> A changelog in Market would be visible before an application is downloaded > and installed. A changelog displayed by the application obviously is not.
I think it is extremely important to have a visible changelog before downloading. Moreover, another point Google is remiss at is letting me know what apps really do. Take for instance the case when Chinese developers had a live wallpaper and were taking info from the handset and storing on their servers. I think it needs to be disclosed more accurately (permission are too broad and doesn't give me a legal agreement as to what they will do with the information). If I am happily using an app, I want to know before I upgrade exactly what the new version is going to do. Otherwise I may update to find that the app has decided to store my contacts on their server as as backup for my convenience. Ok great service but I am not comfortable with that. You are all of the mindset that your users can trust you, and they can. There are other developers out there who are not really safe to trust. How do I know the difference and what recourse do I have if something goes wrong. I want an agreement as to what the app will do and how my information will be used in case for some reason something happens. In other words, if an app with GPS permission suddenly decides to sell my location to advertisers and the advertisers sell it to someone who sells it to someone who looks for people in vulnerable locations, well I did not agree to that but without and agreement, the original developer may argue that I gave permission. OK most users may not really care but if it reaches a point android apps becoming a risk, the whole eco system will be hurt. Really what you developers are asking users to do is to know what permission allow apps to do what. How can users know. How would a user know that the Jackeey Wallpaper asking for permission to access your phone calls is a huge red flag? Without an agreement it is difficult to know that the app is really doing with the information. Market does need extended information and not just for developers who choose a more verbose marketing method. I mean having an explicit agreement may not stop malware developers but the fact that they have broken the agreement is easier to prove and punish. We don't know what Jackeey Wallpaper was doing with user information and while it might not have been malicious, an explicit agreement would have given Google additional power to ban that developer for life and perhaps take other legal actions if that developer was taking information in violation of user agreement. The amount of information about applications is insufficient relative to the amount of power we give them. There should be a law that requires apps to explain what they will do in understandable English. "GPS permissions" does not tell me if the app is requesting an ad suitable for my location or sending my location to advertisers allowing them to track my habits. Sorry it is different. Shawn -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en
