What happens when installing non-free app in Replicant

[Brian Kemp]

Hello Advrk.

> If I setup Replicant on an officially supported phone, but need to use
> a couple apps that are currently unavailable in the Replicant app
> store, and obtain them from elsewhere, would I be able to install them
> anyway?

> For example, I am looking for a good CardDAV contacts sync app but
> have not found one in the Replicant app reposotory, so might want to
> look for one in the Android Marketplace. If I find one would it work?
> Thanks.

Yes. It's your phone, and you can do what you want with it. Replicant
does *not* block the ability to load any APK you desire on your device
(in fact, it ships with "allow unknown sources" on.)

The author of the APK may have other ideas, such as version of Android
required. Also, Replicant ships with root/su access; some applications
refuse to install due to that.

Replicant is based upon CyanogenMod; if you know someone using it on
that, it will probably work on Replicant too.

In the specific case of a CardDAV contacts application, almost
certainly. I can't imagine a sync app that does more than network
connections & maybe SD card access; those work.

If the application depends on an unsupported feature in Replicant, such
as 3D acceleration, wifi, camera, etc, then you may have some trouble.

You might have some trouble getting the Android Market to work on a
Replicant install. Please note we cannot and will not support you, as
the software is non-free. Google does not license the applications FAIF.
They also do not generally license them for use on third-party custom
Android builds: CyanogenMod got a nice cease & desist letter for
including them once upon a time.

--BK
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