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CyanogenMod Installer Application Removed from Play Store

cyanogenmod.org

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Re: CyanogenMod Installer Application Removed from Play Store

#61

Post by Zigurd »

This is less a matter of Google being evil or hypocritical. Google is just being dumb. CyanogenMod is an important part of the Android ecosystem, and should be an even more important part of that ecosystem.

Google should encourage aftermarket Android distributions. They serve the customers who want a truly open source Android and they serve the orphaned devices users.

It you RTFA, you see that the app has a very simple function and mostly serves to enable discovery of CyanogenMod. The actual installation requires a Windows PC.

Re: CyanogenMod Installer Application Removed from Play Store

#64

Post by omegote »

coldtea wrote: post #42
omegote wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The most recent version... that I cannot install in my Galaxy Nexus, which is barely two years old. I've been an Apple hater all my life, but this, Google, this is epic bullshit.

> I've been an Apple hater all my life Isn't that a sad thing to be? And for most people mostly stemming out of reverse hipsterism, nonetheless...

It would be a sad thing to be if I did it with no reason. But I've been a huge open source supporter all my life, and I've always found Apple strategies to be undesirable, to say the least. Their products have always been overpriced and hard to use if you're not into their ecosystem (say, transfering a mp3 file from Linux to an iPod nano).

Re: CyanogenMod Installer Application Removed from Play Store

#65

Post by shooper »

haberman wrote: post #56
gcb1 wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

let me see... google and the open handset aliance advertise an open source OS, that you cant install without voiding warranties and bending to proprietary radio and firmware code. just like pc manufacturers of the 80/90s (bios was reverse engineered from IBM and then tightly controled by ami. it only looked slighly open because IBM was much more closed. same with android standing next to apple.

> that you cant install without voiding warranties So you think that a user should be able install an OS that bricks their phone and still have the phone still covered by warranty? How does that make sense? Is this people's expectation of Google, that if they don't give you whatever you want (at their own expense) then they are like 90s Microsoft?

>So you think that a user should be able install an OS that bricks their phone and still have the phone still covered by warranty?

Yes

>How does that make sense?

It makes sense the same way that installing Linux and/or wiping Windows doesn't void a PCs warranty.

Should users be allowed to install any programs including keylogging malware on Windows computers? Shouldn't Microsoft protect them by locking it down so that only approved apps from their app store can be installed? Like mobile app stores?

Re: CyanogenMod Installer Application Removed from Play Store

#66

Post by notatoad »

ajross wrote: post #23
mirsadm wrote: post #17

I think this is completely reasonable. If people want to sideload the app then by all means go for it. The Play Store shouldn't allow apps that can potentially damage your device (or void your warranty).

It's reasonable and not. The installer is a tool for assisted rooting. Yes, that's dangerous and voids warranties. But just search for "root" on the Play Store and you'll find thousands of apps designed to exploit and utilize that status. These are great features, and Google clearly allows them... That said, part of me is chuckling internally that CM got caught being unable to distribute their proprietary (windows-on…

An application that only runs if your warranty is already voided, and an application that actually voids your warranty are two very different things.

You've got to remember google's position here - for the majority of phones sold, they aren't the manufacturer or the warranty provider. If they allow cyanogen in the play store and it creates a huge warranty headache for Samsung or Sony or any other OEM that includes the play store by default, it jeopardizes google's ability to distribute the Play Store.

Re: CyanogenMod Installer Application Removed from Play Store

#67

Post by moron4hire »

haberman wrote: post #56
gcb1 wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

let me see... google and the open handset aliance advertise an open source OS, that you cant install without voiding warranties and bending to proprietary radio and firmware code. just like pc manufacturers of the 80/90s (bios was reverse engineered from IBM and then tightly controled by ami. it only looked slighly open because IBM was much more closed. same with android standing next to apple.

> that you cant install without voiding warranties So you think that a user should be able install an OS that bricks their phone and still have the phone still covered by warranty? How does that make sense? Is this people's expectation of Google, that if they don't give you whatever you want (at their own expense) then they are like 90s Microsoft?

It makes complete sense because it shouldn't be possible to brick the phone just from trying to install a different OS, and installing software shouldn't make it possible to void the warranty. Hardware and software should be separate.

Re: CyanogenMod Installer Application Removed from Play Store

#68

Post by colechristensen »

thezilch wrote: post #34
colechristensen wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Having a rule in the TOS doesn't make it right. And you are right, it's not 90s-Microsoft, it's worse. I'd say it's reasonable to believe that vast majority of average users _never_ acquire software outside of the walled gardens of Mirosoft, Google, and Apple's app stores. There sure are benefits to these walled gardens, but the loss of freedom to corporate whim should be a very serious concern to everyone here.

What freedoms were lost, exactly?

Besides the limitations spelled out in the TOS and the often reported issues with that, there are the invisible issues with developers not creating products which they know won't be approved.

There is a basic freedom lost when you allow yourself (the entire software market) to be subject to arbitrary corporate control especially when there is inadequate competition. It's clear that the terms are there only to serve the corporate interests and can change at any time if corporate interests change (hello G+ & YouTube)

Re: CyanogenMod Installer Application Removed from Play Store

#69

Post by veemjeem »

shooper wrote: post #65
haberman wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> that you cant install without voiding warranties So you think that a user should be able install an OS that bricks their phone and still have the phone still covered by warranty? How does that make sense? Is this people's expectation of Google, that if they don't give you whatever you want (at their own expense) then they are like 90s Microsoft?

>So you think that a user should be able install an OS that bricks their phone and still have the phone still covered by warranty? Yes >How does that make sense? It makes sense the same way that installing Linux and/or wiping Windows doesn't void a PCs warranty. Should users be allowed to install any programs including keylogging malware on Windows computers? Shouldn't Microsoft protect them by locking it down so tha…

It is rare to "brick" your PC by installing linux/windows. Phones are different because their input/output interfaces are limited to a single usb port, and in many cases that usb port doesn't even support host mode. Technically the phone isn't really bricked, but there's no way for a normal user to fix it without cracking open the phone to attach a jtag.

If PCs in the 1980's could be destroyed simply by improperly installing an OS, you bet manufacturers would void warranty for software misuse.

Re: CyanogenMod Installer Application Removed from Play Store

#70

Post by kunai »

g8oz wrote: post #15

It seems like no matter how blatantly Google carries out it's updated "Microsoft from the 1990's" act there will be a coterie of apologists on HN explaining away it's actions. The Cold War provided an appropriate label for this crowd: "useful idiots".

Bullshit. Pulling CM from the Play Store is something Google is entitled to do as per their ToS. They didn't pull it because they wanted to drive away competition; they pulled it because CM was harming people's devices.

I am by no means still a fan of Google anymore, but credit has to be given where credit is due. They are still pulling the Microsoft schtick with Google+, but pulling CM isn't it in the slightest.

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