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Getting serious with /e/OS - Hurdles and obstacles
Quoting: Getting serious with /e/OS - Hurdles and obstacles —
This brings me to the end of this article. I don't consider this a piece of my Fairphone long-term report series, as it's entirely operating system related. There are many things to like about /e/OS, but there are also annoying things, some of which should be avoidable (by design). Now, you may think I'm being negative. Go read my Android reviews or my Windows 11 reviews to understand where I'm coming from. My fury toward /e/OS is very mild in comparison. I'm mostly disappointed in that this system is a fantastic opportunity to show the world that Android sans Google is possible. But the demonstration needs to be flawless! Really.
That starts with aligning the system behavior with the message of transparency and privacy that the /e/OS espouses. Really. The two need to be congruent. If I want to use App Lounge, then, that app must infuse me with absolute, sacred trust. Otherwise, if it's the question of not trusting yet another smartphone system provider, then, what's the point? I would like to see blazing bright transparency as to where apps come from, what the source is, what the veracity is. I'll do the thinking whether I want to install something, sure. That's on me. But if I choose XYZ, then it must be the XYZ I expected. Thus, if I believe I'm utilizing the Play Store through a proxy, then it cannot be F-Droid or anything else. The choice must be 1,000,000% explicit.
In some ways, the /e/OS has it harder. Because it must prove that it's doing its work correctly. That means that any discrepancy between what App Lounge shows and what the Play Store shows, the doubt scales will swing toward the latter, as it's the "source". And I would hate for technicalities to determine the success of /e/OS. As the app store already tries to protect you, give you a privacy score and then some, badges of authenticity, veracity, trust and such would enhance its usefulness. Hiding the details under the hood only diminishes its value, unfortunately.