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A comment on Google to require developer verification to install and sideload Android apps. Parent comment

Re:Google to require developer verification to install and s... by worldsayshi on Monday August 25, 2025 @06:25PM (#45019878)
Developers sometimes seem to be as in control as farmers are of the distribution of their produce. There's no absolute rule that gives the owners of large scale distribution networks power over both producer and consumer. It's just laws of convenience. It's easier for everyone to go through a few or just a single common broker.

There's no law against a more democratic way to implement the broker either but it requires interesting methods of coordination and/or decision making that doesn't seem to exist yet?

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Google to require developer verification to install and s... by donmcronald on Monday August 25, 2025 @06:54PM (#45020144)
It limits choice. I don’t have any experience building mobile apps because I didn’t want to buy into an unfair ecosystem. That means fewer mobile apps even if distribution networks change tomorrow.
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Re:Google to require developer verification to install and s... by brailsafe on Monday August 25, 2025 @07:54PM (#45020624)
> I don’t have any experience building mobile apps because I didn’t want to buy into an unfair ecosystem

Seems like it wouldn't be much of a stretch to compare that statement to not starting a business because the economy is unfair. People indeed don't start businesses when the bureaucratic or tax overhead outweighs the financial benefit, but nobody loses sleep over an individual's hypothetical missed opportunity to learn a new skill but them. Doesn't matter to the platform owners unless it also stops being profitable, so it's their job to maintain the profitability for their ecosystem despite whatever barriers they put up.

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Re:Google to require developer verification to install and s... by BrenBarn on Monday August 25, 2025 @11:47PM (#45022061)
> There's no law against a more democratic way to implement the broker either but it requires interesting methods of coordination and/or decision making that doesn't seem to exist yet?

It's not enough to not have a law against it, we need to have and enforce laws requiring it.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Google to require developer verification to install and s... by worldsayshi on Tuesday August 26, 2025 @06:04AM (#45024471)
I'm not so sure that we can even rely on legislation for this. I think we need new ways or new technology for collective decision making that doesn't rely on a pre existing healthy legislative environment.
[ Parent | on HN ]