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Open Source should not be restricted to a walled garden. When you appraise your app as being "open source", always consider making it available openly as well – and not just "available at Google Play".

Good options include of course #FDroid or, should your app not fully comply there, the #IzzySoftRepo – but the least you can do is tagging your releases and attach a signed release APK 😉

Oh, and of course make sure to declare a #foss license for it 😄

#Android #OpenSource #apps
P.McNewHold :fedora:
P.McNewHold :fedora:  
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I feel it's always the issue with foss/floss. Some companies and individuals, try to do the "good thing" with open-source, but regardless of actual licensing, content, reproducability, support of open devellopement and collaboration on their public repo. They heard the term "open-source" once and thought releasing the modified linux kernel they were using for their proprietary locked hardware, was the trendy thing to do to look like a trendy company (even if it's legally required)
IzzyOnDroid ✅
IzzyOnDroid ✅  
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@poorpocketsmcnewhold Those companies also often confuse "open source" with "you can look, but not touch". As if "open doors" would just mean "open curtains behind a (gorilla) glass door"…

But I was not especially meaning companies. There are countless app repos on Github alone where you only see the term "available at Google Play", but no free alternative to obtain the app. Not everyone can compile or has a dev setup available.
Klampfradler 🎸🚴
Klampfradler 🎸🚴  
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And not use proprietary walled gardens with discriminatory terms of use, like GitHub or Discord, for collaboration and community!
IzzyOnDroid ✅
IzzyOnDroid ✅  
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@Natureshadow no, better not. There are alternatives (I moved most of my repositories to @Codeberg for example).
Billie
Billie  
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I even went a step further. At an early stage of development, some years ago, I felt uncomfortable to agree to the #playstore #dev #tos and it felt very wrong to tie the release to a #google account and pay for it.

So I publish #feinstaubwidget, #imagepipe and #TinyWeatherForecastGermany on #fdroid only.

You won't find them in the G***le play store.

I hope #fdroid only apps somewhat increase the popularity of #fdroid.
Julian Foad
Julian Foad  
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Indeed. "FOSS Apps Live in FOSS App Stores!" And, "EU Pilot Project: Public Apps in F-Droid". And, synergy with "Public Money? Public Code!".
https://wrily.foad.me.uk/foss-apps-live-in-foss-app-stores
https://wrily.foad.me.uk/eu-pilot-project-public-apps-in-f-droid
https://publiccode.eu/

Public Money, Public Code

Public Money, Public Code - A campaign for releasing publicly financed software as Free Software
publiccode.eu
IzzyOnDroid ✅
IzzyOnDroid ✅  
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@julian Google-Play-by-our-rules-Store – so fitting, hits right on the spot. Of course the owner of the house sets up the rules (F-Droid does, so do I for my repo) – but if you declare yourself the one-and-only, it's something different.

🤞 for what's going on in India. Hope they can force Google to open up.
Joel G. :blobcatderpy:
Joel G. :blobcatderpy:  
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this! Please Android devs!
Lien Rag
Lien Rag  
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Or consider that FOSS developers have no obligations except the ones derived from the licence (and the law).
Ilie
Ilie  
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It shouldn't rely on things like Google Play Services either
IzzyOnDroid ✅
IzzyOnDroid ✅  
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@micicumustar No, ideally it shouldn't. Libre software should only rely on libre components. That's the "high goal" a "libre dev" should always aim for.

But we're not living in an ideal world, so we shall not "condemn" those slightly deviating from this– which is why for my repo, I sometimes close an eye. Or two. But not five 🤪 And even if only one, I try encouraging and (if possible) mention alternatives (like from my snippet: https://gitlab.com/-/snippets/1896503).

Signposts, not road-blocks 😉

F-Droid ($1896503) · Snippets · Snippets · GitLab

GitLab.com
GitLab
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