Trying out UT on Pixel 3a XL for review article
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Hello everyone,
I have been trying out Ubuntu Touch on a Pixel 3A XL and taking notes for a user experience article on my blog, which is https://theprivacydad.com/. I always write from a 'regular' (non-developer) user perspective, someone who wants more agency and privacy. I write the blog as a 'labour of love' project to promote better understanding of digital privacy tools for non-technical users and usually have between 200 - 300 unique visits a day.
I am also testing out UT with a view to possibly installing it for my own kids. They currently run /e/OS, as that works on so many older devices.
I just wanted to say hello here. I usually do my own research and note-taking, but if there are any specific aspects of UT I need to be aware of, I would appreciate that information.
I watched this week's Q&A and found that format helpful for newcomers, especially information about app updates. I am finding this forum and the UBPorts documentation excellent. I love that the documentation is clear and concise (reading in English).
Other aspects I've had to discover more organically, by watching YouTubers, for example. I learned about Libertine that way (and thankfully, how to see the installation progress, which took 24 hours!) and Waydroid, which I still need to try.
A hurdle at the moment for me as a new user is outdated browsers in the store, since there are some sites that I would like to turn into WebApps but I get warnings about them not working. This includes my own Nextcloud homepage, from which I cannot download my KeePass database file (nor does UBsync seem to work for me). I will try out uWolf, though not sure what to make of the warnings about my system in red when I installed it. I appreciated @RJDan 's reference to the KeeWeb Online Web App on the forum.
The OpenStore looks and feels excellent. I like that the user experience feedback is prominent. The OS installation process was super easy with the installer! Hopefully that will help new users without tech skills better able to access UT.
Perhaps one question I have is that I see a terminal but don't know how far I should attempt to go with installing software the way I am used to on desktop Linux.
Anyway, if I am missing any major aspect, I'd be interested to know. Thank you for the work on this important project. I have been a desktop Linux user for years, as have my children, and I'd love to be able to use it on mobile too!
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@theprivacydad said in Trying out UT on Pixel 3a XL for review article:
one question I have is that I see a terminal but don't know how far I should attempt to go with installing software the way I am used to
I think one of the most important things to understand for new UT users is, that the root file system is mounted read only and therefor it is not supported that the user just installs programs in the terminal with "sudo apt install ..." or makes changes to the system.
This restriction allows for OTA updates, so that everyone uses the same system packpackages. The individual applications on top of the system are not deeply integrated in the system and there are similar permission rules to android (for example camera and position permission). This should allow for more security.If you still want to use classic terminal programs like htop or vim, you can use Libertine for this or use Snapz0r or experiment with installing LXD with Snapz0r. Some people were also experimenting with NIX packages for Ubuntu Touch, but I do not know, if this is still in development.
With Waydroid you are also able to install many Android apps and in my experience it works very well for things like Signal or Whatsapp, but it needs some time to start and I advice for WayFreezr from the OpenStore to save some battery.
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@theprivacydad said in Trying out UT on Pixel 3a XL for review article:
I am also testing out UT with a view to possibly installing it for my own kids. They currently run /e/OS, as that works on so many older devices.
Despite me using and liking UT, I personally do not recommend it as a daily driver for others right now.
I think hardened Android flavors like /e/OS or Volla OS are probably a better choice for most people who just want to have something that is more privacy focused than standard Android. Taking the most used mobile OS (Android) and removing the spyware is just a simpler solution and results in better compatibility with existing infrastructure than you will have with UT.
With Ubuntu Touch much more things need to be done from scratch, this can result in many advantages in the long term, but in the short term you have a less polished OS (for example the standard web browser being outdated or VoIP not working on every device).I am sure this things will improve, but most hardened Android flavors are most likely more polished right now.
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@johndoe said in Trying out UT on Pixel 3a XL for review article:
Despite me using and liking UT, I personally do not recommend it as a daily driver for others right now.
This is highly personal. I've been using it exclusively for four years, so it can be done, but it certainly depends on the individual's wants and usercase.
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@johndoe
FP5 here running 24.04 with VOLTE working just dandy.I will agree that most "normies" who just want to run XYZ app regardless are not well suited for ANY mobile Linux OS at the moment.
Personally I find that hardened Android (I am talking no GAPPS) is a really similar experience to UT, with all the yucky feelings associated with Android and its spyware.For me, something new and fresh with say a weather app that is made to show you the weather and not catalogue your every move and sell them to any data broker willing to pay is well worth not running some applications. I not going to use Waydroid in any capacity, everything can be done in a browser on a PC. Since I switched to UT my relationship with my cell is a lot healthier, a lot of the time I just leave it home which was unheard of when I used Android/IOS.
