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Keep Android Open

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431–440 of 764 posts

Re: Keep Android Open

#431
post #87
post #73

The fundamental problem is that we are relying on the good graces of Google to keep Android open, despite the fact that it often runs run contrary to their goals as a $4T for-profit behemoth. This may have worked in the past, but the "don't be evil" days are very far behind us. I don't see a real future for Andrioid as an open platform unless the community comes together and does a hard fork. Google can continue to d…

A hard fork doesn't matter when the vast majority of phones have a locked bootloader.

Yep, exactly why I've always supported the adoption of GPLv3. What point is there to FOSS if you cant use it?

Re: Keep Android Open

#432
post #427

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's no point. Remote attestation means your device needs to be corporate owned to be trusted. Even if you had your own linux phone, it wouldn't be able to interface with institutions such as banks and governments. They trust Google's keys, not yours. This doesn't quite end free computing, it just kills it for normal people and ostracizes us hackers who insist on owning our systems.

Not sure what gov require, but most credit unions do not use such lockdowns

They will.

Re: Keep Android Open

#433

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"I'm am just an outlier here?" No. The "banking app doesn't work" argument against non-corporate mobile OS, raised incessantly is HN comments, is bogus I want a "phone", i.e., small form factor computer, that can run something like NetBSD, or Linux. But I have no intention of using it for commercial transactions. Mobile banking is not why I want to run a non-corporate OS I want to use it for recreation, research and…

> I want a "phone", i.e., small form factor computer, that can run something like NetBSD, or Linux. But I have no intention of using it for commercial transactions. Mobile banking is not why I want to run a non-corporate OS > I want to use it for recreation, research and experimentation I am a firm believer that phones are personal computers and should have all the end user freedom we have come to expect from persona…

Those things that you mentioned you can do it on the website meaning also a open computer too

Re: Keep Android Open

#434
If they go through with this I am switching to iPhone because there at least I am told up front and am tried less like the a product to be sold to advertisers.

Re: Keep Android Open

#435

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I want a "phone", i.e., small form factor computer, that can run something like NetBSD, or Linux. But I have no intention of using it for commercial transactions. Mobile banking is not why I want to run a non-corporate OS > I want to use it for recreation, research and experimentation I am a firm believer that phones are personal computers and should have all the end user freedom we have come to expect from persona…

So the world should cared to your needs when literally almost every adult has a phone even in third world countries? Before you say “what about the poor people” in the US at least, even poor people can get a subsidized free phone through the UCF (?) government fund Also see: no I’m not going to waste development time di you can get to a website I develop with JS disabled or so you can use lynx

Because phones keep tracking us and stealing our attention.

And everybody should have the option of open computer systems

Re: Keep Android Open

#436

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The only reason I was sticking to Android for years is this. And I think there is no moat for Android. I would rather switch to iOS if both platforms are same restrictive.

You'll miss having a keyboard that works

It'll be sorted in about 9 days.

Re: Keep Android Open

#437

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> What do you suggest? Everyone carry around their desktop computers and our CRT monitors like we did when we wanted to play Quake with friends? The exercise would do people good. Jokes aside though, there is a nuance between completely inconvenient and designed for the marching morons.

You mean 80% of adults worldwide are “morons”? Have you ever thought that they may know something you don’t know?

If 80% of adults worldwide somehow became unable to tolerate the slightest inconvenience, then yes, I'd say they would be morons, but I doubt they are. I'm unsure where you're getting the 80% statistic from.

Re: Keep Android Open

#438
post #299

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If this finally pushes adoption of truly open Linux phones, then this will end up being a good thing, and the greatest favor that Google could do for the open source community. Tragically, Linux phones have languished and are in an absolute state these days, but a lot of the building blocks are in place if user adoption occurs en masse. (Shout out to the lunatics who have kept this dream alive during these dark years…

It won't though, because there's a ecosystem of banking/insurance/whatever apps that have bought into the android/iphone lockdown mindsete that people will simply be locked out of. Open alternatives can grow when there is a viable means of slow growth, and cutting off the oxygen to such things is the implicit intent.

Don't banks/insurers/whatever have websites that are often mobile friendly?

Re: Keep Android Open

#439

It is a disgrace how Google has managed this situation. To recap the storyline, as far as I understand it: last August, Google announced plans to heavily restrict sideloading. Following community pushback, they promised an "advanced flow" for power users. The media widely reported this as a walk-back, leading users to assume the open ecosystem was safe. But this promised feature hasn't appeared in any Android 16 or 1…

If this finally pushes adoption of truly open Linux phones, then this will end up being a good thing, and the greatest favor that Google could do for the open source community. Tragically, Linux phones have languished and are in an absolute state these days, but a lot of the building blocks are in place if user adoption occurs en masse. (Shout out to the lunatics who have kept this dream alive during these dark years…

But there is a lot of resources put into the android ecosystem already. Even open source apps like anki, syncthing etc
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