this post was submitted on 02 Oct 2024
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It needs a definition because it is a thing that happens though.
You need to differentiate between installing from the app store and installing from other sources, you might not like the choice of word, but we need a word to define it.
Yes but sideloading makes it sound like something dangerous to people that don't know any better. This is by design.
For tech illiterate people, it sounds bad.
Go ask your mom who had to deal with your limewire phase in high-school if you can "sideload" apps on her phone.
You want sources or something, what are you expecting dude?
Side loading makes it seems like it's not going through the proper channels. You are loading it from the side while the play store is the right way.
It implies the play store is the center.
Sideload Sideroad Sidekick Sidecar
Using side infront of something means it's lesser for the most part.
Since when are any of those examples considered dangerous lmao
Sideloading is exactly the same as a side road. It's a less polished and a less intended road for people to take.
You guys are kind of missing my point and hyper focusing on the word here.
There is nothing inherently dangerous about the word sidealley but if you're at night with someone that is already fearful of the city and you tell them you are taking a sidealley, they might not be so willing.
Someone that doesn't know how to drive well will probably avoid the bumpy and confusing sideroads.
The word has negative connotation and it's use is benefiting Google. That's my main point, maybe I should of used less safe instead of dangerous.
I think we more just disagree with your points rather than miss them. We have never seen this term be scary for the non technically involved people in our lives, nor has the examples you provided to prove your point been considered scary to people we know.
Many times, people in this chain have effectively asked for proof of what you claim, but you just keep reiterating your feeling/opinion.
Now, it's possible that everyone here just associates with people who aren't afraid of technology enough to run across it, but that's all we have to work with until provided evidence.
Because it's not downloading, which is the thing every one thinks is normal. It's different, and potentially dangerous, which your phone will remind you any time you try to do it.
Not sure I get what you mean by this
Between hero and Sidekick, which do you think is better. Stop nitpicking and find someone else to fight with, you lout.
I think any unknown phrase and method to install an app will be scary to a person who is that unknowledgeable about it. At that point there isn't any phrase that you could use that wouldn't sound sketchy to them, it isn't the phrase that is the problem, it's the fact that it's unknown and the process is scary.
The people you are describing would still be skeptical even if you explained it to them (and they should be, since they likely don't have the knowledge or resources to properly vet an application from an unknown source)
Before I knew what sideloading was I just assumed it was a different way of getting apps
I guess we were all sideloading apps on Win 7 and other prev gens
Now that there's a Microsoft/Windows app store, any app not sourced there is sideloaded.
When Microsoft bans installation of legacy Win32 apps, it will be the death on Windows.
It has a definition already, which is the same it always has been. And no, you don't need to differentiate this. We've always installed applications from outside sources. Hell, until recently there weren't even official app stores and shit. Locked down operating systems where you only get what the tech giant wants you to get is a very recent development in order to take control away from the user.
The reality is that there is a difference now, and it needs to be clarified. How would you, talking to another regular human being communicate to install an app that isn't in the official app store succinctly? If you just tell someone to 'install the app' then you are doing a bad job communicating. Economy of language means that new words are going to form to distill common concepts.
Package managers have existed for a long time, so the concept of app stores isn't new and is actually generally the accepted solution by the open source community. It's typically regarded as the safest way to install software as it comes with auditing and active management.
Side loading does a great job at communicating what is being done, and it helps consolidate the various ways you actually install applications into a nice generic term.
A store being locked down doesn't really have much to do with the concept of side loading anyway, since a locked down device doesn't support it in the first place.