Hello everyone,
I got frustrated with LineageOS’ all-too-frequent updates borking my system, so I decided to give /e/ a go - so far I like what I see! Particularly the fact that it’s based on Android 7.1. for my phone, with current security updates.
I have always been running my smartphones without a google account, without Gapps or microG, with f-droid apps only.
I have a few questions that I could not find answers to even after semi-diligent searching:
The /e/ App Store
Are all applications therein OpenSource?
Is there a similar ranking as on f-droid (“Anti-features” etc.) - so far I have not seen anything
how are the apps chosen, who “runs” the store?
Can I install and use the f-droid app like I’m used to? Possibly disabling the official app store app? Do people using /e/ do that?
Same question for AFWall+, which I’m pretty sure I cannot be without?
Do people root their /e/ phones?
FAQ 1 says that there is “one proprietary application though” - even after reading the statement it is not clear to me what that one application is?
Hi @nihili,
Thanks for trying out /e/ on your device…you did not mention which device you are using.
Let me respond to your queries at least the ones I know answers to
No not all are Open Source
There is a basic rating system which you can see in the screenshot on this link
There is a long running thread on thishere where users suggest names of apps they want to see in the AppStore
Yes you can install Fdroid. Though I am not sure if disabling AppStore will be a good idea and post that if the ROM will work smoothly. User may be doing this.
Not tested it but you should be able to install it
It is not required for the smooth running of the ROM but some users do root their /e/ phones to install various apps
Not sure which FAQ you are mentioning but if it is this FAQ then the statement has a link which has more details.
This is Magic Earth maps. However, it is a very good privacy-respecting app without built-in trackers. It was chosen because it simply has no alternative among the open-source solutions.
I think it would be a right thing to give user a choice on which store to run in their system. Honestly, I’m not too excited about the fact that I’ll have to install F-Droid manually, while on LineageOS for MicroG I have it by default.
