What happened to com.simplecity.amp_pro (Shuttle+)?

Apps
1

Hello,

F-Droid used to include a very good app called Shuttle (com.simplecity.amp_pro).

Sadly, it has since been removed; it doesn’t seem to be present in the Archive either.
Can I ask what has happened with this app? I’m not entirely familiar with the F-Droid process, but I did very much enjoy using that app. Since moving to a new device, I’m obviously not able to re-install it from F-Droid.

Is there a policy re: abandoned apps? I should note that some abandoned apps (of arguably much less utility) are still either in the main repository or the Archive, so I’d hazard a guess that it wasn’t removed purely due to age.

EDIT: After a bit more investigation, it seems to have been wiped out by 7ee6a3d8ee.

This is quite frustrating, as the app is still great (and, arguably, one of the best music players you can get for Android). Could we possibly look at reinstating it, at least in the Archive?

2

It was disabled due to included the proprietary com.android.billingclient library.

3

Hmm, I don’t understand – aren’t proprietary libraries not allowed in F-Droid in the first place? Or was this proprietary package included as part of an update?

4

The process largely relies on known proprietary libraries being flagged manually as such and added to the checker.

So many apps with proprietary code has slipped through over the years.

However there has been much work the past few years on reducing it, as is shown by this removal.

5

Also the app is not even maintained anymore, see their GitHub

6

There seems to be a successor with Shuttle2 but it’s also full of proprietary libs

7

I can get in touch with the developer regarding this, perhaps they would be receptive to creating a build for F-Droid without those libraries.

While this is potentially off-topic for this thread, I’m curious as to what the payment procedure for F-Droid apps is – as you are most likely aware, previously Shuttle+ (the Premium version) was offered for free via F-Droid (as opposed to the free version).

Personally, something about that process leaves me quite uncomfortable. The work the developer has put into that app (and its successor) is definitely something to be proud of. Offering that for free without any form of donation seems like an injustice to them.

That is certainly news to me!

Regardless, I see two options here: perhaps I could petition for the inclusion of Shuttle+ into Izzy’s, or I could perhaps fork the app and take a crack at removing those proprietary libraries myself.

It seems a great shame that such an iconic app is now being left behind, though. Definitely want to do something about this.

While I can understand this perspective, I’m unsure as to what it means for the application. I would hazard a guess that, if it were to be re-included without the proprietary libraries, it would find itself in the Archive (due to its target API levels, etc.) …?

(Also, apologies if editing messages here is anything like GitHub where it spams your email. Just trying to centralize my thoughts in one reply.)

8

Donation links.

FairEmail, Netguard, Cryptomator, etc, have their own solutions with keys.

9

Shuttle (com.simplecity.amp_pro) was removed from F-Droid due to reasons linked to 7ee6a3d8ee, but reconsideration for inclusion in the Archive could be explored.