Why I nag about Permissions

mrsmumbles

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Very good read. It's depressing though to think the internet as is is on its way out.

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4runnerbrett

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I went to to update twitter today and the permissions are absolutely insane.
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nessinhaw

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yeah...app permissions are getting crazier and crazier!

i'm also one of those few who limit the apps on their phone to STRICTLY what i use! and after extensely searching for the app with the least crazy permissions!

i just don't go "oh, this seems cool" and then i install and forget the app!

before reseting my phone, i had 500px app and barely ever used it as many games i didn't play anymore...didn't even bother to install again!

it's actually crap to brag about "play store has gazillion apps" when at least 90% is junk and from the other 10%, if you ACTUALLY use more than about 20 apps, that's a win!

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someguy01234

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Doesn't help that Google take away app ops with 4.4.2 which is inaccessible without root.

Twitter permissions aren't so bad comparing to Facebook.
u8uvydu5.jpg

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6eganyje.jpg


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A895

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Privacy concerns at times makes me want to get a BlackBerry. I know this fall I will consider the high end model they are said to come out with. Or I might break down and get a Lumia Icon.

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garublador

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I'll start by saying that Google should require a detailed, and accurate description of how each of these permissions are used for any given app. They also need to allow the user to decide on which app has access to which permission on a permission by permission basis (like they did in 4.3). However, there is a bit of "the sky is falling" type hysteria regarding Android permissions so I'll play Devil's advocate a bit.

I went to to update twitter today and the permissions are absolutely insane.
Out of curiosity, which of those don't sound valid?

Doesn't help that Google take away app ops with 4.4.2 which is inaccessible without root.

Twitter permissions aren't so bad comparing to Facebook.
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/26/u8uvydu5.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/26/ny4uqa7a.jpg http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/26/6eganyje.jpg

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Don't those pictures show that these apps are using these permissions correctly? They all say "Never Used." Wouldn't that mean that they don't go out and do a bunch of shady things without you knowing it?
 

Devlyn16

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I strongly suggest this is read right the way through.

Coding Horror: App-pocalypse Now

interesting article however I am puzzled by this:
Now there are, at minimum, four radically different mobile platforms that every serious app player has to support:
  1. Android phone
  2. iOS phone
  3. iOS tablet
  4. Android tablet

Since Android includes the ability to be scaleable a Developer doesnt NEED to write a different app for Android Tablets.
 

Geodude074

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I disagree with the majority of this article.

"being nagged to install your damn apps." - This doesn't make sense to me. As a developer myself, I can say that if I created an app, I would try to advertise it to my customers. Also, if you frequently visit sites like Amazon, Netflix, or eBay, wouldn't you want to know that there's an app available for the site that makes it more convenient to launch and navigate? As a developer, there's no better way of advertising to your customers than promoting your products on your own web page. Is it annoying? Yes, but no more annoying than any other ad I encounter.

Millions of pointless apps - This doesn't make sense either. Having an abundance of apps is a GOOD thing. How is it ever a bad thing? Every person I know who owns a smartphone uses a few core apps (Facebook, YouTube, Pandora, etc), and then they have dozens of peculiar, weird, random apps that I've never heard of that PERSONALLY SUITS THEIR TASTE. That's the beauty of having a million apps - there's a greater chance that an app exists to your particular desire. Taking this away would make us move backwards, not forwards.

Fragmentation into parallel and incompatible app worlds - This I somewhat agree with, but this problem has existed before. When you code for a website, you have to make sure that it's compatible for IE, Chrome, Firefox, etc. When you write an x86 program, most people just assume it's for Windows, they don't even realize it's probably not available for Unix, Linux, OSX, or some weird random OS out there. I guess what I'm trying to say is, this is nothing new, fragmentation has existed forever. Except this time, we aren't dominated by a single OS (Windows during the 80's/90's/00's) but instead we're facing a two-party OS dominance (iOS and Android), with iOS being more fragmented I'd say, since all apps for iOS have to be coded for the different resolutions of each device, whereas in Android the resolution scales natively.

Paying for apps became a race to the bottom, When apps are free, you're the product - This has less to do with apps and more with how supply/demand works. When apps are in over supply, there's more competition, the price will lower, and developers will have to think of ways to generate revenue (ads, in-app purchases). When apps are in short supply (think back to the mid 90's) people won't hesitate to spend $50 on an antivirus because they don't know of any other software that's equivalent.

The app user experience is wildly inconsistent - This I agree with. This is more of a developer problem. Make your apps more consistent, developers.

