4 ms·

What's funny is that this “open” environment of android now is nearly the opposite. With any android device openly spying on you while locking down all the ope

What's funny is that this “open” environment of android now is nearly the opposite. With any android device openly spying on you while locking down all the open source apps you might want to install.

idonotknowwhy 6y ago
It's spying on me, but I can still install whatever i want. Same as Windows 10.
andrepd 6y ago
What does this mean? I can choose not to install google services in my phone, and use an open app store like F-Droid. Not that it counts for much in the grand scheme of things, seeing as 99% of users will never install a custom rom.
- BoorishBears 6y ago
  I like how the second line of your comment answers the first.
- foobar33333 6y ago
  It used to be possible to dip your toes in with light modifications while still keeping everything working. Now with verified boot chains, safety net and hardware backed verification, you either have everything fully locked down or you go full Richard Stallman and have everything foss.
  - normaler 6y ago
    RMS does not own a cellphone according to: https://stallman.org/rms-lifestyle.html https://stallman.org/rms-lifestyle.html
  - phh 6y ago
    That's objectively wrong. Less than 1% of apps require verified boot/safetynet/hardware attestation. I'm running my own Android ROM without cheating Safetynet and I still have access to everything I use using their original unmodified uncheated app: Netflix, Spotify, my banks, all my connected objects (withings, Philips hue, bluetens, neato), or some other random apps. There are things that don't work, it's true. The only I have witnessed are Pokemon Go, and NFC payment apps (like g pay). This is very far from the "go all floss RMS-style"
- kaba0 6y ago
  Can you really install a custom rom, when it flushes proprietary firmware for eg the camera? There are only a handful of devices that doesn’t do that afaik.
fomine3 6y ago
It never became worse than iOS on "open" perspective.
- ladyanita22 6y ago
  Yes, I'm all against data collection and I'm pro open source, but let's be honest, Android, despite its flaws (of which it has many), has always been the best MAJOR choice in that regard. Of course you can always pick up a Librem 5 or a Pinephone, but I'd argue it comes with a lot of drawbacks.

idonotknowwhy 6y ago

It's spying on me, but I can still install whatever i want. Same as Windows 10.

andrepd 6y ago

What does this mean? I can choose not to install google services in my phone, and use an open app store like F-Droid. Not that it counts for much in the grand scheme of things, seeing as 99% of users will never install a custom rom.

BoorishBears 6y ago
I like how the second line of your comment answers the first.
foobar33333 6y ago
It used to be possible to dip your toes in with light modifications while still keeping everything working. Now with verified boot chains, safety net and hardware backed verification, you either have everything fully locked down or you go full Richard Stallman and have everything foss.
- normaler 6y ago
  RMS does not own a cellphone according to: https://stallman.org/rms-lifestyle.html https://stallman.org/rms-lifestyle.html
- phh 6y ago
  That's objectively wrong. Less than 1% of apps require verified boot/safetynet/hardware attestation. I'm running my own Android ROM without cheating Safetynet and I still have access to everything I use using their original unmodified uncheated app: Netflix, Spotify, my banks, all my connected objects (withings, Philips hue, bluetens, neato), or some other random apps. There are things that don't work, it's true. The only I have witnessed are Pokemon Go, and NFC payment apps (like g pay). This is very far from the "go all floss RMS-style"
kaba0 6y ago
Can you really install a custom rom, when it flushes proprietary firmware for eg the camera? There are only a handful of devices that doesn’t do that afaik.

fomine3 6y ago

It never became worse than iOS on "open" perspective.

ladyanita22 6y ago
Yes, I'm all against data collection and I'm pro open source, but let's be honest, Android, despite its flaws (of which it has many), has always been the best MAJOR choice in that regard. Of course you can always pick up a Librem 5 or a Pinephone, but I'd argue it comes with a lot of drawbacks.