[guardian-dev] Hello, and question about Android and gapps

[Hans-Christoph Steiner]

I think that's a save assumption.  AOSP (Android Open Source Project) provides a whole operating system that is truly free software.  Having to agree to Google's privacy policy to use it would make it non-free.  The ROMs are generally based off of AOSP.  So congratulations! you have escaped Google on your phone :).

If you want a Free as in Freedom app store, check out F-Droid.  We're working on getting all of our stuff in there, as well as all the things we find useful.

.hc

On Mar 26, 2012, at 4:56 AM, Rick Valenzuela wrote:

> Hi all --
> 
> I should probably start with a brief introduction; I've been reading the
> threads, and I suppose I'm one of the least technical people subscribing.
> 
> I had emailed with Nathan about joining the project/lists because I'm
> interested in its goals as a journalist. I know NGO and generally
> politically active people -- all much less technically inclined than I
> am -- who are concerned about privacy and security, but more or less out
> of their depths to do anything about it as an end user. So I'm hoping I
> could contribute feedback to help get these Android tools to a point
> where they would be easily adopted. I hope at some point to also help
> promote them.
> 
> But I'm also posting to ask a question. I've recently flashed a few new
> roms on my phone, and currently am trying out a 4.0.3 version from AOKP
> (now build 28). In my last update, I accidentally rebooted before
> flashing gapps. Of course, I didn't get the standard menus to add and
> sync my Google account. Because of the new privacy policy as well as
> never having agreed to Play's TOS during its rollout, I wanted to run
> with this. I had Titanium Backup, so I was able re-install anything from
> the Market I already had purchased/downloaded. It's been about a week
> without my backup gmail address associated with the phone, not
> Market/Play, not synced contacts or the GMail app.
> 
> Would it be safe to assume, then, that I've made evaded tying my phone
> into the Google's privacy/data policy? Is this a false understanding? It
> would be nice if it is, as I do have all the tools I need on this phone
> now.
> 
> Best,
> Rick
> --
> Rick Valenzuela
> photojournalist :: videojournalist
> rick at rickv.com :: www.rickv.com
> _______________________________________________
> Guardian-dev mailing list
> 
> Post: Guardian-dev at lists.mayfirst.org
> List info: https://lists.mayfirst.org/mailman/listinfo/guardian-dev
> 
> To Unsubscribe
>        Send email to:  Guardian-dev-unsubscribe at lists.mayfirst.org
>        Or visit: https://lists.mayfirst.org/mailman/options/guardian-dev/hans%40guardianproject.info
> 
> You are subscribed as: hans at guardianproject.info