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Ask HN: Degoogling in 2024

20 points by docflabby 2y ago

After my play store account being deleted for "inactivity" despite having used it recently and having an app with over 1000 installs removed I've decided it's a sign to finally degoogle - any tips my main challenge is email!

reify 2y ago
I have been degoogled for a lifetime. You really do not need anything google, except of course AOSP, The Android Open Source Project. Where there is a will there is a way. Buy a cheap 5 year old phone you can install a Lineage or E.foundation operating system. https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/ https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/ https://doc.e.foundation/devices https://doc.e.foundation/devices Either that or learn to use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) to remove all those unnecessary apps on your current phone. You dont need most google stuff on your phone and they are not a required, in fact you do not need 75% of the bloatware on your phone, there are better open source alternatives. Change your email provider. I use both protonmail and Tutanota email with very good apps. Proton also provide an excellent free protonvpn. Create a email redirect from Gmail to either of the above until you have notified all your contacts of your email change. Dont forget your bank, insurance and utility providers and social media if you use them, etc. live a stress free life, free of interruptions and abuse of your personal data. an example of useless apps:: Which ones do you actually use?? com.google.android.backuptransport - Allows Android apps to back up their data on Google servers. com.google.android.apps.books - Google Books. com.google.android.apps.cloudprint - Cloud print. com.google.android.apps.currents - Currents. com.google.android.apps.docs - Google Drive. com.google.android.apps.fitness - Google Fit. com.google.android.apps.maps - Google Maps app. com.google.android.apps.photos - Google Photos. com.google.android.apps.plus - Google+. com.google.android.apps.restore - Restore apps during first boot. com.google.android.apps.tachyon - Google Duo. com.google.android.apps.turbo - Device Health Services, DO NOT remove this. com.google.android.apps.wallpaper - Google Wallpapers. Safe to remove. com.google.android.apps.wellbeing - Digital Wellbeing app that is prebuilt in Android Pie. Safe to remove. com.android.documentsui - This prompts you with a window for apps wishing to access files outside of their own storage area. DO NOT remove this. com.google.android.ext.services - Android Notification Ranking service, part of Android Services Library. DO NOT remove this. com.google.android.feedback - When an app crashes, this is the app that briefly asks you if you want to feedback the crash on the market, Google Play Store. com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox - Google Search. com.google.android.gm - G-mail app. com.google.android.gms - Google Play Services. DO NOT remove this. com.google.android.gsf - Google Services Framework, needed for Google Apps. DO NOT remove this. com.google.android.gsf.login - Support for managing Google accounts. DO NOT remove this. com.google.android.inputmethod.latin - G Board. com.google.ar.core - Google ARCore app. com.google.marvin.talkback - Adds some features about accessibility settings. com.google.android.markup - Google Markup app made for modifying pictures, ships by default on every Pie+ device. com.google.android.onetimeinitializer - Provides first time setup, safe to remove. com.google.android.packageinstaller - Gives ability to install, update or remove applications on the device. com.google.android.partnersetup - Software that helps other apps to work with Google products. com.google.android.play.games - Google Play Games. com.google.android.setupwizard - Removable after the first start of the phone, it's the basic configuration wizard that drives you through first boot. com.google.android.soundpicker - Google Sounds. Removable if you already have another media select service. com.google.android.street - Google Street View app. com.google.android.syncadapters.calendar - Google Calendar sync. com.google.android.syncadapters.contacts - Google Contacts sync. com.google.android.talk - Google Hangouts. com.google.android.tts - Text-to-speech powers apps to read text on your scream aloud, in many languages. com.google.android.videos - Google Play Movies. com.google.android.webview - WebView interface. DO NOT remove this. com.google.android.youtube - YouTube app. com.google.tango.measure - Google Measure app. have fun
- fsflover 2y ago
  > You really do not need anything google, except of course AOSP I'm using a GNU/Linux phone just fine. No Android is needed.
  - docflabby 2y ago
    Unfortunately for banking apps etc need a android or iPhone will probably make the switch to apple...
    - fsflover 2y ago
      You can use Waydroid, or, if the bank forces you into the duopoly, you should complain.
  - bean-weevil 2y ago
    Which one are you using, and how's it treating you? I've been thinking about biting the bullet and going this route for a while.
    - fsflover 2y ago
      I'm happy with Librem 5 as a daily driver. Here is a recent thread with my participation about it: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39452147 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39452147
florid 2y ago
[flagged]
dna_polymerase 2y ago
For E-Mail there are plenty of hosted alternatives. Fastmail is usually what I recommend, but there are others: https://github.com/tycrek/degoogle?tab=readme-ov-file#gmail-mail-service https://github.com/tycrek/degoogle?tab=readme-ov-file#gmail-...
- chrisjj 2y ago
  +1 for Fastmail... unless you require solid mail search.
- docflabby 2y ago
  Thanks!
lijok 2y ago
Proton have a pretty nice platform now that replaces a lot of the gsuite offerings. Kagi for search.
lolo1999 2y ago
[flagged]
noman-land 2y ago
As someone who has left, let me try to help. Nextcloud Syncthing Firefox Bitwarden Aegis GrapheneOS F-Droid ntfy NewPipe Signal Matrix Stop using email or do custom domain + some service. Sync locally with Thunderbird or whatever you like.
- gaws 2y ago
  > Aegis What is this?
  - noman-land 2y ago
    It's an open source authenticator app. It's great. https://github.com/beemdevelopment/Aegis https://github.com/beemdevelopment/Aegis https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39808921 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39808921 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33438540 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33438540 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25803996 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25803996
iAkashPaul 2y ago
I use Zoho Mail with custom domains
sirodoht 2y ago
Fastmail is great for email. That said, I find degoogling manageable unless you also want to de-applyify in which case it's IMHO too fussy.
- Delk 2y ago
  Phones certainly become difficult if you try to avoid both Google and Apple. Is there something else where you found it difficult to avoid both?
oidar 2y ago
What google services do you use? Which are you finding hard to replace? I'm pretty much degoogled except for using YouTube. Kagi for search, Fastmail for mail (I played with Hey for awhile but they are so backwards in client features), Orion for a browser, Microsoft Authenticator, Mac calendar, iCloud office suite, iCloud photos, and Apple Maps. As I mentioned, YouTube is pretty hard to replace as there is nothing else like it currently. Vimeo is not as open, Facebook, TikTok, X and others have their weird problems too.
- sshine 2y ago
  Microsoft Authenticator, but why? Of all these, Google Maps is the hardest for me to replace. It is the only I haven’t.
  - oidar 2y ago
    I already have to use MS Auth for work.
cpach 2y ago
No offence, but this should be a FAQ entry somewhere… Anyway: Fastmail seems to be a popular alternative these days.
Venkatesh10 2y ago
Zoho have suite like Google
_mlbt 2y ago
I don’t know how the technical details would work, but how great would it be to have email portability in the same manner that we can port our phone numbers between cell providers?
- tjwds 2y ago
  This is, in my view, one of the primary benefits of using your own domain for email.
elseleigh 2y ago
I cancelled my Google account more than five years ago and no longer use any of their services. Email is via a shared hosting account. I host my own CalDAV and CardDAV servers as well as shared notes and backup services. I run Linux on my computers, LineageOS on my phone. I browse with Firefox and use Open Street Maps. I've never been a YouTube user, preferring reading to watching video.

