Basically, what the title says. Do you use any app, that is proprietary, but either has no OSS alternatives or they’re all not good enough? If there is an alternative, what keeps you from switching?

  • plactagonic@sopuli.xyz
    7·
    15 days ago

    I would like to find alternative to Garmin app. It is bad if you don’t want to use the cloud features, also you can’t plan routes without internet connection like wtf that’s the only reason I bought it for.

  • ReversalHatchery@beehaw.orgEnglish
    9·
    14 days ago

    Tasker, because there’s no alternative.

    MiXplorer (file manager), because even if not counting the features that should be a different app, it’s much better than material files.

  • ebd6a8c9051028dc1607@lemmy.ml
    2·
    12 days ago

    Universal Copy and Network Signal Guru. former is used to copy on text which usually unable to copy. latter is used to modify some modem setting.

  • adr1an@programming.dev
    9·
    15 days ago

    OpenCamera is good, but could do better. But I’d say video editing is the biggest void.

    Also, gesture typing keyboards are an empty niche of foss alternatives. HelioBoard requires loading some proprietary blob unfortunately.

    I guess the most heavy machine learning use cases are not filled in.

  • bitwolf@lemmy.one
    371·
    14 days ago

    Google Pay/Wallet

    Right now tap and pay is completely and hopelessly corporate

    • Todd Bonzalez@lemm.ee
      13·
      14 days ago

      The issue is that the digital tap-to-pay cards are actually reissued cards with their own unique numbers. They also require significant security measures to protect from cloning attacks.

      So banks need a party that they can safely issue a digital card to, knowing that the card data will be stored safely.

      Even a FOSS app that covers all the user’s needs is going to have a lot of trouble actually getting a card loaded into it under current standards.

      I hate to say it, but crypto wallets are likely the closest thing we’re ever going to get to a FOSS tap-to-pay system. Banks are inherently corporate and capitalist, so it’s not really in their nature to make things open source.

      Perhaps if there were an industry standard for issuing digital cards, instead of banks partnering with centralized wallet apps, we could procure our own digital cards to load onto our phones and watches, or integrate into other devices. But that’s a whole other battle that nobody is fighting right now.

      • logging_strict@lemmy.ml
        1·
        13 days ago

        A FOSS app for digital payments, must have a company front to sign deals with country retail store chains. Although customer kyc can be avoided, the payments from the front company to retail chains would be thru a corporate structure.

        … maybe convenience is the wrong path

        The advantages of PoW crypto, over digital (and PoS), it’s possible to force between seller and buyer:

        • communication with end-to-end encryption
        • privacy oriented marketplaces

        With the goal of fostering our own private communities. Over time, might spawn a sub-culture, identity, and ultimately people hood.

  • lemmy_eat_world@lemmy.worldEnglish
    59·
    15 days ago

    Bitwarden. Most people think that their application is open source, but more and more of their code has shifted from the GPL/AGPL licensed code to code in their SDK, which is under a proprietary license. This led to their new Android app being disqualified from being hosted in F-Droid repos.

    Keyguard was supposed to be an open source Bitwarden client, but the dev chose to use a custom proprietary license, so that is source available as well.

    • snowfalldreamland@lemmy.ml
      9·
      15 days ago

      I’ve been a paying bitwarden customer for years but i through they were moving more towards free software and not away from it… Makes me consider quitting my subscription. Why do they do this?

      • lemmy_eat_world@lemmy.world
        19·
        15 days ago

        Don’t get me wrong: BW is still a pretty good service, and the proprietary code is still readable by anyone, but the fact that they’re moving a bunch of their previously open source licensed code to something that’s source available is definitely unfortunate.

        KeePass, on the other hand, has tons of actually open source clients, which definitely gives them an edge for people that don’t mind syncing their own DB.

    • THEWIZARD@lemmy.world
      1·
      8 days ago

      KeePassDxX on F-Droid it also has export function, bit awkward you could call it, but it’s a functioning password storage tool that’s using local storage with your export and import options like to a file or cloud I think as well never used that but think it’s there? It may lack some of the features of say Bitwarden though because I have never used Bitwarden.

  • irotsoma@lemmy.worldEnglish
    4·
    13 days ago

    Termius

    Not just Android, I want a cross-platform ssh client that shares keys. Termius is probably overkill for that, but I haven’t found anything else that works on Linux and Android. The real issue that made me stop paying for it is that for rpm based Linux I have to use the snap version and snap is buggy as heck with multitasking.

    • padlock4995@lemmy.ml
      1·
      12 days ago

      I was in same boat, I ended up going with Tabby for my Linux clients.

      It is by no means a like for like replacement BUT you can someshat backup and sync profiles and config across machines.

      Is a huge shame it doesn’t work on android though

  • helpImTrappedOnline@lemmy.world
    111·
    15 days ago

    Nova launcher.

    I Haven’t found one that works so well with KLWP or has good app drawer organization. I like having folders and tabs to split everything up. Having one big list of apps (70% I dont use often and another 10% bloat) isn’t useful.

      • helpImTrappedOnline@lemmy.world
        1·
        13 days ago

        Thank you for your suggestion.

