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Arno Welzel <usenet@arnowelzel.de> wrote:
...free apps can be
downloaded again from the original source.
I have no beef in this (non-)discussion, but you can only download
again, if the "original source" still exists!
That's often - and probably even most of the time - the case for
software downloaded from Apple's App Store. But in some cases, an app
might be withdrawn from the App Store, which means it is no longer
available for download/installation on a new device.
That *is* a difference with (free (as in no-cost)) Android apps and
many free Windows software. That's why I save Android APKs
and
Windows install packages, in case I want/need to install them on a new >device. (Case in point: The *22 year old* Hamster news server which
brings you this article! :-))
On 4/9/25 8:35 AM, Frank Slootweg wrote:
Arno Welzel <usenet@arnowelzel.de> wrote:
...free apps can be
downloaded again from the original source.
I have no beef in this (non-)discussion, but you can only download
again, if the "original source" still exists!
That's often - and probably even most of the time - the case for
software downloaded from Apple's App Store. But in some cases, an app
might be withdrawn from the App Store, which means it is no longer >available for download/installation on a new device.
My problem in the (on-topic for this Android group) Play Store is not so
much apps disappearing but rather the 'won't work on this device' label.
And they won't even let me try.
Gosh, I've made it over a week now without any Windows stuff in the house.
Haven't missed it a bit...
AJL <noemail@none.com> wrote:
My problem in the Play Store is not so
much apps disappearing but rather the 'won't work on this device' label.
And they won't even let me try.
If it's a free (as in no-cost/not-paid) app, you can often find it on
APK archive sites and try it that way. That's what I did for alleged >incompatabilities, geo-fencing, etc.. My main source was/is apkpure.com
where you can also search on the 'id=' which you see in the Google Play
URL.
Arno Welzel <usenet@arnowelzel.de> wrote:
Frank Slootweg, 2025-04-09 17:35:
Arno Welzel <usenet@arnowelzel.de> wrote:
Marion, 2025-04-07 22:34:
[...]
When an IPA is installed on an iOS device, it's signed with a
provisioning profile that is tied to a specific Apple Developer
account and a set of authorized devices. For apps downloaded from
the App Store, this process is managed by Apple and linked to your
Apple ID.
All apps, even those which might be considered "free & open
source" suffer this process, since every single app ever
downloaded from Apple's App Store restricts their usage to the
Apple ID that originally downloaded them.
Well - in that case this is irrelevant, since free apps can be
downloaded again from the original source.
I have no beef in this (non-)discussion, but you can only download
again, if the "original source" still exists!
Which also applies to Android. So what?
Ah! You now resort to lying by omission? In the (big) part you
'conveniently' silently snipped, I specificall said (amongst others)
"That's why I save Android APKs ...".
So in the iOS case,
if the original source does no longer exist,
you're out of luck, but in the Android case, you can install the app
from it's backed up APK.
On Fri, 11 Apr 2025 15:04:04 -0000 (UTC), AJL wrote :
Sometimes I use an old backed up apk even when the Play Store and/or Amazon >> Appstore still has the app available because I like the old version better. >> Course I have to turn off the automatic app updates and do them manually, a >> bit of a PITA but then I've got lots of free time...
How is it a "bit of a pita" when every APK you installed is always >automatically saved to your Windows PC (as Android is mounted as a drive)?
<https://i.postimg.cc/hjkVFyqJ/scrcpy07.jpg> Android mnt as drive letter
All you do is select APKs in Windows File Explore GUI, and just slide them
over to the two-foot-tall Android image on the monitor to install them
<https://i.postimg.cc/wvsbcNBz/scrcpy05.jpg> Drag & drop APK to install
You can install a thousand APKs in a single action.
*How is drag-and-drop a PITA?*
Especially when the APKs are saved, hands off, totally automatically.
<https://i.postimg.cc/9FJMKYch/scrcpy21.jpg> Windows Drive: === Android
Re-use of Android APKs is, I'd wager, the easiest of all platforms.
On Fri, 11 Apr 2025 19:49:38 -0000 (UTC), AJL wrote :
How is it a "bit of a pita" when every APK you installed is always >>>automatically saved to your Windows PC (as Android is mounted as a drive)? >>> <https://i.postimg.cc/hjkVFyqJ/scrcpy07.jpg> Android mnt as drive letter
I think you misunderstood me. Let me give an example. I'm now posting using >> an Amazon Fire HD10 tablet. It came with the Amazon Appstore. I have since >> installed Google stuff on it and thus it also has the Play Store. Both
stores came set to automatically update apps.
Oh. I'm sorry. You're right. I don't use a newsreader so I don't know whom >I'm speaking with (unless I specifically look at the attribute line).
I thought you were the guy who was trying to claim that Android APKs are
done similarly to iOS IPAs, which put me in a bad mood responding to him.
I apologize for being a dolt.
So when I install an old preferred apk version of a still available (in the >> stores) app on this tablet it wouldn't stay old long because one of the
stores would automatically update it to the current version.
Yup. I agree. Your observation of what happens is likely what happens to
most people, and, in fact, my wife drives me nuts because I put the last >known good version of PulseSMS on her phone and she lets it update!
Obviously I don't even have the Google Play Store app on my phone, so any >update that it might do, it can't do - simply because it doesn't exist. :)
But I do have the FOSS Google Play Store apps, which will update by default >(so obviously I turn that off for the reasons you so helpfully explained).
So I've turned off auto-updating in both stores. The PITA is that I now have >> to periodically check both stores and manually update the other apps that >> do need updates...
Yes. I agree. Although there _is_ a solution which most people don't know. >That solution is NOT intuitive. It's completely unintuitive in fact.
