Objective - FOSS App Reviews

General Objective is to come up with a place for app reviews for the FOSS community.

Like so many users, we use FDroid for Android. It is great, and nice, and not without its own faults or certain things it is lacking. One thing its lacking, especially when you compare it to other “app stores” is a review sections. Granted, the objective of FDroid is not to provide a review and scores. That is a TON of overhead. Especially if you allow users to rate and make comments and more. The objective of FDroid is provide a place to download apps that are free and open source outside of the Android App Stores that are run by mega-corps.

While one that is more savvy can find a way to get to the code repo (most of the time), and then assess for themselves how “popular” and “good” it is based on the stars, watches, issues and such, it can still be a gamble. Additionally, more and more people are turning towards FDroid for apps. Many people are slowly making that way to full FDroid, and many of them are not that tech savvy…yet. There is so much information to take in, and more importantly, it may not still apply.

With FDroid, I remember not that long ago when they did not have the “last updated” time range at the top, but was buried. Often, we want an app that works, and it could be last updated 8 years ago and still works great (I don’t need the latest greatest calculator that is updated monthly). Othertimes, there are apps that are only a year old that seem like they were never fully completed. FDroid does not clean or clear out old apps, especially if the source code repo is no longer listed. FDroid will also not not allow you to install if its not compatiable with your version of Android (that is something the OS will do).

In the FDroid app, all you have to go on is the description from the developer, the images IF any, and the links to the source code IF its there and updated AND you can understand it. Again, even in the case of the source code, it can still be difficult to determine if its the right fit for you.

None of this is a knock against FDroid or developers. Its the general state of things, and other “app stores” have similar issues, but sometimes even compounded. I want to encourage FDroid and these developers. I DO NOT want FDroid to have a review section or a rating system. I want developers to take notes of what users think of their application and take any possible ideas. I recognize that can be difficult, as often people want a niche thing, and the developer created a niche thing, but they are two different niches. That is fine. Its also difficult because FDroid doesn’t have that feedback system (and shouldn’t), so there is no place for common users (or users that just don’t want to create a microsoft github profile to make an issue for a comment) to make a comment. Nor do I think every comment is good and productive.

The objective here is to write some reviews, initially for myself and what I use. This is just so I don’t get into a boot loop/install loop with certain apps while looking for what I need/want. I hope to provide some good feedback, that either the developer will find useful, or another user. I want to encourage the developer to possibly fix some problems or make changes…or possibly have a small community of additional users supporting the application.

Eventually, I hope to possibly have a rating system…but I have no idea how that would go especially as a single person and there is so many aspects. Plus, how can one person truly compare a calculator app to a complex network security scanning app? Some things to ponder there. Possibly, I might try to create a more robust review page and system for common users. That would be fun and long term project. We will see if I decide to go down that path.

For now, please enjoy thoughts on these apps, and let me know if/when I get something wrong, and if it helps you.

Thank you!