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CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

calyxos.org

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Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#371

Post by rashil2000 »

sleavey wrote: post #369
yusi-san wrote: post #211

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can try lineage with MicroG[0][1], it replaces Google services. If you want stores there is the F-Droid store for FOSS app or Aurora Store if you want casual apps. YouTube can be replaced by NewPipe and these days I'm trying Organic Maps (a layer for OSM with nav and offline maps) to replace Google Maps. [0] : https://microg.org/ [1] : https://lineage.microg.org/

Does WhatsApp still work? I care about privacy and degoogling but I'm not yet quite ready to abandon my social network over it. Currently I use lineageos with the micro Google apps bundle which provides the real Play Store services and WhatsApp still works. I'd be happy to use the replacement if that was still the case. EDIT: for clarity, by "micro Google apps bundle" I mean the opengapps [1] micro variant. [1] https…

I use LineageOS+microG and practically all apps not made by Google (WhatsApp, Spotify, PayTM) work as they should. Even for some Google apps, there are good alternatives like YouTube Vanced etc.

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#372

Post by opan »

joecool1029 wrote: post #205

> microG replaces some functions of Google Play Services while maintaining much more anonymity and privacy. I've said it before and saying it again on here for those that don't know: microG breaks the security model on android and adds in package signature spoofing. It's the only way to add a fake Google Play Services without needing to pull Google blobs. This is why projects like LineageOS are against using this met…

In my experience, LineageOS without gapps or microg is plenty usable. I get all my apps from F-Droid and have for years. I don't feel like I'm missing anything major. I'm sure this won't work for some people, but it's an option worth mentioning.

Also, for this reason I shy away from alternatives to LineageOS which include microg by default. I don't want it.

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#373

Post by sleavey »

rashil2000 wrote: post #371
sleavey wrote: post #369

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does WhatsApp still work? I care about privacy and degoogling but I'm not yet quite ready to abandon my social network over it. Currently I use lineageos with the micro Google apps bundle which provides the real Play Store services and WhatsApp still works. I'd be happy to use the replacement if that was still the case. EDIT: for clarity, by "micro Google apps bundle" I mean the opengapps [1] micro variant. [1] https…

I use LineageOS+microG and practically all apps not made by Google (WhatsApp, Spotify, PayTM) work as they should. Even for some Google apps, there are good alternatives like YouTube Vanced etc.

Good to know, thanks! I plan to reinstall LineageOS since I stupidly relocked my bootloader last time and can't upgrade without wiping the phone. I'll try out microG this time!

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#374

Post by the_biot »

The trouble I have with AOSP of all flavors isn't lack of Google Services, it's lack of access to the app store.

I can do fine without Google Services, but I occasionally need an app that's just not available on F-Droid, and Google is doing their level best to make it harder to get APKs any other way. You used to be able to download them from the store; no longer possible. They've announced some other package format, support for which I assume won't be released to AOSP.

They're locking Android ever closer in to their store, and it makes any alternative Android distribution ever more dependent on Google.

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#375

Post by fragileone »

toastal wrote: post #370

Something like this seems a lot easier to set up than the hoops I ran through to get my Xaiomi Redmi K20 Pro running Havoc OS + microG. I wish it were more straightforward to get more device compatibility for builds. With GNU/Linux I pick my CPU architecture and I'm good to go. With a project like this, I, given my Android proficiency, should wait who knows how long to get a compatible build. But why a separate build…

Previously Android phones were allowed to be released each with modified unique kernels. All new phones which ship with Android 12 however must use the same generic Android Common Kernel, and any device-specific drivers are then attached via kernel modules.

So basically from September-ish all future Android phones should be able to boot off the same image, or at least a Generic System Image.

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#377

Post by BorisMelnik »

correcthorse123 wrote: post #364
foresto wrote: post #359

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From memory, I think LineageOS 17 took roughly 8-12 hours for an initial build and 3.5 hours for subsequent (ccache) builds on an Intel i5-3570K and spinning hard drive. That's not including the initial git clone. The idea might seem daunting, but assuming midrange hardware and a decent net connection, it's very much doable in under a day without resorting to cloud services.

How would it scale with the number of cores? 3950x should make relatively short work of it, or wouldn't it?

that should tear through it. the linux kernel for instance compiles much better with higher number of cores

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#378

Post by luca020400 »

entropy1111 wrote: post #295
tholdem wrote: post #272

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The OS in this case has nothing to do with not being able to be ported to other phones. Google is one of the few who will pay extra to Qualcomm for the ability for users to flash their own signing keys. Lineage does not support one of the most important security feature of any modern smartphone, lockable bootloader and verified boot. Lineage might be more privacy respecting than Googles Android, but far behind regard…

There's no point in using LineageOS after they dropped PrivacyGuard instead of expanding it. You start going down this road and suddenly you'll have a phone that doesn't pass SafetyNet anymore. You have to use 3rd-party applications and probably a ROM made by a random internet user not affiliated with LineageOS because they drop support for devices all the time. The phone manufacturers bribe ROM developers to do that…

Privacy Guard) I was the one who purposely removed it. I spent days ( if not weeks ) trying to get it working properly ( read, it never worked properly and causes many issues we still have tickets for ) futhermore Google basically rewrote the full stack once again, while introducing the, now publicly available in 12, permission hub that somehow gave a better view of permissions and easy access to remove them. We know it removed some more granular ops, but it wasn't worth the effort.

SafetyNet) Nothing can legally pass it unless Google certifies it, we can't do much, only Google can enforce it to be used only for security related reasons

Bribing) I wish I got a single cent from any of the OEM I worked on, name it, Motorola, Asus, Huawei, OnePlus, Xiaomi. Not once they threatened us to stop working on their devices, and at the same time didn't help at all ( the only outsider is Asus that is willingly to help ) We simply can't continue supporting every device that enters the door, we don't have any real way to improve it, everyone is doing it voluntarily with no expectation, and so do we as project directors.

PS: I'm one of the directors.

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#379

Post by ranguna »

commoner wrote: post #267
ranguna wrote: post #192

How risky is it if I install this on a device that is not on the supported list?

Not recommended. Downloads are tailored to specific device models, and installing an operating system image intended for a different device model would not work and could brick your device. If your device is supported by LineageOS but not CalyxOS, LineageOS for microG is an alternative OS that might work for you: https://lineage.microg.org

Perfect, thank you very much for all the info !

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#380

Post by luca020400 »

summm wrote: post #235
_rdvw wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is a limitation of Lineage only because they choose to cater to users who want root (which usually modifies /system) and to support flashing Google Apps.

Why would having root itself rule out secure boot? It's just that they refuse to offer root themselves, and only as a result of that refusal one has to use system modifications to gain root. In a sense this is the opposite of your claim: they do explicitly not cater to root users.

We cater the normal user.

And what the hell? Root with verified boot? That's like having the most secure castle while leaving the door open for anyone, you can't have both worlds.

Note: our root implementation was apparently affected by some vulnerabilities ( never disclosed to us ), meaning I tried to lower the attack surface to minimum, but not knowing I did anything helpful we just couldn't leave it there.

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