Actually, what I'm going to tell you only one in a million people (my >estimate) have any inkling of - and I only know it because I'm not the kind >of guy that assumes things so I only know it because I *tested* it out.
On Android, the Google Play Store app has a checkbox to "update apps" but
in reality, it updates almost nothing. Yup. Almost nothing.
<https://i.postimg.cc/HsXKj7WK/updateallapps01.jpg> <https://i.postimg.cc/4djB69pr/updateallapps02.jpg> <https://i.postimg.cc/02xKj04h/updateallapps03.jpg> <https://i.postimg.cc/3xxyCJYB/updateallapps04.jpg>
The funny thing is it does that update of almost nothing without you even >being logged into a Google Account on your phone. Ask me how I know that.
There are threads on this where I tested the Google App Store update
against "real" updaters, and the difference was completely shocking.
The real updaters go onto the Google Play Store repository and for every
app that has an update, they give you a GUI that you can update it.
If you want to update it.
You don't have to.
But what's SHOCKING different is the Google Play Store update mechanism is >shocking deficient. It's so bad I'd assess it at almost totally worthless.
Even the Apple Play Store update mechanism is better than that of Google.
In summary, and this is *important* because everyone "assumes"
(incorrectly) that the Google Play Store "update" mechanism will update all >your apps that have available updates in the Google Play repo.
It does not.
It's not even close.
You can see that easily by running two steps that I've run so I know this.
1. Update using the Google Play Store update mechanism, and then,
2. Run a real updater.
You'll be shocked at the differences (hundreds of updates are missing!).
Not to give you too much information, but there are updaters and there are >updaters, where some updaters actually look at other repositories, while >other updaters only look at the Google Play Store repository.
Here are some from my notes... if you're interested in checking them out.
1. Obtainium <https://github.com/ImranR98/Obtainium>
GitHub, GitLab, SourceForge, F-Droid, IzzyOnDroid,
APKPure, Aptoide, Uptodown, APKMirror (Track-Only), etc.
2. APK Updater <https://github.com/rumboalla/apkupdater>
GitHub, GitLab, F-Droid, APKPure, Aptoide, APKMirror, IzzyOnDroid, etc.
3. App Updater <com.update.software.updateallapps> (has ads)
Google Play Store repository
Then use the far simpler method of connecting to your Windows machine via
the Files app. Make sure you have Sharing enabled in Windows first. Simple >> and new apps required.
Thanks, but I use Linux, and I already stated I'm fine with just using
ifuse and a usb cable. Or KDE Connect.
Actions speak louder than words, little boy. And you always side with
Arlen - religiously (you even forgave him for impersonating you lol).
I will agree with anyone who speaks the truth or makes a rational
statement, even you on occasion. But I learned my lesson the last time
I agreed with you when I realized you were lying.
On Tue, 15 Apr 2025 17:26:01 -0000 (UTC), badgolferman wrote :
Actions speak louder than words, little boy. And you always side with
Arlen - religiously (you even forgave him for impersonating you lol).
I will agree with anyone who speaks the truth or makes a rational
statement, even you on occasion. But I learned my lesson the last time
I agreed with you when I realized you were lying.
Hi badgolferman,
Logic. And sense. Equals reason.
Like you, and like any logically sensible adult, I will agree with anyone
who makes a claim that is logically and sensibly sound, and you know that.
I will even openly & willingly apologize publicly if I say something that turns out to be incorrect - and you know that also.
These Apple trolls? Hmmm.... they never do either.
Their only goal is to defend Apple's honor... to the death. No matter what.
With respect to the technical problem of copying files off of iOS to any other platform without using the cloud, the Apple trolls claim that iTunes can do it and that SMB can do it.
And yet, Apple publicly disavows any support whatsoever of Linux.
And Android.
So how do these Apple trolls copy files from iOS to Android?
(HINT: They don't. They lied.)
When the Apple trolls claim to copy from iOS to Android using the Files SMB capability, they're lying because it's not possible (to my knowledge).
On Tue, 15 Apr 2025 17:26:01 -0000 (UTC), badgolferman wrote :
Actions speak louder than words, little boy. And you always side with >>>Arlen - religiously (you even forgave him for impersonating you lol).
I will agree with anyone who speaks the truth or makes a rational
statement, even you on occasion. But I learned my lesson the last
time I agreed with you when I realized you were lying.
But what's SHOCKING different is the Google Play Store update mechanism is >>shocking deficient. It's so bad I'd assess it at almost totally worthless.
I'm satisfied with how the Play Store updates this Amazon tablet considering
that Google is a trespasser. When I check every few days (because
auto-update is off) there usually are apps wanting update so it's working,
perhaps not to your standards, but good enough for me (YMMV). And some apps
wanting update in the Play Store were originally installed from the Amazon
Appstore. Apparently Amazon uses older app versions that Google wants to
update which I suppose is logical since the Fire OS is based on an earlier
Android version.
You'll be shocked at the differences (hundreds of updates are missing!). >>Not to give you too much information, but there are updaters and there are >>updaters, where some updaters actually look at other repositories, while >>other updaters only look at the Google Play Store repository.
Thanks for the info but I think I'd be pushing things trying to mod this
tablet any more. It works as well as some much higher priced Android
tablets I've had in the past. And it's light and very comfortable to hold.
Amazon still updates the tablet OS from time to time and I do worry that
one day it will kick Google out... 8-O
BTW, For anyone reading this and thinking of trying the same Amazon/Google
mod there is another benefit. Amazon Fire tablets come with ads on the
lockscreen. For $30US Amazon will remove the ads. But with this Google mod
the lockscreen ads go away, no 30 bucks needed. Take that Amazon...
