Title
It has begun
(ps install the fork versions of the simple mobile tools suite, its called fossify)
And here we go… 🪦
Hmm, this app is also in the F-Droid repository with its old outfit.
Luckily it got forked : https://github.com/FossifyOrg/SMS-Messenger
There are a bunch of those “simple” apps on F-droid, such as Simple Contacts, Simple Calendar, and Simple Camera. I cannot find Simple Gallery in F-droid any more, it seems to have been replaced by its Fossify equivalent already.
In light of this, it could be an idea to check if you have any of those apps installed and consider replacing them with an alternative. I was using Simple Contacts until now (only listed as “Contacts” in my apps), so I guess it’s time to make some changes.
Simple Gallery got removed when people found it had non-FOSS Google libraries linked in while checking the Fossify rebrand/rework, just export your preferences and import them on Fossify Gallery (BE AWARE: There’s a bug in some launchers when an app uses custom icons like Simple Gallery and Fossify do, which breaks them, you’ll notice it if you import the preferences and you can no longer launch the app and have to uninstall/reinstall it to be able to even launch it again, in that case edit the exported Simple Gallery preferences and remove the icon line)
I have several of the apps installed. I went through and checked the permissions, and they’re still pretty sparse. The play store didn’t mention anything about updates, but a few of them, like Notes, seemed to be disabled.
Am I just a version behind or something?
If they’re from F-Droid you’re good; if you’re on Google Play I doubt they’ll update anything to get more permissions without your consent.
However, if the developer has taken a turn for the worse (which this post seems to indicate), you might not receive any more updates for your F-Droid software, and you might get to a point where you don’t want to install updates from Google Play. Software that cannot be updated is generally not a good thing.
Furthermore, these apps deal with somewhat sensitive information by default, and I wouldn’t want to use apps developed by a company I don’t trust if I don’t absolutely have to. :)
For everyone still using Simple Tools apps, switch to Fossify it’s a fork that has all that crap removed
Not removed, it was just never added.
True
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Disable updates has never been a solution. It’s a bandaid to a gaping wound.
True, but in this case it might be a good option until the corresponding Fossify app is available.
Link for others:
Wait what happened I am lost? Are they bad apps now?
Yea. They got bought by a bad company.
Rather it was sold to a bad company.
The dev will have hard time getting anyone trust him anymore.
So far I only see Gallery, File Manager, and Calendar on IzzyOnDroid. Hopefully SMS and Contacts will be added soon.
They are still being worked on
dialer app is released too.
You can use Obtainium instead of F-droid. You can install Izzy, FD, or even better, direct from GitHub and other repos instead.
Throwback to when they announced releasing a simple phone. Fun times.
That was amazing. Someone linked to alibaba where you could buy the same 4? Year old phone for something like $120USD. Someone else dredged up a weird eastern European connection for the ‘FOSS’ OS. And they promised support, which ended when you bought the pos.
why would you want or need a separate SMS/MMS application on your phone in the first place?
- You don’t like the Google app
- You don’t want to use Google apps out of principle
- You’re using a version of Android where Google apps are not installed by default, so you need to install something
Well yeah, I didn’t consider those points, especially the last with android distros not all come with gapps.
You might want more control of how the app looks. Or maybe an app has some UI features you like.
I used Textra for years, but did eventually switch back to the default android messenger when I started encountering issues.
What issues? I have used for… I don’t even know. Feels like since my first smart phone. Never had issues.
I don’t really remember now, but I think it was something to do with having issues sending images.
Default app sucks.
I use OpenContacts, it has its own database so nothing else can access it.
I was hoping more people would use RCS but I guess SMS will probably be the old fax machine in the future.
For Google photos/Contacts in particular, the gallery app was good because it would constantly ask to sync photos to the cloud.
sounds like an uninstall
Hopefully fossify will release fossify messenger soon. Fossify’s a project forking all the simple apps
So it begins
Simple Contacts and SMS were the only simple apps I’ve been using. Fortunately I’ve found Connect You, which does both. So goodbye simple
The Fossify forks of simple apps should be coming soon too, if you want to stick with something familiar. They’ve already released their calendar, gallery, and file manager, the rest should be ready pretty soon.
Also the Phone app from Fossify has been released. Fossify Phone. Use Obtainium to download the Phone app.
Does Connect You work for you? I can send messages, but if someone replies, the notification only shows their number instead of the name I saved them as, and the reply doesn’t show up in the chat itself
Yeah, it does seem to work for me perfectly. Neither of the issues are present for me
Thanks! Needed a replacement for Simple Contacts after this, Connect You seems like a much better app anyway. :)
Seconded, graphene’s contacts app isn’t the best, I’m gonna try this out.
They were sold to ZippoApps, who specializes in adding crapware to apps.
What else would we expect anyway…
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No. No it doesn’t. Israel might be a shitty country built on apartheid and illegal settlements, and netanyahoo might be genociding Gaza via IDF, but that doesn’t mean every individual should be regarded with a blanket statement.
But fuck ZippoApps anyway.
How did this get to Israel. How?
This BS about “genociding” Gaza again… do you like HAMAS terrorists?
If we judged citizens based on what their government does, I don’t think many of us would come out clean. As an American, I don’t want the whole world thinking that I agree with what the Feds are up to all the time. I recommend extending that same courtesy to people in countries who’s government you don’t like as well.
I am German, well…
So true! Ew FDP!
Shouldn’t judge their citizens, but should sanction and boycott their companies.
Shit, anyone have a good calendar on fdroid?
etar maybe?
I’ll check it out, thanks! I’m on fossify for now.
Etar is great!
Etar on f-droid
Fossify Calendar, which is a fork of Simple.
export settings and events from simple calendar, import settings and events to fossify and voilà.
I already had em in an ics from recently switching phones lol.
sigh. Most people will just accept the new default permissions without blinking an eye. They’re taking advantage of people’s ignorance.
You overestimate most peoples tech skills. They will never know because they have auto-updates activated.
Play store version is already infected. There was a buyout of SMT apps.
Oh, I see. They even stopped sponsoring Linux Mint, which is how I found SMT.
Edit: They used to be a gold sponsor: https://web.archive.org/web/20220201203412/https://linuxmint.com/sponsors.php
Which means $1,000/month.how could smt afford to donaye 1000 a month???
RIP Simple mobile apps. You were amazing while you lasted.
there are forks of code before the sellout and the releases are already out. use fdroid or obtainium. https://github.com/fossifyorg/
Yeee, I use the F-Droid version, so they’re clean.
Still a shame though…
