Comment on Funny how android used to be what we now call FOSS
supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz 4 weeks ago
There is nothing free or open about Android, it only looks like it is when compared with iOS.
Android exists only as a place to push ads into people’s faces, with a focus on getting ad displays into less affluent markets.
iOS exists only as a platform to sell iPhones and iPads, which naturally has a focus on affluent markets.
They’re both in the control of megacorps and I can’t figure out why people hold up Android as some kind of open source hero besides a desire to hate on Apple.
Android consists of way more free and open source software than iOS. There’s a fork of Android, Replicant, which is endorsed by the FSF. Free and open source software does not have owners. It’s true that most people who use it (including me) still use versions of it that are mostly nonfree software. But Android is a step in the right direction, while iOS is one in the wrong direction.
It’s possible to use an Android phone and rarely or never see ads at all. Pretty much the only place I regularly see ads on my (stock) Android phone is in the YouTube app, and I could probably live without that too if I wanted.
And you can!
Newpipe
PipePipe
Tubular
SmartTube (Android TV)
FreeTube
Flow
NouTube
Invidious/Materialous
LibreTube
SkyTube
YouTube ReVanced
All these apps and more allow you YouTube Premium features for absolutely free!
I already sometimes access YT through Firefox for Android, mainly for playing music in the background. Maybe I’ll change that at some point, but currently I still normally use the official YouTube app for watching videos.
wander1236@sh.itjust.works 4 weeks ago
The source code is still fully available (and even searchable with code references) which is why all of these community and FOSS forks are still possible.
Google is absolutely abusing their influence over the Android brand to continually lock down consumer devices and the versions of Android that ship on them, but AOSP has only gotten more open-source friendly over time if anything. The problem is there are fewer and fewer devices that will actually let you leave branded Android™ for some version of AOSP.
supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz 4 weeks ago
Ok, so basically what you are saying is Android is “Open” in name only.
SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 4 weeks ago
No, they are explaining that “Android” effectively refers to two different things.
blackbrook@mander.xyz 4 weeks ago
And one of those things, in practice, makes it harder for users to take advantage of the openness of the other.
ExcessShiv@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 weeks ago
No the software is open, it’s the hardware you run it on that’s locked down to the manufacturers own specific fork.
Auli@lemmy.ca 4 weeks ago
Blame the courts. His can Apple win an anti competitive case and Google loose. All because they where more open.