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"...It's been years since the UI update and it's always been amazingly buggy" Being buggy is only one aspect, the other was the annoying change of UI that pres
by hilbert42 4y ago
"...It's been years since the UI update and it's always been amazingly buggy"
Being buggy is only one aspect, the other was the annoying change of UI that presents apps in rows of large, gawky icons instead of the previous efficient rows of title text each headed by a small icon (as say in Windows 'List' mode).
Unfortunately, this leaves me stuck on ancient version F-Droid 0.102.3.
When looking for an app this new large-icons mode is much less efficient, especially so if one's in a hurry and doesn't know what the icon represents (as one would expect with a new program).
I'd have thought the large-icon disease would have remained quarantined within the Microsoft and Apple worlds but unfortunately the contagion's now spread to Linux and even infected the F-Droid app on Android. It ought to be resisted on the grounds that there are so many new icons about that their once great benefit has been deprecated (text again conveying a deeper understanding).
I've no objection to those who find large icons an acceptable work framework but developers shouldn't change UIs just on a whim. If they so desire a change let them provide it as an option—i.e. a UI revamp should allow users to select the old one as an option (we've all seen this UI nonsense before with MS Windows, the F-Droid app is about the last place I'd have expected to get infected).
- roytam87 4y agoif you prefer old f-droid interface, you can try foxy droid https://f-droid.org/en/packages/nya.kitsunyan.foxydroid/ https://f-droid.org/en/packages/nya.kitsunyan.foxydroid/
- hilbert42 4y agoOK, will do. Currently trying Neo Store which has also been suggested.
- hilbert42 4y agoUpdate. I like it, it's very similar to the old F-D v0.102.3 mentioned. Reckon I'm not alone, seems Foxy Droid's author shares similar views. Thanks. :-)
- hilbert42 4y agoMuch later.... This story has subsequently appeared on HN, it seems absolutely apt to include it here as it's directly relevant to the F-Droid UI matter: https://letterstoanewdeveloper.com/2023/03/06/understanding-people-matters-more-than-understanding-tech/ https://letterstoanewdeveloper.com/2023/03/06/understanding-...
- throwaway2056 4y agoEven better... https://f-droid.org/en/packages/eu.bubu1.fdroidclassic/ https://f-droid.org/en/packages/eu.bubu1.fdroidclassic/
- hilbert42 4y agoLove it. How did I miss this for so long? (Reckon I must have been living under a mushroom or something.)
- mcsniff 4y agoI quite like Droid-ify as a better front end for F-Droid, I don't even bother downloading the main client anymore. https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.looker.droidify/ https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.looker.droidify/
- hilbert42 4y agoThanks, I'm now inundated with F-Droid client alternatives. When so many other clients have sprung up in response to F-Droid's painfully awkward UI one would reckon they'd rethink the change. This is yet another another instance of where developers think that they know best or where they impose their own personal preferences on users but get it completely wrong. I note that it's not just the number of newly-available clients that have solidified my view, I was very surprised by the number of upvotes I received to my post. Seems many of us think alike. F-Droid people please take note.