Option to opt-out of analytics and consider another build

[cohesive-flight]

Since Firebase is being used in the Github version, an option to opt-out of analytics would be nice. I know the F-Droid build is available, but I prefer getting an app from its source.

As an alternative, please consider making an additional build that's Google-free onto Github, similar to F-Droid's, but signed with your own keys. I've seen other app developers do this, where they publish a Playstore version, and a Google-free version of their apps onto Github, while also having an F-Droid build available. I'd prefer this over an opt-out option since it wouldn't have any Firebase libraries in the first place, and would have quicker updates (it could also contain RAR support unlike F-Droid's build).

[zhanghai]

You can consider the F-Droid version official - I don't think there's point in me downloading the APK from F-Droid and re-uploading it again here.

And yes, the issue with the opt-out option is that the Firebase libraries are still bundled into the app, and a lot of people still don't like that. And even if I offer that opt-out option, I don't have confidence to keep it 100% working as intended, and I don't want to ever be blamed for Firebase still somewhat running when people opted out. Or the other way around, somehow I misconfigure and I lose crash-reporting etc from the majority of Play users by default.

Regarding the RAR support - I'm currently working on porting libarchive to Android, so that there will be FOSS support (thus available in F-Droid version) for both RAR and RAR5, plus a bunch of other formats.

[cohesive-flight]

I don't think there's point in me downloading the APK from F-Droid and re-uploading it again here.

I agree. I was only referring to a possible additional build you'd sign yourself. I initially mentioned I prefer getting it from the source as my only reason, but I do also enjoy the quicker updates (even if the app doesn't get updated often). But if you don't have any plans to do so, that's fine. I just hope you just consider it in the near future.

I don't want to ever be blamed for Firebase still somewhat running when people opted out

That's fair. I'm sure you can implement it properly, but I don't think there's much incentive when there's a build available without any telemetry.

there will be FOSS support (thus available in F-Droid version) for both RAR and RAR5, plus a bunch of other formats.

I look forward to it!

[zhanghai]

RAR 5 is now supported via libarchive (#735), and will be available in the next release. Note that encryption isn't supported by libarchive yet.

[zhanghai]

I can share another recent example where having the crash reporting here was really helpful. I was able to identify the SFTP/SMB issue #1154 shortly after the release on GitHub and cancel the rollout on Play to tens of thousands of users. The first user comment about it came in more than 24 hours later and at that time I might have lost the ability to cancel the Play rollout.