@libremax Wow! Did you go to the same school of public speaking as Donald Trump? You could surely put up some performance on the podium next to him! :)))
First of all, where exactly in my previous post I made a statement that commercial services are "generally better"?
If anyone is confused here about the issue, it's you, not me.
It doesn't really matter what you're convinced about. What matters is how it actually works! Or to be precise how it doesn't. :))))
Did I say anywhere that I "require" something from UBports? Don't make up stuff, which I never actually said.
However, just for the sake of the argument... let's say you want to order something on Amazon. Amazon does have a list of locations where they DO NOT deliver. And whenever anyone connects to Amazon from those locations, Amazon DOES inform them in very clear terms that goods are NOT delivered to those specific locations. Fair enough. Now, let's say you found something on Amazon, and you can't order it, and nobody bothers to explain why...I don't know what you're convinced about (and honestly I don't care), but in the standard business practice (and not only in business) this is called "malfunction of service" or in other words SERVICE THAT IS NOT FULLY FUNCTIONAL.
The same goes for things that are non-profit. Let's say that you set up a charity which aim is to provide people with free bicycle service, RIDE-FOR-A-DAY or something. Now, you give people from some parts of the city normal functioning bikes, and you give people from other parts of the city bicycles with only one pedal. :)))) In theory, it's possible to ride a bike with just one pedal...In practice, however, it's worse than a bad comedy.
And, by the way, I tried installing Ubuntu Touch on three (!) different machines, with three different VPNs (which circumvent the usual restrictions imposed by Russian state). Two of them under Windows, and one with Linux OS. Complete failure in all three cases. Albeit faithfully following all recommendations I could find on Ubuntu Touch site.
It's not that I desperately WANT or NEED to install Ubuntu Touch, and it is certainly not an obligation on the part of this community of enthusiasts TO MAKE SURE that I have it on my phone. But, if it doesn't work the way it supposed to work according to the way it is DESCRIBED on the website (that IS ACCESSIBLE from Russia by the way!)...then it is a service (PAID OR FREE) THAT IS NOT FULLY FUNCTIONAL!!!! That's all.

@libremax You can talk all you want comparing non-profit projects to commercial enterprise. It doesn't cancel the fact that the installer doesn't work in Russia, because the mirrors for whatever reason are inaccessible. Besides, I have said that one shouldn't expect the same level of service from non-profit projects, didn't I? However, functionality of the system does imply functionality for users worldwide.

@Moem
First of all, did you notice what I've said in my previous post? I said that nobody should expect non-profit project for enthusiasts to provide support on the same level as commercial enterprise.
Secondly, you didn't quite get what I was saying about "overwhelming majority". I didn't mean THE WHOLE POPULATION OF EARTH!! What I meant is the overwhelming majority of Russian users, who are simultaneously "the adventurous, the tinkerers, those who do not wish to join the mainstream...and bluh, bluh, bluh.." :)))
It doesn't change though the very meaning of "functional system". Even if you decide to give someone a bicycle to ride for free, it is expected that the bicycle is in working condition. Otherwise, what's the point?

Vlad-Nirky
I know that "some people have managed to install UT from Russia", but a functional system is characterized first of all by satisfying the needs of the overwhelming majority, not "some people". The fact that this technical issue can be discussed/addressed only in Telegram groups and not via normal Support (online forms) points to the fact that non-profit projects like Ubuntu Touch don't always stand up to the standards of commercial enterprises....And, honestly...one shouldn't expect them to. :))))))

@messayisto It's not the matter of the devs not being ABLE to do something. Since this is non-profit project (you don't have to pay to install Ubuntu Touch), they are not really compelled, are they? :)))) Otherwise there would be a proper Support service using some other ways of communication and NOT JUST TELEGRAM!!! :))))

@sysadmin
Well, actually VPN doesn't fix access to UBports resources. I tried three different ones - doesn't help at all. And by the way, original WireGuard has been successfully blocked in Russia for quite a while - the protocol is too obvious for DPI. Will have to make do with Android for now, not Ubuntu Touch. :))))))
And you obviously don't quite understand what you're saying: "But on Ubuntu Touch there is currently no reliable working VPN client." IN ORDER TO HAVE UBUNTU TOUCH ON ONE'S PHONE, ONE HAS TO INSTALL IT ON THE PHONE USING UBPORTS INSTALLER ON PC WITH THE PHONE CONNECTED TO PC. AND THE INSTALLER (ON THE PC) CAN'T DOWNLOAD ANY FILES FOR WHATEVER REASON! EITHER WITH VPN OR WITHOUT IT! :))))))

Re: Mirrors for users in Russia

I tried three different VPN services (that are otherwise fine and working) while launching UBports installer. The result is inevitably the same - NO DOWNLOAD TRAFFIC at all! The network monitor shows nothing at all in terms of the receiving any data, although the UBports installer shows that the "file" is being downloaded.
The curious detail: at the very beginning, after choosing the operating system to install and hitting the final button to start installation process, for a very brief moment indicator of download speed appears showing something like "0,03 Mbs" speed of download.:))))
The impression is that Ubuntu Touch repository servers are simply unavailable for users in Russia.