

ericol wrote: post #16

TL;DR: They are being accused of ad fraud, without any evidence provided, and they are asked to reply with an analysis of why they think their traffic ?? is legit (when they have no idea what is it that Google considered "not legitimate"). The biggest issue here I don't think is the malware tag, but the ad fraud accusation. Even thought as somebody pointed out the page linked can be biased, based only on what they st…

It is extremely possible that from Google's point of view, an inability to give such an analysis is itself justification to remove the app from the Play Store.

If Droidscript is flexible enough to allow end-users to create an ad fraud engine, it's too flexible for the store. Play Store is relatively consistent in its position that a tool that bootstraps policy violations is itself a policy violation.

But it would be great if Google could offer a concrete reproduction case, and from a developer-service standpoint it completely sucks that they don't.

Re: Google have declared Droidscript is malware

#56

Post by yjftsjthsd-h »

nromiun wrote: post #26

> We don't allow apps with any code that could put a user, a user’s data, or a device at risk. If Google thinks the ability to execute arbitrary code puts users' data at risk why don't they go the full iOS route and ban everything, from scripting apps to other JS engines beside Chromium? I am so sick of their behaviour, the only reason I am still on Android because things like F-Droid still exists and iOS is even mor…

Given the issues that termux has hit, they're certainly moving that way.

https://github.com/termux/termux-packages/wiki/Termux-and-An...

Re: Google have declared Droidscript is malware

#57

Post by pjerem »

AlwaysRock wrote: post #45
teamspirit wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think one day there will eventually be a class action lawsuit filed against one of these companies for their opaque customer response process. How did it get this way? How did we allow it and for so long? I really don't know. Here we are, the community involved yet somehow this method of customer [non]interaction grew out from underneath us. *spelling edit: fire -> for

What are you going to do? Stop using Google products? Good luck.

Done.

And it was way easier than i tought.

Re: Google have declared Droidscript is malware

#58

Post by stevewodil »

narwally wrote: post #17
kbelder wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is my primary hacking tool for throwing little scripts together on Android. You can bring up an IDE in chrome on your PC and interactively execute it on your phone. I hope this gets fixed. I wouldn't really be surprised if EVERY scripting/programming app in the play store technically violates some play store rules, though.

Well damn, now I want to download it. I've never gotten into mobile development because getting started always seemed like a chore, but this sounds like it would be fun to play around with.

Try Flutter! Great SDK to get started with mobile development, and dart is a really nice language

Re: Google have declared Droidscript is malware

#59

Post by Aperocky »

kaibee wrote: post #41
Aperocky wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe it's just time to see phones as what they are - a phone. I don't really care what software is ran in my truck, as long as it works (And that's why I'll not buy a Tesla). It's a phone, use it to call text and guide and browse some internet. That's it.

> I don't really care what software is ran in my truck, as long as it works I mean, exactly what recourse do you think you'll have once it stops working..? You'll sell your not working truck (to who?) and buy a new one (that is also soft-locked because it was the only way to stay competitive?)? Right to Repair: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvVafMi0l68

That's a different topic though.

Also, the software vended by traditional car companies are usually bound with hardware and readily replaceable if a reboot can't solve the problem.

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