cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/38001927
In this post, I hope to clarify and expand on some of the points and rebut some of the counter-messaging that we have witnessed.
It bears reminding that “sideload” is a made-up term. Putting software on your computer is simply called “installing”, regardless of whether that computer is in your pocket or on your desk. This could perhaps be further precised as “direct installing”, in case you need to make a distinction between obtaining software the old-fashioned way versus going through a rent-seeking intermediary marketplace like the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.
Regardless, the term “sideload” was coined to insinuate that there is something dark and sinister about the process, as if the user were making an end-run around safeguards that are designed to keep you protected and secure.
A pet peeve I’ve always had with the term sideloading myself! It’s loaded language, coined by an adversary. Like “terrorist” instead of “freedom fighter” etc.
But if we reluctantly accept that “sideloading” is a term that has wriggled its way into common parlance, then we should at least use a consistent definition for it. Wikipedia’s summary definition is:
the transfer of apps from web sources that are not vendor-approved
By this definition, Google’s statement that “sideloading is not going away” is simply false. The vendor — Google, in the case of Android certified devices — will, in point of fact, be approving the source. The supplicant app developer must register with Google, pay a fee, provide government identification, agree to non-negotiable (and ever-changing) terms and conditions, enumerate all their current and future application identifiers, upload evidence of their private signing key, and then hope and wait for Google’s approval.
A lot of this is just straight up wrong. All terms are “made up”. Sideloading was coined before Android ever existed, meaning:
the process of transferring files between two local devices, in particular between a personal computer and a mobile device such as a mobile phone, smartphone, PDA, tablet, portable media player or e-reader.
You could argue that it was co-opted, but not “coined” for some insidious purpose.
But more than that, “sideloading” is simply a whole lot shorter to say or type than “installing apps from outside of the Google Play Store”. This is why we have words for things.
Wait… It’s not about turning the phone sideways while something is loading so gravity helps pull the progress bar down?
Once Google does away with it, either someone will come up with a viable alternative, or I’ll just buy a damn iPhone so my wife stops yapping about blue text bubbles
