Root Google's new licensing service

[istolvampire]

Can someone explain how this will effect root users? I would be very grateful. I have read all the information I can find but still not clear about it. I have so many questions I don't know where to start and am left feeling like i own an iphone now.

How does this effect SD card apps?
What about people who can’t purchase in some countries? As I have friends in countries who can’t get Root Explorer the legal way. So now if they rom they can’t change anything?
What keeps someone from just flat out stealing the code for your app and making their own without the DRM feature and making their own app not found in the market?
What happens when I have no service?
What about my data charges?
Can I still modify apps? Like change the icon and repack it?
What about children who can't purchase apps legally due to age?


etc....

I care for developers but I feel any DRM type feature just kills the spirit of android.

 

[OMJ]

I think its a good thing honestly. It allows developers to protect their apps from piracy. Right now it is pretty easy to pirate android apps and there are apparently websites that make a lot of money off of pirating apps.

The reason I think that its good is because it will ultimately bring more developers to android and make the current android devs happier.

I do feel for the people in non market countries but I still dont see that as good reason for pirating apps. If you are in a non market country and really want a particular paid app then I would talk to the dev and see if its possible to pay and get a non drm copy of the apk. Most devs are very helpful and happy to work with people.

 

[ska.t73]

Well I can't answer all of the questions, but Koush has come out in support of it so I don't think it is going to effect much for root users.

 

[OMJ]

How does this effect SD card apps?
What keeps someone from just flat out stealing the code for your app and making their own without the DRM feature and making their own app not found in the market?
What happens when I have no service?
What about my data charges?
Can I still modify apps? Like change the icon and repack it?
What about children who can't purchase apps legally due to age?

I missed some of your questions.

To remake the app without the drm you would most likely need the source code. It is probably possible without but it would be difficult.

I dont know what happens when you have no service or are in airplane mode. I hope there is a solution to this.

Hard to say if you will be able to change icons and such. I dont think it will be an issue as long as you are no unpacking the apk and are not changing the file size drastically though.

Children should be talking to their parent about purchasing apps. Im too young to buy it so I am going to steal it is not a valid argument in my book

 

[wadsface]

I personally think it is a very good idea.

In my opinion nothing is going to kill Android faster then developers fleeing the platform because right now you can visit a popular torrent site and with a few clicks download over 3000 .apks in a single "collection" torrent.

Some of the questions you had
-about the SD Card apps, I assume you mean ones that you move to the SD card storage, and this would have no effect on those at all.
-just because you dont live in another country doesnt mean you can steal apps, wait until the app is availiable or live without it
-I dont know what keeps people from modding the app to not have the drm as I dont know enough about it, but from what OMJ said, if you need the source code, then time and knowledge will keep 99% of people from doing this.
-I would be very surprised if the app would just not let you use it while in airplane mode, if the dev built that feature into the app then that is their "fault" (right, imo) and not a failure of google. Also I am guessing the data usage is about as minimal as you can get. A line of text sent to the market server which reads a list and sends back a yes or no.
-Again I don't know about modding the apks like that
-Lastly I agree with OMJ

Children should be talking to their parent about purchasing apps. Im too young to buy it so I am going to steal it is not a valid argument in my book

 

[istolvampire]

Thanks for the replies. All good points.

I guess we will just wait and see but if apps start to show slow down, measurable data usage or unforeseeable problems because of this then all I see is people uninstalling the app and giving it a bad review wherever possible.

Also there are widgets that let me turn off 3g and wifi now to save battery life. I guess I need to toggle them every time I get ready to use an app now?

I already pay a premium for data usage and don't want one more thing adding to that but like I said I will wait and see. Any DRM is just a bad idea(imo). Makes me feel like I am just leasing and not purchasing the app.

Can't wait till the lawyers start filling up the system with lawsuits over this like they do for the music/movie industry.

ps. Maybe this is just Google's way of collecting more data. As if they don't know enough about me already.

 

[supersaki]

I missed some of your questions.

To remake the app without the drm you would most likely need the source code. It is probably possible without but it would be difficult.

I dont know what happens when you have no service or are in airplane mode. I hope there is a solution to this.

Hard to say if you will be able to change icons and such. I dont think it will be an issue as long as you are no unpacking the apk and are not changing the file size drastically though.

Children should be talking to their parent about purchasing apps. Im too young to buy it so I am going to steal it is not a valid argument in my book

If they can get the source code, the program is most likely open source anyways.

Off-line or airplane mode depends completely on the developer and what (s)he choose to do in that situation.

This shouldn't affect themeing an app in any way, as it's just a few extra lines in the code to query a server. It's not like it will be doing a full .apk scan every time you open the application.

Agreed about the children part. [Off-topic] Although there is rumors that Google will allow carrier billing (ie buy apps and the charge shows up on phone bill). Funnest times when I sold cell phones was discussing with parents the half dozen $9.99 charges on Juniors phones were for 'Hot babes wallpapers' and various other porn related apps.

Thanks for the replies. All good points.

I guess we will just wait and see but if apps start to show slow down, measurable data usage or unforeseeable problems because of this then all I see is people uninstalling the app and giving it a bad review wherever possible.

Also there are widgets that let me turn off 3g and wifi now to save battery life. I guess I need to toggle them every time I get ready to use an app now?

I already pay a premium for data usage and don't want one more thing adding to that but like I said I will wait and see. Any DRM is just a bad idea(imo). Makes me feel like I am just leasing and not purchasing the app.

Can't wait till the lawyers start filling up the system with lawsuits over this like they do for the music/movie industry.

ps. Maybe this is just Google's way of collecting more data. As if they don't know enough about me already.

Data usage should be minimal. I don't see develops using the licensing check every time you open an app. Most likely on first-use and on update checks (when it would be using data anyways).

 

[OMJ]

If they can get the source code, the program is most likely open source anyways.

I honestly have never really looked for or through source code other than AOSP or Cyanogenmod but I dont think many paid apps are open source. Unless its something like a donate version and there is a free version of the app.

 

[istolvampire]

I still see this whole thing being easily hacked like almost everything else gets hacked.

Also with all the bootloader crap and now this it seems like that walled garden is going up fast.lol

 

[johnlgalt]

I cannot see how this is a walled garden compared to the encrypted bootloader - that is an OEM trick to 'protect' their phones from being messed with, this is a system to allow developers more freedom in being able to publish apps and help prevent piracy.

 

[ska.t73]

Data usage should be minimal. I don't see develops using the licensing check every time you open an app. Most likely on first-use and on update checks (when it would be using data anyways).

^This... This licensing check is not new, it is used in most digital art programs today (Photoshop, 3DS Max, etc.) The licensing check is done when you first instal the software and get your serial key to unlock it. Almost all of the software is available as free time locked demos, so that all you need to do is download the demo and then when you purchase the key it will go out to the developers site and verify that it is legit.

There are ways around it sure, but I really don't see people going out of there way to crack this for 2.00 apps.

 

[istolvampire]

Thanks to everyone for the educational help.