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CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

calyxos.org

381–390 of 496 posts

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#381

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you have other options or other things that should be considered, then add them. As it is, you seem to be dismissing his absolutely valid concerns without any reason as to why you think they're invalid. I have the same concerns as he does and it's the same reason I don't use custom ROMs. I have no way to know how security conscious the developers actually are.

That's a valid concern and only you can judge for yourself whether something works for you or not. It's open source. Read the code and do your research. Going to some project's thread and saying, "But, what if this is shoddy code or run by the FBI ?" is beyond pointless. Praise can be generous. Criticism needs to be conservative and precise.

That's utterly ridiculous and you're clearly arguing in bad faith.

Let's say I do have the infinite amount of time necessary and the technical expertise to conduct an audit of a custom ROM. Is every single person who's interested in privacy and security required to do their own audit?

If I publish my findings, why should anybody ever believe me? Who am I to tell anybody how safe it is? If you think it's so safe, why don't you do an audit and prove it to those of us with doubts instead of expecting us to do it?

Oh, right. You're operating on faith on these groups of people that you don't know who don't have any processes in place to ensure that what they're doing is safe for their users.

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#384

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's a valid concern and only you can judge for yourself whether something works for you or not. It's open source. Read the code and do your research. Going to some project's thread and saying, "But, what if this is shoddy code or run by the FBI ?" is beyond pointless. Praise can be generous. Criticism needs to be conservative and precise.

That's utterly ridiculous and you're clearly arguing in bad faith. Let's say I do have the infinite amount of time necessary and the technical expertise to conduct an audit of a custom ROM. Is every single person who's interested in privacy and security required to do their own audit? If I publish my findings, why should anybody ever believe me? Who am I to tell anybody how safe it is? If you think it's so safe, why…

I'm not arguing that you or anyone should use this project. All I'm saying is that this line of questioning is not constructive. Sure, an audit is good, but since this hasn't been audited, what will this line of questioning achieve ? You can go to any project's announcement and pose this type of question, and it doesn't add anything. If you have concrete criticism to add, that's fine. This type of vague insinuation is what's in bad faith here.

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#385

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…

Yes I believe it does (I switched to Signal years ago and didn't try WhatsApp for a long time). Many proprietary apps runs great even the ones depending on Google Services.

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#386

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/

Youtube app can be replaced with Firefox

I tried both, Firefox with ublock and Video Background Play Fix extensions (as someone else pointed out too) is great. But I ended up using NewPipe because I feel it's has a better user experience than the mobile version of the YouTube website (playlist management, audio only, downloading, UI) and it's Open Source.

I still use the Firefox option if newpipe has issues fetching the video (which didn't happened to me for a long time).

It's a preference thing, many options are great.

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#387

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/

OsmAnd is a more fully featured solution for maps.

I agree that OsmAnd is a better option for public transportation and navigation, however, I found that Organic Maps is better at showing stuffs like restaurants/shops etc and more reactive (smoothness, quick to show the map).

I used OsmAnd for quite a long time and just wanted to give Organic Maps a try to see other alternatives. Both are quite promising as replacing Google maps IMO.

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#388

I’m thinking about buying a degoogled Android phone to replace my iPhone. The main things I want are: * Spotify needs to work over Bluetooth in my car * WhatsApp needs to work (preferably with push notifications) * I need the Fitbit app to work so my watch can show push notifications from my personal apps * a network-based location provider to be consumed by my personal apps (I’m working on a personal data and automa…

I have been using LineageOS on Xperia XZ2 Compact for about a year with a smaller bundle of official Google Play Services.

Almost everything works fine! Some apps didn't like it or detected root but Magisk + MagiskHide helped to hide root for those specific apps. Even Google Pay works with basic SafeNet attestation - that required "MagiskHide Props Config" Magisk extension and selecting a proper fingerprint.

The only problem encountered was that I couldn't connect PS4 controller and use it as an input device. Probably a driver issue related to bluetooth but other bluetooth devices I use work normally.

Optional F-Droid privileged extension makes F-Droid able to install F-droid app updates automatically like Play Store does.

Overall a very positive experience.

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#389

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,…

You can access and download apps from Google Play Store with Aurora Store.

https://gitlab.com/AuroraOSS/AuroraStore#aurora-store-a-goog...

> 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 are making it easier with Android 12 by letting third-party stores do automatic updates without user interaction, not harder.

https://developer.android.com/about/versions/12/features#aut...

It has always been the case that OEMs need to bundle Play Services in the OS and that you need an account to access Google Play. Some OEMs like Samsung and Huawei bundle their own store, "the store" isn't a thing. Raccoon, Yalp Store, Aurora Store, etc. to access Google Play have always existed too.

> They've announced some other package format, support for which I assume won't be released to AOSP.

It's not a new format, it's open source and Aurora Store and other stuff supports it just fine. It's not locked to Google Play.

Re: CalyxOS – De-Googled Android Alternative

#390

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Youtube app can be replaced with Firefox

I tried both, Firefox with ublock and Video Background Play Fix extensions (as someone else pointed out too) is great. But I ended up using NewPipe because I feel it's has a better user experience than the mobile version of the YouTube website (playlist management, audio only, downloading, UI) and it's Open Source. I still use the Firefox option if newpipe has issues fetching the video (which didn't happened to me fo…

You can click share on a Youtube video on Firefox and you'll get the option to send it to New Pipe. My only gripe with New Pipe is that it breaks some times and it doesn't have Youtube's recommendations.
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