Keep Android Open (keepandroidopen.org)

I've got my Linux smartphone running and ready to go. VWYF, folks. I'll take shitty software and poor battery life over digital authoritarianism every single time.

"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."

never been a better time to donate to postmarket os, mobian or friends.

As I said in the other thread:

Australian users of alternative app stores should make a complaint to the ACCC: https://www.accc.gov.au/about-us/contact-us-or-report-an-iss...

In the past, they forced Steam to implement proper refund policies, and they are currently suing Microsoft about the way subscribers were duped into paying more for "AI features" they didn't want.

No matter how this turns out, I'm sure GrapheneOS will make a smart effort. https://grapheneos.org/

But long-term, Android is such a massive code base, and was designed more for surveillance and consumption, than for privacy&security and the user's interests.

I think getting mainline Linux on viable and sustainable on multiple hardware devices is warmer, fuzzier foundation. (Sort of a cross between Purism's work on the Librem 5, and PostmarketOS's work on trying to get mainline Linux viable on something else.)

99% of malware with real world consequences of people losing much or all of their money is from unverified developers.

This is a step in the right direction to keep people safe in my opinion. Most people around the world don’t understand the risks.

This is doubleplusungood. The war on General Purpose Computing is the death of innovation and a direct attack on digital freedom.

If you're in the US, UK or EU, please contact your government.

Has anyone seen Andy Rubin publicly comment on Google's stewardship of Android? I wonder what he thinks about his creation and the way its evolving.

Between this and a growing number of oems not permitting bootloader unlocking (latest being Samsung with OneUI 8) Android's "open" future is pretty bleak.

A direct link to the UK's Competition and Markets Authority, in case you don't want to go via a blog post:

https://contact-the-cma.service.gov.uk/wizard/classify

It's very simple to submit a complaint.

Before buying a smartphone I tried to find an inexpensive model that supports open source OS, but I couldn't. What open OS support is ether expensive Pixels, or outdated models.

The solution, I think, would be a regulation that forbids manufacturers of any chip or device CPU from making obstacles to reprogramming the device (using fuses, digital signatures, encryption etc). So if you buy a device with CPU and writable memory, you should be able to load your own program and manufacturer may not use technical measures to stop you. The goal of regulation would be preventing of creating digital waste, vendor locks and allow reusing the hardware.

Of course, features like theft prevention won't work, so the user should be able to waive this right.

Every company is open when they gain from it and closed when they gain from it. The idea of free general computing needs a different sponsor. Like a country or regulations. I don’t think open source projects and private companies can defend this idea adequately.

You can't even develop without the paid dev account? I thought it'd just be for distribution. Like, you can build and run whatever you want on an iPhone without a paid account.

This feels similar to Sony and their OtherOS feature.[0]

Many people bought Android phones because of the open capability. Even if you don't use it, just knowing you have an out is important.

And now Google is "altering the terms".

[0]:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OtherOS

This is worst thing ever happened to humankind.

If you care about it, then buy Android phones that will support sideloading. Financially reward companies that are doing what you want.

EDIT: apologies I misunderstood that this is limiting third-party distribution. I am of course, in favour of this.

Original comment:

I don't want this. The App Store on iOS has its flaws, but it's a curated system that has a lot of checks in place to prevent malware. I have never felt unsafe on iOS and it's the primary reason I've not joined Android and the Play Store's wild west.

Given the apple v epic ruling about in payment commision outside the app store, I don't understand this. I assume Google would get the same ruling if they tried what apple did, so why bother with walling off if you can't get paid?

At least with 3p app stores they could have Gpay if the app developer wanted to, but now they will be pissed and can't build a 3p app anyway since users can't install it via 3p app stores.

Back in the 2007 or when it came out in Sweden I bought the iPhone and started developing for it. This was cool, new and exciting and it was fine as long as my company was paying the $100 fee every year. But then I switched jobs and worked at a company which produced mostly open source code. Suddenly I would have to pay $100 every year just to be able to put my own software on the phone ...

This is why I switched to Android, just for Google now to pull the rug from under my feet again ...

Stallman was right.

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Kill it so we get a chance to see a new competitor.

I just bought a fairphone6 hoping this phone would last me a decade with security patches and lineageos support. Naively I was assuming Google would keep Android open for that period. Now I might as well switch to Apple so I'm in sync with the rest of my family. Ugh.

You should have all embrace Windows Phone with all of its early issues.

Unfortunately the feedback period for the European Digital Fairness Act has been closed since October 24th. Does anyone know of another way to appeal to my European overlords^H representatives?