Alternative APK download?

[IzzySoft]

Could you please attach the APK to the corresponding release(s) – for folks w/o Playstore? I'd even suggest to go for F-Droid, but according to the Manifest you're using GMS which is a show-stopper there. But if you could make the AKP available here, I could serve it via my repo, which then in turn can be used with the F-Droid client.

[wilder]

@IzzySoft what is that for? What exactly is F-Droid?

[IzzySoft]

@wilder F-Droid basically is a fully open-source alternative to Google Play. They compile all apps from source after having checked there're no show-stoppers, making sure all code is really free and open (and doesn't contain any proprietary elements or blobs), marking any remaining "AntiFeatures" openly. People like me favor F-Droid over other sources as we consider it much safer (due to the checks mentioned) and privacy-respecting.

Mentioned restrictions (inclusion citeria are quite strict) apply to the official repo. There are several 3rd party repositories available, like mine, which have their own rules (like mine). My repo e.g. often serves as "stepping stone" for apps targeting the official repo but not yet meeting the inclusion criteria (or are "stuck" in the inclusion process for other reasons). Those are usually removed from my repo as soon as they are listed in the official one. Other apps are in my repo because they'll never make it into the official repo as they do not meet the inclusion criteria (this could e.g. be the case with your app if it cannot do without GMS – though I believe you could make a "FOSS flavor" having GMS removed). All those repositories can be accessed via the F-Droid client app, so users get their regular updates and all.

There's a strong community behind F-Droid (disclosure: I'm one of their contributors). You can read more about F-Droid at Wikipedia – or ask me if you have specific questions, I gladly explain.

As for numbers: My repo currently serves 400+ apps, the official repo 1500+ in its main repository and about 2000 archived. Quite a pebble compared with the 3 Mio in Playstore – but if you take away all the crap, brazen clones, harmful and useless apps I'd say numbers go down below 500k there as well :wink:

I'd really appreciate bringing your app to F-Droid – best to the official repo, but at least into mine. From what I see you respect privacy, and the app has a really cool concept which I was wishing for more than once. So for a first step, I could take your app into my repo – and if you wish, help you getting it into the official one.

[IzzySoft]

@wilder was my last comment too long or otherwise "shocked" you? Or would you consider giving us Google-abstinent users a chance? For my repo, all you'd have to do is attaching an APK to the corresponding version (I'd take care for the rest then). I saw you just increased versionName+versionCode, so I thought this might be a good time to ask again :wink: