Google Ejects Open-Source WireGuard From Android Play Store Over Donation Link In App

[kpedersen]

Computers additional screen size and power is completely irrelevant and overkill for communication purposes.

I would say the exact same thing about a smartphone.

If you want something to fit in your pocket, you can use a standard phone.

If you need images and multimedia... then you probably are not on the go and a laptop is fine. Otherwise get a gameboy haha.

[pal666]

Counter to this is simple: do not target corporate app stores at all

if you are not going to target billions of users, you can just as well avoid software development

[bug77]

I think you are grossly overestimating the "added value" of Google services and apps.

No, I'm just looking at how successful Amazon was trying to maintain their own fork
I mean, even the SMS functionality is gutted from AOSP and only available in closed source form.

[Guest]

While I agree that, in this case, the rule is being needlessly applied, I can understand why Google doesn't want payments to be made outside their payment system.

A simple workaround would be for the WireGuard developers to offer two versions on Google Play: (1) a full-featured free version, and (2) a reasonably-priced paid version for those who wish to pay. The paid version need not offer any features beyond those in the free version. Problem solved.

That might violate some other Play Store rule. That plus only a few people are going to buy the paid version, if the free version will have all of the features. But yeah, it's still a nice workaround.

[starshipeleven]

I would say the exact same thing about a smartphone.

Yes I know. You are still wrong, regardless of how much times you repeat your opinion.

[starshipeleven]

No, I'm just looking at how successful Amazon was trying to maintain their own fork

Is Amazon's Android different from any other OEM's Android? Because if they suck at doing what everyone else is also doing it's their own issue.
Afaik it's just reskinned at best, you can install playstore on it if you root the device (or not, apparently). https://mashtips.com/install-android...n-kindle-fire/

I mean, even the SMS functionality is gutted from AOSP and only available in closed source form.

No wait. What's wrong with the AOSP Messaging app? https://android.googlesource.com/pla...pps/Messaging/

[Luke]

if you are not going to target billions of users, you can just as well avoid software development

I work on MATE and while that goes into Ubuntu and Red Hat package repos I doubt any of those are anywhere near the userbase of the Google Play Store. I don't have a problem with that either, as I still get to use the code myself and it costs me little to share bugfixes and changes that I write for my own use. If your've not in it for money in the first place you don't need the corporate app stores. If you are in it as a capitalist, you will have to play by the rules of big corporations, which may or may not work for you.

[Luke]

No, I'm just looking at how successful Amazon was trying to maintain their own fork
I mean, even the SMS functionality is gutted from AOSP and only available in closed source form.

There are 3ed party SMS apps in F-droid, and whenever both ends are using it Signal is far preferred anyway.

For my purposes the only reason to own a smartphone is in fact to use Signal, which means I don't need ANY of the functionality Google Play provides since Signal has worked without it since sometime in 2017. No "spying Birds," no ad-supported apps, and with 3ed party ROMS no low level code sending telemetry to Google, AmazonAWS, or Facebook(Blu uses a Facebook graphing API for part of heir vendor partition shit phone-home)

[starshipeleven]

I work on MATE and while that goes into Ubuntu and Red Hat package repos I doubt any of those are anywhere near the userbase of the Google Play Store.

With all due respect, I think the scale of what you contribute to MATE project can't be compared to developing Wireguard (not just contributing fixes and things).

It makes no sense to make a new and shiny VPN that is better than others and then just ignore multiple billion users just because you don't like Google or something.

[starshipeleven]

There are 3ed party SMS apps in F-droid, and whenever both ends are using it Signal is far preferred anyway.

Heh, that would be really cool.

The biggest achievement I got about chat/video applications was to get everyone I know still using Skype to migrate to Watsapp or Telegram so I could finally uninstall that piece of garbage app from the phone.