XPost: comp.mobile.android, uk.telecom.mobile   
   From: marion@facts.com   
      
   On Mon, 10 Mar 2025 12:47:06 +0100, David Wade wrote :   
      
      
   > Not at all, what I said was that googles code gets more external   
   > scrutiny. It has a bug finders program that pays out to those who find   
   > bugs and security vulnerabilities, which is why we found the "DSID"   
   > cookie. The others don't have this...   
      
   Ah. My fault. I see now. You did say that. My mistake. I went off on a   
   tangent. Sorry. You're saying there are a lot of eyes on Google's code   
   base, which, you're saying, isn't on the open source code base. Right?   
      
   I guess it depends on how much of the Google apps are open source.   
   Are all the Google packages open source?   
      
   I'm not sure if they are, e.g., is the YouTube app open source?   
   The YouTube app replacements *are* open source.   
      
   Likewise, is the Google Mail app open source?   
   The Google Mail app replacements *are* open source.   
      
   Similarly, is the Google Play Store app open source?   
   The Google Play Store app replacement *is* open source.   
      
   Indeed, is the Google Maps app open source?   
   The Google Maps replacement apps *are* open source.   
      
   Is the Chrome app (which is based on Chromium which is open source) open?   
   The google chrome replacement apps *are* open source.   
      
   This goes on for a while since none of those Google apps are open source.   
   Meanwhile, the replacements are open source.   
      
   So the eyes-on-the-code issue you kindly bring up is quite apropos.   
      
   Q: Which has more independent eyes on the code?   
   a. These apps which only Google has the code to? or,   
   b. Those apps which the whole world can see the code for?   
      
   >> Again, I'm not annoyed by anyone who says "I don't have privacy from Google   
   >> because I don't know what I'm doing so I do whatever Google tells me to   
   >> do"; but it bothers me when someone says they "can't" have privacy from   
   >> Google - because you can.   
   >>   
   >   
   > You can, but it takes a lot of work to duplicate all the things google   
   > does, and for most people they may miss something important, like a find   
   > my phone app,   
      
   I think you answered the question of why people don't hit the "skip"   
   button. And it's that they have to think. They don't want to think.   
      
   And that's OK.   
   Google will be happy to tell them exactly how to think & what to do.   
      
   Luckily, the approach I promulgate doesn't require all that much thinking.   
   Since someone else already determined the 1:1 replacement for Google apps.   
      
   An example is the Chrome app (which definitely has proprietary elements)   
   can be replaced by Bromite (which doesn't have those proprietary elements).   
      
   But I agree with you and appreciate that you explain why people don't do   
   that. It's easier to use Chrome than it is to download & install Bromite.   
      
   It's easier to use the YouTube app than it is to install NewPipe.   
   It's easier to use the GMail app than it is to install open source MUAs.   
   It's easier to use the Google Play Store app than it is to install Aurora.   
   etc.   
      
   Thanks for the information. Much appreciated.   
      
   >> Just ditching the Google apps that those five open source replacements   
   >> replace alone, plus ditching the Google Account set up on the phone alone   
   >> provides tremendous privacy from Google - and you *gain* functionality.   
   >>   
   >   
   > what funcionality do you gain?   
      
   Hmmm.... that's a rather strange question to ask. The answer is obvious.   
   Why do you think those 1:1 open source replacements exist for Google apps?   
      
   Google app functionality sucks like you can't believe compared to what the   
   open source apps do. There's no comparison. Most Google apps are terrible.   
      
   For example, the Aurora app can automatically save the installer APK, and   
   the Aurora app can give you a far better search engine (although not as   
   good a search engine that Skyica provides to the user).   
      
   When you try a real search engine for apps (like Skyica), you'll see how   
   astoundingly crappy the Google Play Store search engine is. It's horrid.   
      
   When you delete Google apps to replace them with the open source apps, you   
   *gain* functionality because the open source apps give you what you want.   
      
   For example, the NewPipe app can download (& rip) every video stream.   
   Do you think the Google YouTube app is going to allow that functionality?   
      
   In addition, I've never seen a Google-inserted advertisement while watching   
   YouTube videos. This is astoundingly useful functionality, don't you think?   
      
   Do you think the Google YouTube app is going to let you watch videos on   
   YouTube all day, every day, without ever seeing a Google-inserted ad?   
      
   C'mon. Google is *never* going to give you that functionality (for free).   
   Yes, I'm aware that for about $75 a month, there's YouTube+ that does some   
   of that, but still, even for $75/month you don't get free download/ripping.   
      
   The fact you're asking 'if' the Google replacements have more functionality   
   means you don't know anything about them. Which is OK, as only probably one   
   in a million people (my estimate) know anything outside Google propaganda.   
      
   Suffice to say ditching Google apps instantly gives you *more*   
   functionality, and hitting the "skip" button is the single most important   
   thing a (non-rooted) Android owner can do to enhance privacy from Google.   
      
   >> I have no problem managing my calendar either. What makes you think only   
   >> Google knows how to create a calendar app?   
   >> I think you're confused since you seem to think that the "cloud" is an app.   
   >>   
   >   
   > I don't. In fact I use Thunderbird on my PC, BUT I need calendars I can   
   > share with other people who use google calendars.   
      
   Well, there's a vCal/iCal files.   
   What's wrong with sharing calendars with those?   
   That's why they exist. Right?   
      
   >> Me? I prefer to think about what's the best way to manage contacts &   
   >> calendars.   
   >>   
   >   
   > Perhaps you are not blessed with a wife with an iPad addiction.   
      
   Heh heh heh... we all have a wife - which takes a *lot* of time, I agree!   
      
   As for Apple stuff, I might have more iPads & iPhones than you do, which   
   you can see from my many posts on the Apple newsgroups - and - while I only   
   have one wife, I have plenty of grandkids, and even one great grandchild -   
   so we're both probably quite busy with other things than our Android phone.   
      
   To give you an idea about the wifey, Amazon picks only four people out of a   
   million to invite to Amazon Vine (Silver) & in the past five months, she's   
   amassed over eight-thousand dollars of free "stuff" ordering from Amazon.   
       
      
   No sales tax. No shipping. No returns allowed. You have to hold it for six   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
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