Sudhir D: >> We have fedora mobile app that is intended to keep you closer to latest >> happenings in the fedora land. Try it out >> (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fedoraqa.fedora) and >> give feedback. Joe Zeff: > Why does it need to be able to modify or delete your photos, media and > other files in USB storage? So it can hack you? Or, it's just programmed by security-unconcious people, who think it's simpler to state their program (erroneously) needs access to everything, and sheeple will just let it. I've steered clear of tablets and smart phones, because I just don't see the need for them in my life, but recently had to deal with one because my mother wanted one (for no good reason, either). Just about every app you might use/install claims it wants, or will get, access to your contacts, is able to make calls, a whole list of things that it just will not actually need to do for whatever it's actual purpose is. Even more galling is that you don't get options to block the accesses that you don't like, they're just a list of its demands. You either install it and allow it to rummage through everything, or you don't install it. Them's your choices. Quite frankly, something like a crossword puzzle app, for example, stating that it needs access to your microphone, all your photos and stored files, and your contact list, ought to be something that blocks it from ever being allowed into their appstore. But the appstores for these devices are completely inadequate in their vetting. I can't say that I noticed any "report this app" links in the appstores that I've looked at for friend's computing devices (tablets, Apple, Android, etc.). As far as I'm concerned, there ought to be a simple procedure that allows you to report apps, and be able to state such things as the program demanded access to things that it shouldn't be allowed to. With sufficient checks against malicious false reporting, such as program competitors and internet trolls, that kind of report ought to result in the app being blacklisted. The programmer then being faced with having to reprogram (without gratuitous permission demands on the user's devices) and resubmit it. Though the entire appstore experience has been appalling to me, including things like Linux software library equivalents. Searching for something often results in a gazillion barely-related items. The results give you inadequate information about the app so that you could make an informed decision about whether it will do what you want, how easy it might be to use, etc. With the appstores, it's very hard to tell what's free, adware infested, etc. And with the Linux repos, many of the websites listed in the data about a package are dead links, or lead to some useless github type website (it's just a list of the package and files, there's nothing for you to read about the program, no instructions, no manual, nothing). It strikes me that submitted packages need to be active, and have adequate documentation, before they're allowed to be included. -- [tim@localhost ~]$ uname -rsvp Linux 3.9.10-100.fc17.x86_64 #1 SMP Sun Jul 14 01:31:27 UTC 2013 x86_64 Boilerplate: All mail to my mailbox is automatically deleted, there is no point trying to privately email me, I only get to see the messages posted to the mailing list. I reserve the right to be as hypocritical as the next person. _______________________________________________ users mailing list -- users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe send an email to users-leave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
