Comment by 1vuio0pswjnm7
9 hours ago
"It's only popular, it's not really central to F-Droid itself."
I've used F-Droid for years and I've never used the client ("the F-Droid app")
For me the value of F-Droid is as a list of open-source software with (a) pointers to source code and (b) sample binaries
The goal of F-Droid could be to enable Android users to read, edit and compile the software they choose to run on their "phones"
But F-Droid promotes their own app ("the client") so maybe the project's goal is something more like an "app store"
Likely they are trying to make said list of open-source software easily accessible. The vast majority of users are incapable of compiling their own software. Probably it's better (for users' freedom, privacy, and a healthy Android FOSS ecosystem) to have these users obtaining software through an F-Droid "app store" than through Google Play.
The goal that you suggest is interesting. It reminds me of Guix, where one can obtain binaries or one can build the entirety of packages oneself. All from the same system.
Perhaps you could share how you are currently building software from source and/or F-Droid?
Is F-Droid intended for "the vast majority of users"
Is popularity, e.g., user majorities versus user minorities, always equivalent to "importance". For web traffic and associated data collection, ad services, etc., popularity is obviously important. But what if one is not focused on such things
Consider the statement "It's only popular, it's not really central for F-Droid itself"