4 ms·

>On Android using a different store or sideload is easy. Asking users to use developer mode is not easy, and a huge barrier to entry that most would just not b

by worble 6y ago

>On Android using a different store or sideload is easy. Asking users to use developer mode is not easy, and a huge barrier to entry that most would just not bother and download something else from the Play Store instead.

noisem4ker 6y ago
Developer mode has never been required on Android. App sources are managed by regular settings (Android 8+). Before that, there was a single switch for all non-Play-Store sources. 1. User downloads an .apk using a browser 2. User tries to open it 3. Android prompts the user to allow the browser as a trusted source 4. User agrees by flipping a switch 5. Installation resumes 6. User enjoys the app https://developer.android.com/distribute/marketing-tools/alternative-distribution https://developer.android.com/distribute/marketing-tools/alt... https://android.gadgethacks.com/how-to/android-101-sideload-apps-by-enabling-unknown-sources-install-unknown-apps-0161947/ https://android.gadgethacks.com/how-to/android-101-sideload-...
- cesarb 6y ago
  You forgot, and the users probably will forget too, to flip the switch back so that the browser is no longer a trusted source. That is, you've now increased the chance of malware being accidentally installed through the browser, since AFAIK Android will not prompt again until the switch is flipped back to "not allowed".
  - yorwba 6y ago
    Android won't tell you again that the source is untrusted and will directly show the installation dialog, but it also won't silently install a random APK, so in practice the risk of accidentally installing malware is not that high unless you have very fat fingers.
- jraph 6y ago
  This is not a great substitute for installing through an app store because the app will not update automatically. This is, however, a great thing to have. A better substitute would be using F-Droid. By the way, some free software apps are not gratis on the Play Store but are on F-Droid. It can still be confusing to manage two app stores for some people, while installing an app from a downloaded executable is usual on Windows, so Krita probably did the right thing.
  - noisem4ker 6y ago
    Good question: why is Krita not on F-Droid? Probably a matter of time and effort, not a technical reason. I guess they sensibly got into the most visible marketplaces first.
    - hellozee 6y ago
      Exactly, it is on our plans, would take a bit of time.
  - StavrosK 6y ago
    What you say echoes my experience, I see a lot of apps on the Play store say "pay 1.99 here or get it for free on F-Droid", which is fair. I usually even pay the money even though I have F-Droid installed, just to support the dev.

by worble 6y ago

noisem4ker 6y ago

Developer mode has never been required on Android. App sources are managed by regular settings (Android 8+). Before that, there was a single switch for all non-Play-Store sources. 1. User downloads an .apk using a browser 2. User tries to open it 3. Android prompts the user to allow the browser as a trusted source 4. User agrees by flipping a switch 5. Installation resumes 6. User enjoys the app https://developer.android.com/distribute/marketing-tools/alternative-distribution https://developer.android.com/distribute/marketing-tools/alt... https://android.gadgethacks.com/how-to/android-101-sideload-apps-by-enabling-unknown-sources-install-unknown-apps-0161947/ https://android.gadgethacks.com/how-to/android-101-sideload-...

cesarb 6y ago
You forgot, and the users probably will forget too, to flip the switch back so that the browser is no longer a trusted source. That is, you've now increased the chance of malware being accidentally installed through the browser, since AFAIK Android will not prompt again until the switch is flipped back to "not allowed".
- yorwba 6y ago
  Android won't tell you again that the source is untrusted and will directly show the installation dialog, but it also won't silently install a random APK, so in practice the risk of accidentally installing malware is not that high unless you have very fat fingers.
jraph 6y ago
This is not a great substitute for installing through an app store because the app will not update automatically. This is, however, a great thing to have. A better substitute would be using F-Droid. By the way, some free software apps are not gratis on the Play Store but are on F-Droid. It can still be confusing to manage two app stores for some people, while installing an app from a downloaded executable is usual on Windows, so Krita probably did the right thing.
- noisem4ker 6y ago
  Good question: why is Krita not on F-Droid? Probably a matter of time and effort, not a technical reason. I guess they sensibly got into the most visible marketplaces first.
  - hellozee 6y ago
    Exactly, it is on our plans, would take a bit of time.
- StavrosK 6y ago
  What you say echoes my experience, I see a lot of apps on the Play store say "pay 1.99 here or get it for free on F-Droid", which is fair. I usually even pay the money even though I have F-Droid installed, just to support the dev.