Hacker News Reader

Comment by lone_haxx0r | Hacker News Reader

Google-free Android already exists, it's called Lineage OS

So, What's the difference between this and LineageOS?

One thing I noticed is that Lineage OS (and others) pings Google servers to check that the internet connection works. Which was hilarious to find out in China, where I'd connect to Wifi and it'd tell me I have no internet.

You can disable this check through ADB and then go manually into Firefox and go to http://detectportal.firefox.com/ to open up wifi login portals. It's a bit of drag - but it works

It's crazy to think Google knows when every Android user logs into a wifi.. I'm not sure how much info can be inferred from the ping - but still

As the Firefox domain name you mentioned above, the purpose is to trigger Captive Portal login pages:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captive_portal

Basically all browsers / OSes do the same thing to work with it.

You can also keep the check enabled but change the pinged URL via adb[0]. The check expects a HTTP 204 response which can be easily set up on a personal vps using apache or nginx.

[0] https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/186993/captive-p...

Lineage OS use Google DNS a lot of time.

Only Android 9 has a feature to easily change DNS to avoid Google tracking.

IIRC, it uses microG to emulate some Google services so that you can have push notifications without installing the play store. Otherwise, you have to go without for some things.

Also IIRC, microG requires you to allow signature spoofing, which has always creeped me out a tiny bit. I don't understand android well enough to fully understand the possible risks of that.

Please correct me if I'm mistaken.

It means a malicious app can pose as a legit app and pass the signature check.

However, it's also necessary for the microG services to pose as the Google services.

When you use the microg lineage build does that only fake the check for microg or does it also allow any other app to?

MicroG claims that it is disabled during normal usage and should pose no security risk.

You can look at the patch that makes it possible, it's not just that they claim this is the case. It is the case.

I agree, I was trying (usuccessfully) not to take a position in the microG - Lineage OS controversy.

Fundamentally the controversy is about what users should be able to do, not whether or not the proposed patches do what they claim. Or if it is, that is a part of that particular discussion that I missed.

I am not well versed in the topic, but as far as I understood Lineage OS has a strong policy not to circumvent security measures in Android.

Liked from microG FAQ

https://review.lineageos.org/c/LineageOS/android_frameworks_...

Apparently one of the given motivation from Lineage OS is that it can break API compatibility, I am definitely far away from my competence so I won't try to summarize more.

I think the reason is because LineageOS is listed as an approved Google ROM which passes the safetynet tests that google added to block custom roms. Some apps use safetynet to block users who have higher levels of access to their system. Allowing microg to work would put the google tick of approval at risk.

Well, LineageOS itself doesn't use microG, because the LineageOS developers seem as creeped out by signature spoofing as you. Stock LineageOS just goes without those Google services, so programs that need them won't work. microG make their own fork of LineageOS called LineageOS for microG that comes with signature spoofing enabled and microG installed, but it's a different product and not supported by the LineageOS developers.

The big difference is that they are creeped out by it while understanding exactly what it is for. They willfully limited user freedom (especially as it applies to being free of google) in their base distribution for reasons that don't make sense.

I'm guessing they wanna do a customer support and actually have things like bug fixes, OTA updates, etc? On the other hand, lineage is a little bit buggy here and there and the experience differs depending on the phones, which makes it more appropriate for hobbyist instead of non tech-savvy end-user

The main difference is not in the OS itself, but in the services around.

/e/ wants to provide a private set of services such as e-mail, files, etc.: https://e.foundation/e-solutions/

security and userfriendliness. as far as i can tell lineageOS is stock android as released by google with a few fixes for obvious problems and to make it work on several devices.

lineageOS is also not entirely google free as far as i know. it only does not contain the non-free google apps, like the market, maps, etc..., but there still may be code to call home and what not.

/e/ specially not only removes hidden google stuff but adds userfriendly tools and utilities and works on integrating them. (for example lineageOS does not come with f-droid or other trustworthy markets preinstalled)

but there still may be code to call home and what not

where?

See u/geokons comment above.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com