A self-righteous rant about Android phones...

[Pogeymanz]

I'm sure that the more pragmatic fellows on the forum will cringe at this post.

I was poking around with my father-in-law's new Droid phone and it seemed pretty cool, but the thing I just couldn't help being upset by is that half of his apps that he installed had ads in them.

He has a few apps that he paid for and those didn't have ads, but a lot of the free ones did.

It felt like 1998.

Then I was browsing the app store thing just for fun. I saw some of my favorite stuff: Firefox, Opera, etc.

I also looked in the pay-for section and I have to admit that I was actually a little sad to see things like a $5 file manager and simple things like that.

I know I'm spoiled using GNU/Linux on my computers, but I'm actually not opposed (philosophically) to paying for software. I have paid for Mathematica and my job got me a copy of MATLAB that I use. Somehow, though, Google has rubbed me the wrong way with the whole Droid thing. I'm sure I'd still prefer that to an iPhone, but color me disenchanted.

Side Question: Is it possible to check the license of an app before installing it from Google's app store?

[Fedz]

It's people's choice to pay for stuff obviously & I can see charging for software you've designed is a fair point if that's what you're after but, people walk blindly into this kind of stuff & makers like Apple, Google ... know their's plenty money to be had from gullible club 18 - 30 yr olds ;-)

They're not a charity & have shareholders, staff, development, buildings, operating costs ... to pay but, they know very well how to play up-to people who'll basically advertise their company to make them richer but, on the flip side they wouldn't really care about you (the user) if it come to it! lol

I just don't understand the mentality of people singing the praises of gadgets from eg: Google but, get nothing for doing it & get trapped in their yard - no freedom or inter portability ... it's a win-win situation for them ;-)

[Philsoki]

I don't have an Android phone (Although I really want one!) but I'm pretty sure that Apps have adds in them until you pay for them. So Angry Birds is free on Android, but there's adds. You can than pay $2.00 to get the game add free where as on iPhone the game is either pay, or don't get it. (I think?).

I'm also pretty sure there is a lot of free software available for Android that isn't in the app store.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_open_source_Android_applications

[3Miro]

Guys, you do realize that there is nothing in GNU philosophy saying that you should not pay for software or that there should be no ads in your software. There is also nothing about any developer caring about the user.

With FOSS software you get freedom. The developer doesn't care about you, if you don't like the way an app works, then you can either fix it or you can pay someone else to fix it for you. If you get ads on your apps, then you can get the software and disable them in the source-code. If there is anything in the system that is preventing you from getting the source-code or modifying it, then you don't have FOSS software in the first place.

The pure version of Droid is FOSS, however, the end product often times comes with locks and restrictions. The end product is not always FOSS.

[Fedz]

Yh Yh I knew that but, I'd rather pay for open software than closed software ... and if you don't have to buy you can donate which is what I've done loads of times for some software on linux!

I just don't see the point of walking round in a paid (sorry for this peeps) eg: a Microsoft/Windows t-shirt or hoody when all you're doin is advertising closed/paid for hardware/software if you understand!

Now Linux/Ubuntu clothing is certainly worth paying for whoop! :)

[forrestcupp]

Unfortunately, ads are the modern smartphone way for Android as well as iPhone. I actually don't mind because it's a good way for a developer to make money while offering us a chance to get good apps free of charge. In about every adware app I have, the ads are very unobtrusive.

[WhiteNoiseParser]

There is a program for rooted droids called NoAds which clears up some of the problem. Most ads in apps are not that obtrusive really. But if you get a Droid, root it, if you want to see the true freedom one provides.

[patrick_the_fat]

You should try looking into the Open Pandora (http://openpandora.org/). A little pricey (at the moment) but well worth it!

[3Miro]

You should try looking into the Open Pandora (http://openpandora.org/). A little pricey (at the moment) but well worth it!

Looks great, too bad I am one of the dinosaurs that still uses his phone to talk to people, 10 hours battery life isn't cutting it in my case.