~robbyJan 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.

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Show threadpinoJan 31, 2021

@robby

> 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.

Show thread~robbyJan 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.
Show threadpino

@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.

Jan 31, 2021 at 4:36pmWeb
Show threadpinoJan 31, 2021

@robby

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?

Show threadDers   Feb 1, 2021

@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.