20 points by docflabby 2y ago

reify 2y ago

I have been degoogled for a lifetime. You really do not need anything google, except of course AOSP, The Android Open Source Project. Where there is a will there is a way. Buy a cheap 5 year old phone you can install a Lineage or E.foundation operating system. https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/ https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/ https://doc.e.foundation/devices https://doc.e.foundation/devices Either that or learn to use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) to remove all those unnecessary apps on your current phone. You dont need most google stuff on your phone and they are not a required, in fact you do not need 75% of the bloatware on your phone, there are better open source alternatives. Change your email provider. I use both protonmail and Tutanota email with very good apps. Proton also provide an excellent free protonvpn. Create a email redirect from Gmail to either of the above until you have notified all your contacts of your email change. Dont forget your bank, insurance and utility providers and social media if you use them, etc. live a stress free life, free of interruptions and abuse of your personal data. an example of useless apps:: Which ones do you actually use?? com.google.android.backuptransport - Allows Android apps to back up their data on Google servers. com.google.android.apps.books - Google Books. com.google.android.apps.cloudprint - Cloud print. com.google.android.apps.currents - Currents. com.google.android.apps.docs - Google Drive. com.google.android.apps.fitness - Google Fit. com.google.android.apps.maps - Google Maps app. com.google.android.apps.photos - Google Photos. com.google.android.apps.plus - Google+. com.google.android.apps.restore - Restore apps during first boot. com.google.android.apps.tachyon - Google Duo. com.google.android.apps.turbo - Device Health Services, DO NOT remove this. com.google.android.apps.wallpaper - Google Wallpapers. Safe to remove. com.google.android.apps.wellbeing - Digital Wellbeing app that is prebuilt in Android Pie. Safe to remove. com.android.documentsui - This prompts you with a window for apps wishing to access files outside of their own storage area. DO NOT remove this. com.google.android.ext.services - Android Notification Ranking service, part of Android Services Library. DO NOT remove this. com.google.android.feedback - When an app crashes, this is the app that briefly asks you if you want to feedback the crash on the market, Google Play Store. com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox - Google Search. com.google.android.gm - G-mail app. com.google.android.gms - Google Play Services. DO NOT remove this. com.google.android.gsf - Google Services Framework, needed for Google Apps. DO NOT remove this. com.google.android.gsf.login - Support for managing Google accounts. DO NOT remove this. com.google.android.inputmethod.latin - G Board. com.google.ar.core - Google ARCore app. com.google.marvin.talkback - Adds some features about accessibility settings. com.google.android.markup - Google Markup app made for modifying pictures, ships by default on every Pie+ device. com.google.android.onetimeinitializer - Provides first time setup, safe to remove. com.google.android.packageinstaller - Gives ability to install, update or remove applications on the device. com.google.android.partnersetup - Software that helps other apps to work with Google products. com.google.android.play.games - Google Play Games. com.google.android.setupwizard - Removable after the first start of the phone, it's the basic configuration wizard that drives you through first boot. com.google.android.soundpicker - Google Sounds. Removable if you already have another media select service. com.google.android.street - Google Street View app. com.google.android.syncadapters.calendar - Google Calendar sync. com.google.android.syncadapters.contacts - Google Contacts sync. com.google.android.talk - Google Hangouts. com.google.android.tts - Text-to-speech powers apps to read text on your scream aloud, in many languages. com.google.android.videos - Google Play Movies. com.google.android.webview - WebView interface. DO NOT remove this. com.google.android.youtube - YouTube app. com.google.tango.measure - Google Measure app. have fun

