Warn clearly when notifications disabled by F-Droid build

[gnprice]

The F-Droid build of the app removes all support for notifications.

Some users have a setup where notifications would work just fine, but end up installing the F-Droid build. They are then surprised when notifications don't work. Two reports of this: https://github.com/zulip/zulip-mobile/issues/3838#issuecomment-1479613658 and previously in chat. In both cases, using our own published APK from https://github.com/zulip/zulip-mobile/releases solved the problem.

We recently added functionality to help debug when notifications aren't working, and to warn when we detect a situation where they won't work. We should extend that functionality so that it detects when notification support has been removed in the way that F-Droid removes it, and gives a more helpful message.

[gnprice]

@adrienneteicher, you reported at https://github.com/zulip/zulip-mobile/issues/3838#issuecomment-1479613658 that you weren't getting notifications, and helpfully provided the debugging information from our notification diagnostics screen.

Was the app showing you a warning about notifications that pointed you toward that screen? Do you recall what the warning, or the screen itself, was saying?

I'm curious because I'd like to better understand the current state of what we're showing here, in order to help design something that will be as usefully informative as possible for other people running into the same problem.

[adrienneteicher]

Here are screenshots.

Then you get the error message I pasted in the other thread that asks you to contact support.

Thanks

[gnprice]

Thanks @adrienneteicher! Very helpful.

[chrisbobbe]

What's a good message to the user explaining that the app they are using was built without notification support?

[adrienneteicher]

I think there are two possibilities.

1. A text which says "The f-droid build you are using does not support notifications. If your device supports GCM please download the Zulip client from the play store or from our website to enable notifications (links)."

2. Is it necessary to disable notifications in the F-droid build? Why not just a message which says "The Zulip client depends on GCM to provide notifications. If your device does not have Google Play Services installed or a compatible alternative you will not see any notifications."

Adrienne Teicher Sound Designer / Somatic Performer Web: www.adrienneteicher.com[https://www.adrienneteicher.com/] www.hyenaz.com[https://www.hyenaz.com/]

28 Mar 2023 02:39:05 Chris Bobbe @.***>:

What's a good user-facing message explaining that the app their using was built without notification support?

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[sevmonster]

@adrienneteicher Compiling without GCM (or any proprietary libraries in general) is a requirement for addition to the F-Droid repository imposed by the maintainers. See the inclusion policy.

[schewara]

Just ran into the same issue 2 days ago, which was luckily resolved quickly by @chrisbobbe through the support email channel.

Some extra info in the settings screen next to the App version, or as part of the notification screen would have saved everyone's time.