Mastodawn

бyron Jan 30, 2021

In the last year Google has banned: the Element app, the LBRY app, and several Fediverse apps. If you get all of your apps from a single corporation, be it Google or Apple, you should make an effort to change that.

If you have an Android phone F-Droid is an alternative app repository, and it’s very easy to install! All of the previously mentioned apps have been available from F-Droid throughout being dropped from the Play Store.

If you have an iPhone, please consider other options for your next device. Apple does not respect you enough as a user to consider you possibly more capable of deciding what you should install on your phone than they are. That is absurd; please stop rewarding this behavior with your money.

F-Droid - Dépôt d'applications pour Android libres et open source

F-Droid est l'écosystème de distribution d'applications libres et open source (FOSS) pour Android, où votre liberté d'utilisateur est primordiale. Découvrez notre boutique d'applications pour explorer l'univers des applications libres et open source et [learn](https://f-droid.org/about/) sur nos autres outils de distribution d'applications open source.

HSZ Jan 30, 2021

@robby we need a viable alternative to Android and Apple, a new mobile OS that can't be muzzled

~robby Jan 30, 2021

@HSZ I have strong hopes for Linux phones! They have made incredible progress in the last year. (Maybe because all the tinkerers have been stuck at home

)

gregandcin Jan 30, 2021

@robby Apple users can use AltStore in the meantime: https://altstore.io/

AltStore

Hristo Hristov Jan 30, 2021

@robby I used Blackberry for years, but unfortunately Google and Apple killed this company. We've been turning a blind eye to Apple, Google and Facebook for too long. I hope Linux will be needed in mobile communications.

Kermode Jan 30, 2021

@robby
Yes, absolutely.
1) factory default your phone
2) tell google NOTHING!
3) disable/uninstall anything goog will 'allow' you to on your own phone
4) install fdroid
5) install aurora for those corner cases, so you can use googplay anonymously
6) use Klar browser or similar
7) disable location 'services' if possible for your use case

And if you really, really only need the phone part for 'emergencies', just don't have a sim or contract at all: 911 (or your countries equiv.) is free by law.

BoosterFive 🚀Jan 30, 2021

@robby I did not know that Element and Lbry were banned. Do you know on what grounds they were banned? I'm not surprised but haven't heard anything about it.

BoosterFive 🚀Jan 30, 2021

@robby Ok so the element ban just happened. Lbry has been a while, and their app was supposedly over content which is blatant hypocrisy.

Rakor Jan 31, 2021

@Phaserune @robby and element is already back in the store

Joshua Crawford has moved Jan 31, 2021

@robby
F-Droid likes to censor also. They might not be as big as Google, but they have already shown themselves to be untrustworthy in that regard

Mbuta Malonga 🌎💻Jan 31, 2021

@robby " If you get all of your apps from a single corporation, be it Google or Apple, you should make an effort to change that."

Can't agree more! I'm on my way replacing all Google products on my Android phone.

Next in line: G-board by OpenBoard (findable on F-droid)

t``~__/>_Jan 31, 2021

@robby @fdroidorg @IzzyOnDroid

Jeroen Franssen 🇧🇪Jan 31, 2021

@robby
@janssens_bart

pino Jan 31, 2021

> In the last year Google has banned: [...]

> Apple does not respect you enough as a user

I think there is something odd here. Why isn't banning apps enough for you to also advice Google users to look for an alternative?

Just because there is that F-Droid that Google will just kill as soon as it gets inconvenient enough?!

Can _that_ be the promising strategy that makes sense?

Sounds all a bit inconsistent and not convincing.

~robby Jan 31, 2021

@pino_ac I would love for everyone to ditch Google and Apple. I personally own a Pinephone, and there has been incredible progress in the last year in the Linux mobile space. I recommended the things I did because I feel those are the paths of least resistance from the current most common systems that people have, to a more desirable position.

It is more likely that Google replace Android altogether with Fuschia (or something based on it) than it is for Google to make it impossible to sideload apps (including alternative app stores like F-droid) on Android. So while I believe the long term solution to the whole situation is to abandon both Google and Apple altogether, I also feel the problem I was addressing in this post can reasonably be resolved within the scope of Android.

pino Jan 31, 2021

@robby Yes, yes, I understand, and it makes sense. And I can't tell people what to write (I can comment, though ^^).

In such statements I just miss the clear statement "Both are as untrustworthy as things on earth could be - both just sometimes in a somewhat different way. Here are my desperate workarounds: [...]" instead of telling people that just "Apple does not respect you", somewhat implying that Google would.

More clearness, more to the point, more honest, even if also more inconvenient.

pino Jan 31, 2021

It's particularly inconvenient because there is no actual alternative. No smartphone will more and more exclude you from everything (even gov. services). And Pinephone is like no smartphone. Not only because it just doesn't work at all yet, but also because the outer world will never target it for any apps.

Bonus (my last try on mobian/phosh): You want great calendar/contacts support on Pinephone? Caldav/Carddav? No! Google? Yes, sir, of course; also some Facebook accounts to add?

@pino_ac @robby I actually give Google a pass because it's their business model. Apple has a different business model and like any successful business I'm sure they will push into the grey areas for a little extra cash.

When I read the anti Apple comments regarding privacy I expect the reader feels very strongly against Google. It's almost a "goes without saying" thing.

x41kla Feb 1, 2021

@robby @devinprater @erion

The way to go is android you can't install ios in other hardware, the problem is the company behind the hardware.

You can be productive if you look for alternatives and learn how to use it, this kind of discussion have decades of discussion since linux come in.

Google/Apple/etc are the same.

Instead of buying and $2000 apple phone, everyone should "invest" that money in dev a good alternative.

Why Linux is strong on servers? companies invested, Why Win on games?

Erion Feb 2, 2021

@x41kla @robby @devinprater If I wouldn't need to rely on a screen reader, I'd agree with you. As it stands, nothing beats Apple when it comes to screen readers on a phone. Especially when #Google claims that they are devoted to #accessibility, yet they sign an exclusive contact with #Samsung to have #TalkBack features available there exclusively.

Will Webberley Mar 17, 2021

@robby I use an iPhone still and am definitely considering switching it up next time around 👍

~robby Mar 17, 2021

@wilw If you get an Android device, I recommend looking into seeing how compatible the device is with 3rd party ROMs. I made the mistake of purchasing a new phone knowing it was not compatible, with the expectation that eventually it would be, since all the previous generations had compatibility with many ROMs. I was wrong, and I regret my choice.

Will Webberley Mar 17, 2021

@robby thank you, that is useful advice. I was looking at OnePlus devices but not 100% sure yet. What did you choose?

~robby Mar 17, 2021

@wilw I have a Samsung S10 (US). I've seen lots of ROMs support everything S9 and below, but not the 10 :\

Will Webberley Mar 17, 2021

@robby Ah no OK :( I'll definitely be sure to do some research as you say. Hopefully your next device will be more widely supported