        Having just tried it, it is not for me. The categories is there, but having the search/app drawrr on the top won’t work me, especially with these stupid large phone everyone makes. (I’m guessing theres a way to change it, but I didnt get that far)

        The ultimate reason its not for me is how widgets are a scrolling thing. It’s a different idea, but I like the widgets on my home screen where I can passively see them.

        If there’s a way to change that, I didnt see it. I didn’t even find a way to get rid of the big clock at the bottom.

    • FuryMaker@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      14 days ago

      Same. I’ve been attempting to de-Google and stick with FOSS where possible, but only Lawnchair has come close to Nova Launcher, but it’s not without its limitations like setting a primary home screen, and better widget padding and removing round corners.

      I’m still experimenting with others, but many are no longer under active development either.

    • lemmyingly@lemm.ee
      2·
      14 days ago

      We need a NOVA replacement with how they’ve recently restructured the company. It looks like NOVA is getting squeezed for the last few cents they’ve got to offer by whom ever bought the company 1-2 years ago.

      I’ve tried every other launcher I could find. In my opinion they all seemed to be minimalistic by design or they just lacked features.

    • Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de
      2·
      10 days ago

      fwiw lawnchair beta works absolutely fine for me, i guess it can’t do anything fancy with the app drawer but like, that’s why you have a home screen…

      • helpImTrappedOnline@lemmy.world
        1·
        7 days ago

        I tried, and tried to like it. We all work differently. I like widgets on the home screen, swipe up for apps. I guess it’s the “start menu” mentality.

    • selokichtli@lemmy.ml
      3·
      14 days ago

      I’ve used several launchers but there seems to be a halt developing them. For the most time, I used to use recently Neo Launcher, but it feels dated now, they are working on a rewrite and it’s still beta (if not still alpha). Kvaesitso is a good launcher, but I’m too accustomed to the swipe up gesture to show apps and Kvaesitso just decided to make it upside down for me, and it feels odd even if you can change this to your preference. Finally, KISS launcher, which had halted development a bit but I find light and customizable enough. Not gonna lie here, as soon as Neo launcher gets to a stable state, I’m coming back.

      Edit:

      I wanted to mention a couple of killer features of KISS that you might probably like:

      • Its dock can pin a couple of apps and have some spaces changing depending on the frequency of use.
      • You can have a list of frequently used apps associated to a gesture (I use swipe-up and single-touch).
      • If you are gonna use a not too frequently used app, you can have a gesture for this too (I use long-touch).
      • Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, is searchable. Well, not everything, but they surely allow you to search a lot of things.
  • unknowing8343@discuss.tchncs.de
    45·
    15 days ago

    Pedantic, but Google Messages’ RCS. And it’s all Google’s fault because they are holding the API hostage, probably because they want to create familiarity with the app so that people don’t switch once they finally open up.

    • BearOfaTime@lemm.ee
      53·
      15 days ago

      I’m glad Google is exposing how crappy RCS is.

      It’s been fifteen years, and all they have is a “protocol” that’s still completely dependant on a phone number.

      What good is that? Why would I want that?

      There are numerous systems that don’t rely on a phone number, e.g. XMPP did everything RCS is trying to do, in 2010 (I ran it on my phone then, with a desktop client that kept in sync).

      Teleguard works on every platform, no phone number required, as does MATRIX, Simplex, Wire, Threema, etc, etc.

      Not to mention the issues people have with it. It’s unreliable.

      • unknowing8343@discuss.tchncs.de
        17·
        15 days ago

        RCS is not another chat app.

        It’s the NEW SMS. That is why it is so important, and that is why it works ONLY IF YOU HAVE A PHONE. Because that’s literally the point.

        Having your mom, grandpa, and everyone automatically use encrypted, modern comnunication just because they have a phone is extremely important.

        Realise that in places where SMS has been historically free, SMS is the standard.

        XMPP, Matrix or whatever will obviously still have its place for more “incognito” conversations. But having a phone number should also give you access to a better alternative than SMS.

        • ReversalHatchery@beehaw.orgEnglish
          1·
          14 days ago

          as I understand a phone number “gives you access to” RCS as much as it does to Signal. at that point it’s just about what was pre-installed

          • unknowing8343@discuss.tchncs.de
            1·
            14 days ago

            RCS is supposed to be a distributed protocol, just like SMS, but using data. It is not the same as Signal. Tho, currently, Google is the main provider for almost all phone companies.

    • TonyOstrich@lemmy.world
      3·
      14 days ago

      Not just that, but they are actively hostile and hypocritical about it. Every 1-3 months they prevent RCS from working on rooted phones or phones running alternate ROMs. The fact that they spent so much time complaining that Apple wouldn’t comply with the “open” standard while limiting users’ options on their own platform is very frustrating.

    • tetris11@lemmy.ml
      7·
      15 days ago

      For anyone wondering:

      RCS

      Rich Communication Services. It is a protocol designed to enhance traditional SMS. RCS allows users to send messages that can include high-resolution images, videos, audio messages, and group chats, as well as features like read receipts, typing indicators, and location sharing.

    • lemmy_eat_world@lemmy.world
      17·
      15 days ago

      Not pedantic at all. Google lied about RCS being an open standard.

      The pedantic point would be saying that RCS, the protocol, is technically open, but the specific implementation that Google is pushing and being adopted is proprietary 🤓

      So yeah. Totally fair point and fuck Google for their RCS bait-and-switch.