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0 pointsllm_nerd1y ago0 comments

It is a long-standing policy, not a "bug"[1]. Further it isn't the users complaining, it's a company of a fringe "cloud" product. I'm going to be gentle here and say their app looks incredibly shitty, and I suspect they saw an opportunity to get some free press on the "Google the monopolist" angle.

>I suspect people want their entire photo folders mirrored into Nextcloud from the device

That isn't remotely the contention, nor do photos even qualify for this as they use a different API. Further, the reason this company gives for refusing to use the obviously more suitable structured storage API is that they don't want their files -- presumably mirrored from the cloud storage -- visible to other apps. Their complaint is technical nonsense and doesn't pass an ounce of scrutiny.

The argument by this company is nonsensical, and their argument seems to be "we did it this way before and we don't want to change". Firstly they can have their own app storage without granting access to any other app, and they can go through a system UI process to get access to additional folders (for instance "I want to back up my WhatsApp folder to this cloud provider"). They argue against the latter because they seem to think it somehow reveals the former, but that isn't the case whatsoever.

[1] - Well it's a bug in the Nextcloud product where they seem to just ignore that the instance lacks a permission

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5 comments · 2 top-level

pjc501y ago· 3 in thread

It is the users complaining, or rather specifically a user: https://github.com/nextcloud/android/issues/14135

llm_nerdOP1y ago

The user is complaining that the app isn't using the proper APIs. For instance in the case of the "exactly" guy, the app would use structured storage APIs to let the user grant permissions to backup their WhatsApp folder. Instead of fixing their app the company instead whines to the press and gives technically nonsensical rationale for why they can't just do the work necessary because "we did it this way before and they let us for a while, so..."

winkeltripel1y ago

9 years of the api working, then Google shuts them down. I expect an interface to be consistent after working for 9 years.

I think they're trying to keep their story simple, for the sake of clarity. I believe the nextcloud team when they say they need the permission.

Part of the issue is that nextcloud has many use cases, including ones where your files don't get synced to your mobile device until you touch the file, replacing them with a reference to a file. It's cool cause you can access and manage a tb of pictures or documents from a 64gb android.

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nottorp1y ago

> to let the user grant permissions to backup their WhatsApp folder

So a backup app should add support for every Android application that the user is likely to back up?

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traverseda1y ago

I'm a user. I install through fdroid, but I am complaining. This also makes corporate roll-outs more difficult.

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