The World Wide App - This may be the solution to everything, actually. Just make all apps HTML5 based and increase HTML5's functionality. No more Java/XML for Android. No more... whatever they use for iOS. No more C#/Javascript for Windows Store apps. Let's just have one unified programming language that will be accessible on any and all devices.
 
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PiggyMiddle

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Don't those pictures show that these apps are using these permissions correctly? They all say "Never Used."

That's the optional "Description" line for the Permission and is defined by the app builder. If they say they are never going to use it, then why demand it? Yeah, right, like I trust them. HA!!
 

PiggyMiddle

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Since Android includes the ability to be scaleable a Developer doesnt NEED to write a different app for Android Tablets.

Scalable and Port-able are two different things. An ios crap, er sorry, app will not directly run on an Android phone, or vise versa. There are system tables that need to be loaded for each individual OS. The actual core code of the app will be pretty much the same, but even then, probably not all of it. Different soft-keys etc.
 

PiggyMiddle

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I disagree with the majority of this article.

OK, but the things you object to are more likely to benefit you or an advertiser than the poor dope holding the phone who is stuck watching stuff fly past they don't want, need or care about.

"Is it annoying? Yes, but no more annoying than any other ad I encounter."

If you find it annoying then why perpetuate it? Because others do it does not mean you have to. I have seen a guy twist the head off a live pigeon, but not something I would ever do. Also, the reason I posted that link was more for the useless Permissions issue (as my Subject Heading mentions) than ads. BUT, now that you, as a developer, have brought that up, how many Permissions do you ask for that REALLY have any useful influence over how the app works?

I just uninstalled one of the better card-games as the recent update just added "Record Audio." That is just down right creepy stuff as it leaves a base module constantly running which can record at any time and not just when I am playing the game. What is that all about?

The sooner Google reinstates that "testing" one-app that 4.3 briefly had, the better. Give back control to the people who own the damned phone. You don't see GM/Ford etc., coming over and changing the seat or heater settings on your car do you?

If you really had concern for the end user, you would make it easier for them to like your stuff by not hammering them with a zillion Permissions, few of which benefit them.. I can accept the need for a few to cover the advertising in free apps, but after that, only Permissions that are actually needed to run the app should be demanded.

Just a side note, I have been programing for 35+ years and have provided a very comfortable retirement as a result. I know what it is like to have to promote and sell your product, and I also know the feeling of seeing it on many Warez sites as well. That never forced a knee-jerk to hammer the customer with locks and copy protections just because others were doing just that.
 

mrsmumbles

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Only having 15 minutes to test a paid app is ridiculous. It should be 14 days, as with desktop software.

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someguy01234

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Don't those pictures show that these apps are using these permissions correctly? They all say "Never Used." Wouldn't that mean that they don't go out and do a bunch of shady things without you knowing it?
Actually I don't use Facebook or Twitter, I only install it to look at the permission then uninstall them.

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mrsmumbles

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Hah, if that was the case I would have beat the game before returning it. Sounds more like a rent.

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It depends on the app. Some of them you can check out and see if you want a refund in 5 minutes but other ones have a lot of features it would take time to check out.

Plus, not all devs can be reached. I installed an app on 3 devices, decided to get the paid version, paid and found out the next day the paid version only worked on 1 device. Dev is unreachable.

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stackberry369

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yeah...app permissions are getting crazier and crazier!

i'm also one of those few who limit the apps on their phone to STRICTLY what i use! and after extensely searching for the app with the least crazy permissions!

i just don't go "oh, this seems cool" and then i install and forget the app!

before reseting my phone, i had 500px app and barely ever used it as many games i didn't play anymore...didn't even bother to install again!

it's actually crap to brag about "play store has gazillion apps" when at least 90% is junk and from the other 10%, if you ACTUALLY use more than about 20 apps, that's a win!

sent from my Moto G <3

Why not download app ops?

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nessinhaw

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Why not download app ops?

Posted via Android Central App

i prefer to take care about what i install and only get stuff i REALLY use and has permissions according to what the app does!

this helps me keep my phone clean and smooth!

most of the time, pplz fill their phones with junk apps and when it starts lagging or draining too much battery because of a bad app, they blame the OS! which is ridiculous lol

by taking that simple care i mentioned, i don't need root nor any other stuff to keep my phone always going perfectly!

it's just like taking care which sites you go and download stuff from on the PC! anti-viruses wouldn't be needed IF everyone knew how to take the simple measure of being a bit careful!

sent from my Moto G