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Google have declared Droidscript is malware

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Re: Google have declared Droidscript is malware

#311

Post by arp242 »

Vrondi wrote: post #293
arp242 wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The biggest problem with "alternative" platforms is just the lack of app support. I used to have a Nokia N9; great phone. But it didn't support WhatsApp and I was out on the loop on the WhatsApp chat all my other coworkers were in. Then there's things like banking apps, flight check-in apps, food ordering apps, dating apps, etc. etc. Can you do without those? Sure, of course. But if I want to order food where I live…

You can do the banking (from most banks) and food ordering from a web browser on your smartphone. No apps required. Grubhub, Uber Eats, Doordash, all those sorts of things. Most of them have a web version, and you can use that instead of an app most of the time. Just shake loose the Apple-induced app mentality that keeps you locked in.

Aside from that most of those specific services aren't available in my location, you really can't. Do you think I'm stupid and haven't tried?

Re: Google have declared Droidscript is malware

#313

Post by stjohnswarts »

baq wrote: post #126
szopa wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used to work at Google, and a friend reached out to me for help – his company's app was in a similar situation, with similar communication from Google. This was a good friend from high school, so I pressed the issue using internal channels. The person handling it on Google's side was very assertive about them violating a policy, and after some back and forth I received a _vague hint_ about what was the supposed vio…

i disagree about unsustainability. there are real people on the other side of the business among these bots and spammers and if you ignore them because they might be bots and spammers, they'll leave and tell other real people that google can't be reasoned with because they assume everyone is a bot and a spammer. you see exactly this happening all the time here on HN. the sentiment for the past few years is abysmal. g…

I think so as well. As a duopoly Google and Apple owe it to their customers and 3rd party developers to know why something gets banned. Being in that position requires special consideration to hold that much power. Government has to do it, why don't huge corps?

Re: Google have declared Droidscript is malware

#314

Post by Vrondi »

karlicoss wrote: post #95
2OEH8eoCRo0 wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I envy your chill. We all do need to take a deep breath at times and realize it's truly a first world problem. With that said your truck analogy isn't perfect. Your truck will last as long as you keep it going. That can be 20 years or more. It would be more like having a truck that the doors do not lock anymore after 2 years and you cannot fix that you must buy a new truck if you don't want thieves.

Also I think the analogy doesn't quite work because a truck is a truck. You can do some customization, you might (or not be) able to change some parts, or being a mechanical engineer you might even be able to repair it or enhance. But it will always fundamentally be a truck. The difference from phones is that a phone is a computer, and as such it has computer's endless potential. For some it can be just a phone, sure…

You are displaying your ignorance of trucks. For decades now, all automobiles and trucks have included proprietary computer systems. Some are easy to hack and alter. Some are more expensive/challenging, but people do it. An EV is missing _most_ of the mechanical parts that defined a "truck" for a century, and is basically only four tiny motors, brakes, a computer system, and a battery with wheels. The sole characteristics of "truck" that still remain which Henry Ford would recognize are "has wheels" and "can carry cargo".

Re: Google have declared Droidscript is malware

#315

Post by kseifried »

Assigned CVE-2021-1000040 for this issue because a minimum DroidScript can no longer get updates out to users. They may also be doing bad things, as claimed by Google, but either way the ecosystem will start to get stale and security issues can't be easily fixed right now.

Re: Google have declared Droidscript is malware

#316

Post by arp242 »

Vrondi wrote: post #304
arp242 wrote: post #261

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Okay, so how can I chat to my friends or companies with WhatsApp on Linux? How can I order food similar to Grab or Gojek on Linux? How can I get a date on Linux like Tinder? You can't. Sure, there are technological solutions to all of those, but in the real world that alone is pretty much useless.

You can use Watshapp multiple ways on Linux, including the web browser version [ https://itsfoss.com/whatsapp-linux-desktop/ ]. Although, if you're using Whatsapp at all you're either massively ignorant or stupid. I mean, giving Facebook your phone number is just not wise.

And you still need the phone app for that Linux client; everything is routed through that.

Good grief, I keep bloody repeating this. Do you people actually read anything?

> Although, if you're using Whatsapp at all you're either massively ignorant or stupid. I mean, giving Facebook your phone number is just not wise.

I'm a normal human being who values social contact and doesn't want to pester all my friends in using some other app, and a lot of businesses use WhatsApp here too.

I am neither "ignorant" nor "stupid". This is literally the worst of HN right here. Do you even listen to what people have to say and consider perspectives outside of your own?

Re: Google have declared Droidscript is malware

#317

Post by edrxty »

nromiun wrote: post #140
edrxty wrote: post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does LineageOS provide a workaround for this?

Unfortunately there is no good alternative to Termux (its Android API). But with a rooted phone you can use chroot to install a Linux distribution. LineageOS is just a popular ROM for rooted phones.

I run lineage but I don't typically use my terminal on my phone unless I'm using it for SSH. I hadn't though of the chroot angle though. That's rather interesting...

Re: Google have declared Droidscript is malware

#318

Post by Vrondi »

ShroudedNight wrote: post #198
ficklepickle wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In what kind of situations is it socially awkward to not be on your phone? Genuine question, I'm not great with social stuff.

When loitering, I've found that phones are a strong signal that distinguishes those uninterested in engaging with the strangers around them, from those that are. When trying to convey one's innocuousness to the wardens of a domain, it can be helpful to use your phone. Related, if in a group, everybody else disengages to be engrossed in their phone, it can be helpful to do the same if one does not want to demonstrate…

A paperback book or something can give the same social signal. :)

Re: Google have declared Droidscript is malware

#319

Post by fencepost »

munificent wrote: post #166
szopa wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used to work at Google, and a friend reached out to me for help – his company's app was in a similar situation, with similar communication from Google. This was a good friend from high school, so I pressed the issue using internal channels. The person handling it on Google's side was very assertive about them violating a policy, and after some back and forth I received a _vague hint_ about what was the supposed vio…

Caveat: I work at Google but know nothing about this area and my opinion here is entirely personal. > which would create an unsustainable situation at this scale. Financial sustainability may have something to do with it, but I suspect the larger issue is that providing too much detail essentially trains malware authors to route around the company's defenses. Imagine the Play Store as a castle which has both good tow…

I suspect the larger issue is that providing too much detail essentially trains malware authors to route around the company's defenses.

Perhaps so, but it seems not unreasonable to have SOME ability to work with the creator of an app that's been on the store for years with a substantial number of ongoing users and (speculating) a non troublesome patten of installs and purchases.

Nobody believes that Google is technically out financially unable to do this, which leaves the other option - at a corporate level not giving a shit enough to even bother trying.

Google will often do the right thing whether by plan or by happenstance, but it pays to be aware that when it does the wrong thing there is no recourse and will be no correction.

Re: Google have declared Droidscript is malware

#320

Post by donio »

cookiengineer wrote: post #189
CivBase wrote: post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can add third-party repositories to F-Droid. The default F-Droid repository may be a walled garden but as far as I can tell the app and protocol are definitely not.

A walled garden doesn't necessarily exist solely of proprietary protocols and code. In the case of fdroid, apps that violate open source licenses are not allowed. So, technically, from the perspective of a company like Facebook, fdroid is a walled garden they cannot enter without open sourcing their code. (I'm not saying fdroid's policies are bad. I'm just trying to make an argument for the counterside and am playing…

Would you call a Debian system a walled garden too then?
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