Why can I not delete preinstalled applications?

[kats]

I’m fine with having some preinstalled apps as suggestions, if you will. I do resent not being able to uninstall those apps. Why would you force me to keep a task app around, that is unable to list subtasks correctly and does not meet my requirements? As a result I have two apps, the one I use and the one I would love to get rid of but can’t. This has been bugging me more and more.

The reason I use /e/ is that I want more control over my phone. Having apps that I don’t use clutter up my workspace is the opposite of that. It seems so pointless too. I cannot imagine any reason at all why I wouldn’t be able to delete something silly like a tasks app.

Please, please, please allow us to uninstall apps that we do not need.

Thanks.

Regain your privacy! Adopt /e/ the unGoogled mobile OS and online services

[AnotherElk]

@kats

Please, please, please allow us to uninstall apps that we do not need.

Nobody’s keeping you from just doing it.

Uninstall default apps

You can uninstall pre-installed Apps. Whether “easily” applies is subjective. To uninstall Apps permanently … Note the package name of the App in Settings - Apps & notifications - (select the App) - Advanced - (the package name is given at the bottom of the page, e.g. foundation.e.calendar) If not done already, make the Developer options visible by tapping on the Build number in Settings - About phone a few times until you are being declared a developer. If not done already, enable S…

[kats]

Thanks for pointing me to that thread, I might take a crack if I get very, very bored. But honestly, this should take half a minute and not require installing android developer tools on my computer. I’m not a developer and I have 0 aspirations. Never mind that most people wouldn’t be able to navigate using a terminal in the first place. That’s a ridiculous level of difficulty for something that should only require a couple of clicks. It’s a todo list app for fucks sake. The amount of hoops to jump through there is unacceptable. Especially for casual users.

[AnotherElk]

@kats

But honestly, this should take half a minute and not require installing android developer tools on my computer.

Technically it doesn’t require installing the tools.
(Sorry, couldn’t resist.)

@kats

I’m not a developer and I have 0 aspirations.

I’m not a developer either.

@kats

Never mind that most people wouldn’t be able to navigate using a terminal in the first place.

Which is a very sad state of affairs to begin with.
It takes going through 1 page for the basics.

https://tutorial.djangogirls.org/en/intro_to_command_line/

@kats

That’s a ridiculous level of difficulty for something that should only require a couple of clicks.

Fair enough.
“But why do they make it so easy if it can result in me shooting the OS to pieces with it? Yeah, there was some annoying warning message about whatever, I just made that go away.”

@kats

The amount of hoops to jump through there is unacceptable. Especially for casual users.

Do “casual users” even exist?
Who decides what “casual users” deem acceptable?
Some people might think “casual users” would just stay with Google instead of using a Custom ROM like /e/.
Some people might think “casual users” would just ignore Apps instead of wanting to delete them … I mean, is it even safe to delete preinstalled Apps? Would “casual users” know that?
When or how does a “casual user” become a “non-casual user”?

You are totally right in that /e/ could make things easier. Not by simplifying the deleting process, but even easier by giving a simple choice from the start.
A minimal /e/ version without preinstalled Apps was discussed for a while, but it’s not there currently. I don’t know why honestly, because it obviously would spare them a lot of flak they get for several things.

But the standard Android way to get rid of preinstalled Apps is there. Might not be everybody’s favourite procedure, but it does the job, and it does the job right now.

[kats]

@AnotherElk

“But why do they make it so easy if it can result in me shooting the OS to pieces with it? Yeah, there was some annoying warning message about whatever, I just made that go away.”

How yould you possibly shoot an OS to pieces by uninstalling a todo list app? I wouldn’t. I’m not talking about anything that powers the system here. I’m talking about optional apps like tasks or the email app. I had that twice too until I realised /e/ was just using a rebranded version of K9 anyhow.

@AnotherElk

Do “casual users” even exist?

Of course. Most people are casual users. Everyone has a phone. Hardly any of them are willing to learn the basics.

@AnotherElk

Some people might think “casual users” would just stay with Google instead of using a Custom ROM like /e/.

This is exactly waht /e/ wsa made for, no? To create a “mainstreamable” version of a Google free phone OS. To give people who are not developers or geeks the option to opt out of Google getting all up in their business. This is why /e/ is offered preinstalled on refurbisched phones and the FP, right? If it was only for geeks, they can just install Lineage OS and customise it to their hearts content.

@AnotherElk

A minimal /e/ version without preinstalled Apps was discussed for a while, but it’s not there currently. I don’t know why honestly, because it obviously would spare them a lot of flak they get for several things.

I would absolutely love that. I don’t mind preinstalled apps, I just want to be able to get rid of them without jumping through a bunch of geekhoops if they don’t do what I want them to. And I really don’t see why that would not be possible. Why would you try and lock me into a stupid usability app that I don’t want? It’s silly. And I can’t imagine it takes very long to fix.