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AnkiDroid: Google Play no longer allowing Open Collective donation link

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Re: AnkiDroid: Google Play no longer allowing Open Collective donation link

#11

Post by Flimm »

brainwad wrote: post #7
amiga386 wrote: post #6

Not Google's first rodeo. They pulled the same move in 2019: https://www.phoronix.com/news/WireGuard-Ejected-Play-Store This is why software should not be subjected to an "app store" type distribution system, where a monopolist retains absolute control of what software can run on your devices, and can capriciously deny distribution to developers for whatever reason it likes.

You can install from other stores (AnkiDroid is on F-Droid, for example), or from direct file download on Android already. The problem is rather thay most users just use the store preinstalled on their phone as part of Google's deal with OEMs to bundle Google Play Services. So either you follow Google's rules, or you lose all the users who don't want to leave the walled garden, even though they can.

Google is making it increasingly difficult to freely install software from app stores that they don't control and tax. Quoting https://keepandroidopen.org :

> Starting in 2027*, a silent update, nonconsensually pushed by Google, will block every Android app whose developer hasn't registered with Google, signed their contract, paid up, and handed over government ID.

> Every app and every device, worldwide, with no opt-out.

Re: AnkiDroid: Google Play no longer allowing Open Collective donation link

#12

Post by 999900000999 »

amiga386 wrote: post #8
brainwad wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can install from other stores (AnkiDroid is on F-Droid, for example), or from direct file download on Android already. The problem is rather thay most users just use the store preinstalled on their phone as part of Google's deal with OEMs to bundle Google Play Services. So either you follow Google's rules, or you lose all the users who don't want to leave the walled garden, even though they can.

Yeah, not for much longer though: https://keepandroidopen.org/

Thanks for sharing.

Everyone is speed running towards a future where you need a permit to write software.

Try to run a binary that doesn’t have the right cert( or whatever it’s called on Windows) and you get a bunch of warnings.

Even if Android is open , normal people will only use the App Store. I can imagine China forcing Apple to allow 3rd party installations of software one day .

The EU did something where to my knowledge Apple still gets a cut of each sale.

Re: AnkiDroid: Google Play no longer allowing Open Collective donation link

#14

Post by dataflow »

Flimm wrote: post #11
brainwad wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can install from other stores (AnkiDroid is on F-Droid, for example), or from direct file download on Android already. The problem is rather thay most users just use the store preinstalled on their phone as part of Google's deal with OEMs to bundle Google Play Services. So either you follow Google's rules, or you lose all the users who don't want to leave the walled garden, even though they can.

Google is making it increasingly difficult to freely install software from app stores that they don't control and tax. Quoting https://keepandroidopen.org : > Starting in 2027*, a silent update, nonconsensually pushed by Google, will block every Android app whose developer hasn't registered with Google, signed their contract, paid up, and handed over government ID. > Every app and every device, worldwide, with no opt…

> Google's "escape hatch" is a trap door

>> Wait 24 hours

>> Pick "allow temporarily" (7 days) or "allow indefinitely

Geez. I don't like what they're doing either but this fear-mongering is not helping your cause. So the "trap door" here is just that you can't buy a phone and immediately start loading apps from unverified developers onto it until 24h have passed? Of all the hills we could be dying on, that's the one we're picking?

Re: AnkiDroid: Google Play no longer allowing Open Collective donation link

#16

Post by dev1ycan »

amiga386 wrote: post #6

Not Google's first rodeo. They pulled the same move in 2019: https://www.phoronix.com/news/WireGuard-Ejected-Play-Store This is why software should not be subjected to an "app store" type distribution system, where a monopolist retains absolute control of what software can run on your devices, and can capriciously deny distribution to developers for whatever reason it likes.

app stores always seemed dystopian to me

Re: AnkiDroid: Google Play no longer allowing Open Collective donation link

#17

Post by [deleted] »

amiga386 wrote: post #6

Not Google's first rodeo. They pulled the same move in 2019: https://www.phoronix.com/news/WireGuard-Ejected-Play-Store This is why software should not be subjected to an "app store" type distribution system, where a monopolist retains absolute control of what software can run on your devices, and can capriciously deny distribution to developers for whatever reason it likes.

[deleted]

Re: AnkiDroid: Google Play no longer allowing Open Collective donation link

#18

Post by amiga386 »

dataflow wrote: post #14
Flimm wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google is making it increasingly difficult to freely install software from app stores that they don't control and tax. Quoting https://keepandroidopen.org : > Starting in 2027*, a silent update, nonconsensually pushed by Google, will block every Android app whose developer hasn't registered with Google, signed their contract, paid up, and handed over government ID. > Every app and every device, worldwide, with no opt…

> Google's "escape hatch" is a trap door >> Wait 24 hours >> Pick "allow temporarily" (7 days) or "allow indefinitely Geez. I don't like what they're doing either but this fear-mongering is not helping your cause. So the "trap door" here is just that you can't buy a phone and immediately start loading apps from unverified developers onto it until 24h have passed? Of all the hills we could be dying on, that's the one…

- the "24 hours" is Google's first formulation of plausible deniability. They've likely done testing to hone that number to find a sweet spot.

- the "24 hours" is enforced by remotely-run code, meaning Google remains in control of it and can unilaterally alter how this works, any time they feel like.

Imagine you went to the shops, and found that one shop, while it had the goods on display, and could totally just let you pick them up and buy them, was required by the shop next door to make you go away and come back no sooner than 24 hours later. Meanwhile, the shop next door is right there, and it's open, and it has no such restriction.

On what planet do you think anyone other than the most dedicated of dedicated people would choose the shop that requires waiting a whole day to use it when the alternative has no such restriction?

> unverified developers

The developers in F-Droid are verified, just not by Google. That's the whole fucking point. Google is not the be-all and end-all, but with this power-play, they are making themselves that.

Re: AnkiDroid: Google Play no longer allowing Open Collective donation link

#19

Post by westurner »

It sounds like Epic Games v Google must be heard again? Does that precedent apply to this, or did they settle?

Epic Games v. Google: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epic_Games_v._Google

GitHub Sponsors is another way to raise for an open source organization.

Re: AnkiDroid: Google Play no longer allowing Open Collective donation link

#20

Post by jsiepkes »

dataflow wrote: post #14
Flimm wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google is making it increasingly difficult to freely install software from app stores that they don't control and tax. Quoting https://keepandroidopen.org : > Starting in 2027*, a silent update, nonconsensually pushed by Google, will block every Android app whose developer hasn't registered with Google, signed their contract, paid up, and handed over government ID. > Every app and every device, worldwide, with no opt…

> Google's "escape hatch" is a trap door >> Wait 24 hours >> Pick "allow temporarily" (7 days) or "allow indefinitely Geez. I don't like what they're doing either but this fear-mongering is not helping your cause. So the "trap door" here is just that you can't buy a phone and immediately start loading apps from unverified developers onto it until 24h have passed? Of all the hills we could be dying on, that's the one…

> fear-mongering is not helping your cause

So we started with an OS (when Google still needed to gain market share and goodwill) which was opensource. Now Google is no longer developing Android source code in the open and decreasing the "opensourcing" to a couple of source drops each year (the interval has been decreased multiple times). Google Play was introduced (basically clamping down the app store ecosystem) and from there Google has only made it harder to get around Google Play. Introducing things like phone attestation. Supposedly a security measure, yet for some reason a Samsung phone which hasn't had an update in 4 years still passes basic level attestation. And now Google is yet again making it harder to get around the Play store.

And for some reason you seem to think it is reasonable to assume it is going to stop here?

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