People are slowly realizing that Android only weaponized open source licenses but was always meant to be a captive platform, like people are slowly realizing that VS Code has open source code but is a captive platform.
Open source licences are not enough. They’re regularly weaponized as a tech enthusiast trap.
@thibaultamartin I don't think that this is a particularly good take. Open source fundamentally means anyone can fork the source code and change it for any reason. Instead of VS Code, there's VS Codium. Instead of Android, there's a million alternatives BECAUSE it's open source.
I hate the direction that Google is taking to close down Android, but this has nothing to do with the license. In fact, it's the opposite.
To contrast with another example is Windows. Since Windows is not open source, they can continue to close it down, enshitify it, and fill it with ads and we have no recourse or alternative (besides Linux). With Android, we can just fork it and pick up right where we left off.
Android and VS Code are examples of open source in the truest sense, regardless of what MS and Google decide to do with them. Open Source isn't immune to bad practices, it just gives a way to adapt.
@Fireforger @thibaultamartin yes but no. The fact of the matter is you literally cannot (legally) run most VS Code extension in VS Codium (and definitely not without some hacky tricks). I believe that's a property of DMCA 1201 but idk. Check out the Arch Wiki on VS Code for more info.
You're locked in to VS Code because ostensibly the most useful part of the app (the extensions) is locked up. Devs could port their extension over to the VS Codium store, but the network effects say that most devs won't be doing that until people actually move there, and most people won't move there until the devs port there. Catch 22. It's the classic setup for enshittification.
@Fireforger I agree with this. The fact that sometime open source is abused is no good reason to suspect and blame open source in general.
@thibaultamartin a proprietary license would have been better for Android? Or, even worse, a so-called "fair" license (public code, restricted freedoms)?
Would we be in a better condition, now? So, what?
@Unn0wn > I think this also allows non-GPL kernel like BSDs to use GPL Linux drivers without being GPL themselves.
No, that is not the case.
You can have non-free software modules that can be used in Linux, but they need to be declared specially.
A separate kernel, would not be using the linking exception, and would need to be licensed under compatible terms.
yup. biggest con ever with bank apps and i do not believe for one minute those pings to GAPPS has anything to do with security and everything to do with banks getting paid for the information Google can extract everytime their apps ping the GPlay servers. from how the intents api is triggered they can extract a lot of information that, under normal “brick & mortar” conditions, would have to be prosecuted under wiretapping & banking privacy laws.
Imagine waking up, opening your trusted VS Code alternative, and finding out that your favorite C/C++ extension has packed its bags and left the building – all thanks to a well-timed update from Microsoft. For many open-source developers and users of VS Code forks such as VS Codium and Cursor...
@Fireforger
Have you tried to run any of microsoft's VS Code extensions, like the C++ one, on OSS Code?
They will refuse to run, because the base software is open source, but the useful parts are not. It is a captive platform
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