u/DashWriting

I wrote a little feature (super rambling and tangent-y) on something I've been thinking about for a while: the people still making physical games feel special.

From the era of big-box PC gaming to today's boutique publishers and creators like RowanFN, it's just a little snapshot of why thoughtful physical releases still matter in an increasingly digital world, and why opening a game can still be an experience.

With both Sony and GTA this week, it felt apt to get some thoughts down. I hope some here enjoy it :)

You might have noticed that over the past few weeks I've been sharing quite a few articles about F-Droid, open-source Android, and privacy-respecting apps. Part of that has been to highlight some genuinely great games and applications available through F-Droid, IzzyOnDroid and similar repositories, but also to tell the stories of the developers behind them. At the same time, I want to shine a light on the changes Google is making to Android that could make life significantly harder for independent developers and users who choose to install apps outside the Play Store.

https://keepandroidopen.org/

I've just published my latest developer interview, this time sitting down with PranshulGG, the creator of the open-source Android weather app WeatherMaster.

This is actually PranshulGG's first ever interview, and we talk about everything from how WeatherMaster came to be, why he chose to make it open source, the role of repositories like F-Droid and IzzyOnDroid, and his thoughts on Google's upcoming changes that could make life more difficult for independent Android developers and alternative app stores. If you're interested in open-source Android, privacy-respecting apps, or the future of software outside the Play Store, I hope you'll find it an interesting read :)

A little while ago I chatted to the developer behind GameSieve (the site/tool that changes and helps a ton with how you browse the GOG catalogue). I've seen u/Undeclared_Aubergine sharing a bunch here, and this week I've seen GameSieve recommended a lot, so I thought it might be a nice chance to share the interview we did together back in December :)

https://gamesieve.com/

We talked about how the project began, the technical challenges of indexing GOG's ever-growing library, why DRM-free game preservation matters, and where the project is heading next. And now we chat every so often on Mastodon where GameSieve has an account!

If you're liking the idea of a more powerful search tool for GOG, or you're just interested in preservation and community-built tools, I think you'll find it an interesting read. Then again maybe I am biased.

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing u/DocWolle (a user in here!), who is an Android developer and long-time contributor to the open-source community on F-Droid, with a ton of apps he builds and maintains. We chatted about his work, the challenges facing F-Droid, and why open Android ecosystems matter now more than ever.

We discussed the difficulties F-Droid has faced in recent years, the impact of Google's terrible new changing policies on alternative app distribution, the importance of privacy-respecting software, and DocWolle's own journey as a developer. I like to think of this as more than just a conversation about apps, it is also about user freedom, open platforms, and the people working hard to keep this kind of platform alive!

I hope you enjoy the interview, and I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

Hello console repairers!

I hope this posts, and you enjoy it. I recently sat down with e1000 (whose username won't be a mystery to any in here) and interviewed him about his work as a hardware modder of handheld consoles.

You might recognize his name, I know he used to post here on Reddit some time back. He's probably known best for his Steam Deck and ROG Ally mods (pushing the RAM to 34 and 64GB respectively. e1000 was super kind to agree to the idea of an interview, which itself is a miracle because he's quite a private person.

I thought you all might like this in here. Some tales of console repair and hacks from all kinds of manufacturers' devices. From the Steam Deck through to TRIMUI and Miyoo Mini. I *do* hope this posts, I've made my first account on reddit after leaving around 2 years back, so I know the karma and acc age requirements might be a trip up here.