Hi there:
First of all, many thanks for F-Droid.
I find the app uncomfortable since many years and I would like small changes.
I want to donate to F-Droid, but only if that helps getting the changes I want in the app. Something like Bountysource.
Is that possible with F-Droid?
Regards,
rdiez
Bountysource feels odd, eg. their latest policies were saying that “if nothing happens we take your money anyway”, not sure if they change it or if it was a backlash.
Anyway, what feature you’d like to sponsor?
Bountysource feels odd, eg. their latest policies were saying that
“if nothing happens we take your money anyway”,
not sure if they change it or if it was a backlash.
Yes, you are right about Bountysource.
But I gather from your answer that there is nothing similar for F-Droid at the moment.
Anyway, what feature you’d like to sponsor?
I find the app quite unfriendly.
There is no “automatically update all apps” option. I am aware that Android often prompts, making fully-automated updates impossible. I am guessing
that Google is making it difficult on purpose. But F-Droid could document how to make such an option work smoothly on exactly what models, versions,
or with which Android configuration settings. Or just try and let it prompt, if that is what the user wants.
I myself can manually update my apps when the notification comes up. But most people I help are afraid, or lazy, and will never update anything if
they have to confirm anything. That is a security risk.
At the very least, the update page/tab should have an “update all” button. At the moment, I need to click every app through.
I do not know why the “Updates” page/tab is called “Aufgaben” in German, which translates to “Tasks”. It should be labelled “Aktualisierungen” if not
“Updates” too, which everybody in Germany understands now (from Windows Updates).
It should not be necessary to “drag” the top of the screen down to update the app list on the “Updates” page/tab. There should be a button labelled
“update” that you can tap on, next to the “Update all” button I am requesting. Trying to explain to somebody on the phone to drag the top of the
screen down, but only inside the F-Droid app, is not funny anymore.
Then a tab titled “Installed apps” is missing. It is buried in the options, which I find unnecessarily hard to find.
Then there is the magnifying glass at the bottom right to search for an app. That should be a text field prominently displayed at the top, which has
got the focus right away. The default views “Latest” and “Categories” are a useless intermediate step, I could never find any app there comfortably.
Your own website , f-droid.org , has a simple text field for searching right on the front page. I always find apps faster that way.
Why do I have to download an app first, and then install it? I just want one click.
Now I downloaded one app by mistake. It did not land in the standard “Downloads” folder. How do I get rid of it? It looks like I must install it first
in order to be able to uninstall it later on. But I do not want to install an app I downloaded by mistake.
I would not sponsor this kind of development work alone because of many reasons. I am not even sure that I would want to follow all the issues above
through, because I bet there is opposition in many aspects. Dealing with developers on usability issues can be frustrating.
But I cannot be the only one with such gripes. The concept behind Bountysource has worked for me in the past: many people find themselves and put
money upfront. More often than not, the amount of money is not actually enough to cover development cost. But the developers then realise that the
feature or gripe is a real thing among users, just from the fact that users are prepared to part with money to get something done.
Best regards,
rdiez
But I gather from your answer that there is nothing similar for F-Droid at the moment.
True
There is no “automatically update all apps” option. I am aware that Android often prompts, making fully-automated updates impossible.
If rooted, it just works.
If not, update all downloads all APKs.
Yes, it does not spam you with 20 install screens one over another. Not sure I’d like that.
I am guessing that Google is making it difficult on purpose.
Yes, they have a monopoly of stores on Android and F-Droid is…not blocked…but not helped either.
But F-Droid could document how to make such an option work smoothly on exactly what models, versions
No. Not really. There’s no magic “root” button that we can make.
or with which Android configuration settings. Or just try and let it prompt, if that is what the user wants.
See above
At the very least, the update page/tab should have an “update all” button. At the moment, I need to click every app through.
There is one, or toggle “autoupdate” from settings
I do not know why the “Updates” page/tab is called “Aufgaben” in German
https://hosted.weblate.org search for F-Droid join Team fix it
It should not be necessary to “drag” the top of the screen down to update the app list on the “Updates” page/tab.
There’s no need for that, enable autoupdates from settings (yes there are bugs, 1.9 should help). The gesture is for “manual check of index”
Then a tab titled “Installed apps” is missing. It is buried in the options, which I find unnecessarily hard to find.
You don’t have a… Launcher ? Why do you need this exactly?
That should be a text field prominently displayed at the top
That would be nice, open a client Issue
which has got the focus right away.
That would be rude…if I touch it, yes, pop a keyboard.
Why do I have to download an app first, and then install it?
It helps you update apps, you’ll forget to check every app and download 13 apks and install each one.
Now I downloaded one app by mistake. It did not land in the standard “Downloads” folder. How do I get rid of it?
Launcher? Home screen? Android Settings ->Apps or F-Droid Settings Installed apps…so many options.
It looks like I must install it first in order to be able to uninstall it later on. But I do not want to install an app I downloaded by mistake.
This is not true…wtf…read above
I think this is actually intended. It is planned to add more to that tab (like suggesting to donate for apps that you used for a long time, security notices etc). The word “Aktualisierungen” is too long to be displayed as the tab title.
If you want to donate towards the maintenance of a specific app, you could find an fdroiddata maintainer, and ask them to maintain an app, then send them a donation via whatever they have setup. We have discussed having a “sponsor an app” level in Liberapay/OpenCollective.
Updates in German means Aktualisierungen. Updates in English has many more meanings than software updates. Asking someone to “keep me updated” has nothing to do with software. The Updates tab has new installs, status, known vulnerabilities, etc. as well as software updates.
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