Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

FOSS app removed from the Play Store for linking to the project's website

github.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

121–130 of 293 posts

Re: FOSS app removed from the Play Store for linking to the project's website

#121

Post by Borgz »

crazygringo wrote: post #91

This is a perfect example of a line having to be drawn somewhere, but wherever you draw it is never going to be perfect in every case. First of all -- app stores need to make money or at least break even. They cost a lot of money to run. So app stores take a cut of all transactions. If they let developers implement their own payment mechanisms, either in-app or with a single link, then developers will make every app…

Google already allows/requires tax-exempt donations to not be done with Google Play billing. This doesn't apply in the case of this app because the developer is supposedly an individual rather than a non-profit organization.

>Or a rule that "donations" are allowed? Well then you get "donations" that come with "bonus functionality" and so forth, and a new line has to be drawn.

There really isn't any ambiguity about what constitutes a donation. If you receive something in return, it isn't a donation.

I would argue that Google could easily permit donations of any kind at no detriment to themselves.

Re: FOSS app removed from the Play Store for linking to the project's website

#122

Post by ocdtrekkie »

DannyBee wrote: post #95
sgtfrankieboy wrote: post #5

I really hope Epic wins the lawsuit against Apple and that the laws being announced in the US Senate/House get passed. I also hope the EU start pushing against this kind of stuff more. Apple and Google have too much control.

Y'all are too optimistic. I will predict for you the future of that, based on the past. The next people in line who control most devices are the carriers. They will set up app stores that are required on their phones (since the laws will not prevent this). Each will have exclusive apps that require their app store be installed (and will not be available on other phones). Things will be a mishmash. Nobody will be actu…

There are three major national carriers (a fourth launching soon), and an absolute glut of smaller MVNOs which offer devices on their own terms. Most of both the national carriers and the MVNOs will also allow you to bring your own device, which as long as isn't running Android, is probably not encumbered by malicious code.

Even if the horrors you suggest are true, consumers would have options to get around them, whilst right now, a single monopoly, Google, controls the entire playing field, and actively attacks anyone who tries to offer a path around (Epic, for instance).

The "ISP bogeyman" issue constantly feels hollow in tech circles considering there's a ton of actual competition in the provider space, and a complete and unassailable monopoly in the tech platform space.

Re: FOSS app removed from the Play Store for linking to the project's website

#123

Post by int_19h »

jcranberry wrote: post #119
zozbot234 wrote: post #34

From looking at the report, I'm not sure I understand this decision. The referenced policy is about in-store or in-app purchases , primarily of digital content, and a free donation is not "purchasing" anything. (Even taking this precedent at face value, it could impact any app that prominently features links to websites where donations are asked for, which seems quite unreasonable.)

I think it's most likely this was done by someone lazy or not paying attention.

They had to follow through a bunch of not-so-prominent links on the website to discover the donation page. Whatever that is, I don't think it qualifies as "lazy".

Re: FOSS app removed from the Play Store for linking to the project's website

#124

Post by totetsu »

DannyBee wrote: post #95
sgtfrankieboy wrote: post #5

I really hope Epic wins the lawsuit against Apple and that the laws being announced in the US Senate/House get passed. I also hope the EU start pushing against this kind of stuff more. Apple and Google have too much control.

Y'all are too optimistic. I will predict for you the future of that, based on the past. The next people in line who control most devices are the carriers. They will set up app stores that are required on their phones (since the laws will not prevent this). Each will have exclusive apps that require their app store be installed (and will not be available on other phones). Things will be a mishmash. Nobody will be actu…

My Japanese work phone came bundled with "app pass" an app store with a monthly 350yen subscription cost. I didnt even know it existed till I saw some brief toast overlay about it updating successfully. https://kuronekoblog.com/6169/

Re: FOSS app removed from the Play Store for linking to the project's website

#125

Post by AJRF »

I’m an iOS developer but I would never ever start an iOS or Android app as a side project.

Don’t support this madness anymore. PWAs aren't as good but they are good enough for most use cases. Just refuse to make apps for these platforms anymore.

If every dev does it there will be overwhelming pressure for Apple and Google to improve PWA support. Just keep pushing back against this.

Re: FOSS app removed from the Play Store for linking to the project's website

#126

Post by dotcommand »

Andrew_nenakhov wrote: post #3

This is outrageous. Google definitely lived long enough to become a villain. It is incredible how much goodwill they've lost in the past decade. When was the last time they did anything good ?

> Google definitely lived long enough to become a villain.

I hate to break this to you but google was born a villain. Nobody innately good has to remind themselves "Don't be evil". Imagine walking down the street and meeting a stranger constantly repeating "Don't be evil" to himself?

Re: FOSS app removed from the Play Store for linking to the project's website

#127

Post by slim »

josephcsible wrote: post #37
squarefoot wrote: post #18

Tell Google how you feel about that by searching "google app store alternatives", then installing Aurora Store. https://auroraoss.com/ https://gitlab.com/AuroraOSS From the Aurora Store FAQ: What is the difference between Aurora Store and Google's Play store? Unlike Google's Play Store, Aurora Store doesn't track your downloads or the apps you use. We respect your privacy. Aurora Store is also unaffected by Google ma…

How does this help? The Aurora Store is just an alternative Play Store client. If Google removes an app from the Play Store, it'll be gone from this too.

Aurora could add other sources in the future or simply run it's own store.

Re: FOSS app removed from the Play Store for linking to the project's website

#128

Post by anonymousab »

sgtfrankieboy wrote: post #58
young_unixer wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can also see how legislation would worsen the situation by eliminating incentives for people to use alternative mobile stores and operating systems. "Why use another store, when Google and Apple are required by law to have all apps?"

The laws are about being able to provide alternative payment methods and stores. They aren't going to force Google and Apple to have all apps?

I think there are a couple of different pieces of legislation, and the "allow multiple stores without discriminating" one is a bit more recent so they may not have seen that one yet.

Re: FOSS app removed from the Play Store for linking to the project's website

#129

Post by jjcon »

young_unixer wrote: post #56
sgtfrankieboy wrote: post #5

I really hope Epic wins the lawsuit against Apple and that the laws being announced in the US Senate/House get passed. I also hope the EU start pushing against this kind of stuff more. Apple and Google have too much control.

I can also see how legislation would worsen the situation by eliminating incentives for people to use alternative mobile stores and operating systems. "Why use another store, when Google and Apple are required by law to have all apps?"

> Why use another store, when Google and Apple are required by law to have all apps

That isn’t at all what is being proposed

Re: FOSS app removed from the Play Store for linking to the project's website

#130

Post by mkishi »

crazygringo wrote: post #91

This is a perfect example of a line having to be drawn somewhere, but wherever you draw it is never going to be perfect in every case. First of all -- app stores need to make money or at least break even. They cost a lot of money to run. So app stores take a cut of all transactions. If they let developers implement their own payment mechanisms, either in-app or with a single link, then developers will make every app…

The thing about this app is that they don't advertise donations anywhere, and people aren't donating for the app, they are donating for the content — and that's available everywhere. You know, the same criteria that Apple uses to distinguish Kindle and Dropbox from non-content-reader apps.

The service Google provides is the Play Store, and it'd be extremely reasonable for everyone to pay for it. We aren't entitled to that for free. On the other hand, a cut of all transactions? How about a flat baseline fee for platform development plus usage-based fees for everything else, from bandwidth to support?

But then they wouldn't be able to double dip on users and app developers... Plus, they so kindly give you so much exposure on a platform built themselves! You wouldn't expect to rent a place in Times Square and not pay for it with a percentage of your income, right?

Post reply on HN