fsflover 2y ago
> You really do not need anything google, except of course AOSP I'm using a GNU/Linux phone just fine. No Android is needed.
- docflabby 2y ago
  Unfortunately for banking apps etc need a android or iPhone will probably make the switch to apple...
  - fsflover 2y ago
    You can use Waydroid, or, if the bank forces you into the duopoly, you should complain.
- bean-weevil 2y ago
  Which one are you using, and how's it treating you? I've been thinking about biting the bullet and going this route for a while.
  - fsflover 2y ago
    I'm happy with Librem 5 as a daily driver. Here is a recent thread with my participation about it: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39452147 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39452147

florid 2y ago

[flagged]

dna_polymerase 2y ago

For E-Mail there are plenty of hosted alternatives. Fastmail is usually what I recommend, but there are others: https://github.com/tycrek/degoogle?tab=readme-ov-file#gmail-mail-service https://github.com/tycrek/degoogle?tab=readme-ov-file#gmail-...

chrisjj 2y ago
+1 for Fastmail... unless you require solid mail search.
docflabby 2y ago
Thanks!

lijok 2y ago

Proton have a pretty nice platform now that replaces a lot of the gsuite offerings. Kagi for search.

lolo1999 2y ago

[flagged]

noman-land 2y ago

As someone who has left, let me try to help. Nextcloud Syncthing Firefox Bitwarden Aegis GrapheneOS F-Droid ntfy NewPipe Signal Matrix Stop using email or do custom domain + some service. Sync locally with Thunderbird or whatever you like.

gaws 2y ago
> Aegis What is this?
- noman-land 2y ago
  It's an open source authenticator app. It's great. https://github.com/beemdevelopment/Aegis https://github.com/beemdevelopment/Aegis https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39808921 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39808921 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33438540 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33438540 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25803996 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25803996

iAkashPaul 2y ago

I use Zoho Mail with custom domains

sirodoht 2y ago

Fastmail is great for email. That said, I find degoogling manageable unless you also want to de-applyify in which case it's IMHO too fussy.

Delk 2y ago
Phones certainly become difficult if you try to avoid both Google and Apple. Is there something else where you found it difficult to avoid both?

oidar 2y ago

What google services do you use? Which are you finding hard to replace? I'm pretty much degoogled except for using YouTube. Kagi for search, Fastmail for mail (I played with Hey for awhile but they are so backwards in client features), Orion for a browser, Microsoft Authenticator, Mac calendar, iCloud office suite, iCloud photos, and Apple Maps. As I mentioned, YouTube is pretty hard to replace as there is nothing else like it currently. Vimeo is not as open, Facebook, TikTok, X and others have their weird problems too.

sshine 2y ago
Microsoft Authenticator, but why? Of all these, Google Maps is the hardest for me to replace. It is the only I haven’t.
- oidar 2y ago
  I already have to use MS Auth for work.

cpach 2y ago

No offence, but this should be a FAQ entry somewhere… Anyway: Fastmail seems to be a popular alternative these days.

Venkatesh10 2y ago

Zoho have suite like Google

_mlbt 2y ago

I don’t know how the technical details would work, but how great would it be to have email portability in the same manner that we can port our phone numbers between cell providers?

tjwds 2y ago
This is, in my view, one of the primary benefits of using your own domain for email.

elseleigh 2y ago

I cancelled my Google account more than five years ago and no longer use any of their services. Email is via a shared hosting account. I host my own CalDAV and CardDAV servers as well as shared notes and backup services. I run Linux on my computers, LineageOS on my phone. I browse with Firefox and use Open Street Maps. I've never been a YouTube user, preferring reading to watching video.