[Feature Request] Distribute the application via F-Droid

[Kratacoa]

Given that the application is an open source front-end, it would be cool to have it distributed via an appropriate store.

[acristescu]

I have no qualms with distributing the app through F-Droid, although I suspect the number of people that would actually be installing it is quite low. However the problem comes from the fact the process seems to be quite involved... This is apparently just a quick start. To quote a living legend "ain't nobody got time for that" :)

As far as I could tell there is no easy way to deploy to F-Droid from Bitrise. If one such method could be found that takes no more than a couple of hours to implement I will be happy to do it though.

[bqv]

Registering interest, because ..."please!"

[malte-v]

I also think this app would be a great addition to F-Droid. However, we would first have to create a variant with all unfree dependencies removed, in particular Google's proprietary Play Services. Would you be fine with maintaining such a free/libre branch @acristescu?

[bqv]

Answer: no

[malte-v]

I'm sorry, what exactly is your role within this project @bqv?

[bqv]

Not involved, but I noticed you'd been ignored so I figured I'd let you know

[acristescu]

Sorry guys, I could swear I answered this somewhere, but obviously it was not here. @bqv might have seen that other message (wherever it is) and was just conveying the message.

TLDR; removing google play services is a hard task, one I do not have time to tackle. Even if somebody builds such a branch, I doubt I could maintain it.

Play services are used throughout the app:

• I think the smart polling will not work (since AFAIK WorkManager requires Play services - but investigation is needed).
• Crash reporting is dependent on firebase.
• Google Auth is dependent on play services.
• debug builds have stetho in them (which is Facebook)
• play billing is used for supporters

An alternative for each of these will need to be found and implemented.

If anybody wants to undertake something like this... be my guest.

[bqv]

Not quite the same, but since I'm maintaining a patchset, I've pushed my version to Skydroid as onlinego.skydroid.fron.io.

I reccomend skydroid over f-droid anyway, because it's a better polished app, decentralized, and has f-droid bridges to have everything in the repo as a subset...

Happy to keep pushing updates to that, but I haven't made any modifications w.r.t "nonfree-ness" (yet?) so if that bothers you, steer clear

[bqv]

Updated to not have any of the stuff listed above, I think that makes it free now?

https://to.skydroid.app/onlinego.skydroid.fron.io