Publication of the app on F-Droid

[OzWT]

Could you please publish the application on F-Droid. So the update on the Android TV could be done by the F-Droid client without sideloading every time.

If it is too complicated, maybe the app could be added to IzzyOnDroid's repo.

Thank you very much.

[virresh]

Thanks for the suggestion!
I looked at F-Droid sometime ago, but unfortunately they have pretty strict criteria and I'm not certain that I will never have a proprietary dependency.

Also, F-Droid refusees to provide any kind of stats (will have to check out IzzyOnDroid for this, if you're aware, do let me know). The downloads counter provided by Github is a very useful metric for me to get other folks involved in development.

[OzWT]

Sorry for my late reply.
Hm, stats, difficult target. I think Izzy's repo doesn't provide stats as well. Maybe @IzzySoft could say something about that.
I would see it as another way to publish your app. As far as I know, it doesn't need any further action after it's set up once. Izzy's bot looks for the tags on new releases and then fetches the app from the github releases. And the F-Droid client provides the link to github as well. So people could open issues or contribute to development.

If you are still open for publishing your app in Izzy's repo, you would have to open an issue in his gilab repo. I could make this for you, but I would need to register a gitlab account first.

[IzzySoft]

I think Izzy's repo doesn't provide stats as well.

Nope, and with the same reasoning.

I could make this for you, but I would need to register a gitlab account first.

I'd also add it if it is decided such here (and the inclusion criteria are met) – I'm no bureaucrat 😉 With the latest release a year old: shall we wait for a fresh one, or is that the one that should be picked? My scanner found no offending libs, so it looks fine. Some screenshots and an icon would be appreciated, though (ideally fastlane structures, with summary & description inside as well). Is this for Android-TV only, or would it work on other devices as well?

[virresh]

So people could open issues or contribute to development.

That was my hope as well and had included link on the app's menu screen, but I tried hacktoberfest as well to incentivize contribution, and since nobody has shown interest yet, I conclude that it's still not enough. I'm fine with maintaining and bug fixing, though the time take greatly increases (as evident by the last release being an year old).

I have a gitlab and can log an issue, but since we're discussing this here itself, would like to know a bit more about this:

bot looks for the tags on new releases and then fetches the app from the github releases

1. Does this mean every download would be directly fetched from Github's hosted release? If so, we're set on the metrics point. Otherwise will this fetched binary be hosted somewhere?
   I am aware that the downloads metric might not be the most accurate and easily manipulated, but it's better than including telemetry for an app that doesn't need the internet to function. Otherwise, I might have to add some telemetry (but the app doesn't generate any revenue and I can't sustain paying for a data store at this time).

With the latest release a year old: shall we wait for a fresh one, or is that the one that should be picked?

4. I do have a pre-release as well. Is there a mechanism for different channels? For e.g Android 11 has a problem that has been fixed in Android 12 and affects the app. For this reason, I released an unstable experimental version but never really polished it because Android 12 already fixed the problem. Now I have two versions with different engines. Someday I'd want to combine them into a menu option so people can switch freely, but I don't think it'll happen soon.

Some screenshots and an icon would be appreciated

5. Sure, can take them from emulator screens. Icon was contributed sometime back, I'll look into the fastlane structures if we proceed with inclusion.

[virresh]

Is this for Android-TV only, or would it work on other devices as well?

Should work on any android, but doesn't make sense for anything except Android TVs (And a few special phones like https://www.gsmarena.com/sonim_xp3300_force-3792.php)

[IzzySoft]

Does this mean every download would be directly fetched from Github's hosted release?

Only once (to pull it to my repo). Users then get it from the latter via their F-Droid clients.

it's better than including telemetry for an app that doesn't need the internet to function

Full ack.

I might have to add some telemetry

I'd discourage that – it would earn you the Tracking anti-feature which certainly will scare users away.

I do have a pre-release as well. Is there a mechanism for different channels?

Currently not. I can tell my updater to skip pre-releases, or ignore/focus-on specific tag name patterns. But at least with my repo, there are no "channels" (yet; the next version of fdroidserver will have support for channels, but it first must become available before I can see if I can adapt that).

Now I have two versions with different engines.

Different applicationIds would make it possible to host both in parallel, but that might be overdoing it (especially if you plan a merge, which then would force half of your users to "migrate").

Sure, can take them from emulator screens. Icon was contributed sometime back, I'll look into the fastlane structures if we proceed with inclusion.

Great, thanks!

[virresh]

I see. I guess it'd be better for me to then first focus on getting a version that combines both engines and then release it. Don't want people squandering around across apps unnecessarily.

[IzzySoft]

Sounds reasonable, thanks! Feel free to give me a ping then if you want me to cross-check (and potentially list it in my repo, or bring it to F-Droid.org directly).