4 ms·

I'm grateful for the non-Android mobile OSS ecosystem. Android is increasingly user hostile, notably the apps and features that block you when you obtain root a

• kccqzy 2y ago
  Android is increasingly power user hostile. General users don't want root and don't want malware to obtain root access. This is an HN bubble where people talk about rooting their devices. Years ago I would have argued for better education of users so that they can all become power users. These days I see that as a lost cause.
  • fsflover 2y ago
    > General users don't want root and don't want malware to obtain root access "Ordinary people do not need freedom of speech, since they have nothing to say, or right to repair, since they can't do it anyway".
  • arnaudsm 2y ago
    I disagree, everyone is concerned. The vast majority of apps on the android ecosystem are adware with dark patterns all over the place. My mother complains about it every day. Google is currently blocking many quality open source apps like VLC and Termux from updating on the play store, because they require the signing certificates, in their quest of controlling everything. VLC is not for power users, it's the most common player in the world. Recently I wanted to reencode a video to upload to Whatsapp. I tried 10+ apps, all freemium and terrible, 4 tried to trick me into a 1 year subscription. ffmpeg did it in 5 seconds.
    • nolist_policy 2y ago
      Samsung Gallery can edit and reencode videos.
  • andrepd 2y ago
    Of course not, just Google-approved malware, right?