Sharing location: Molly FOSS sends google maps link instead of OpenStreetMap

[RedSteel-1]

Is there an existing issue for this?

• [X] I have searched the existing issues

Bug description

Molly FOSS uses OpenStreetMap as the location provider according to readme, But then I tested this and sent some location to myself, I saw that the link below the map image is a google maps link, not an OSM one, which is not quite what was expected... Why so? Could you replace the link to the OSM one? (or maybe make it configurable in the settings)

Steps to reproduce

1. Send some location to "Note to Self"
2. see the result, the link below the map image

Molly version

v6.24.4-1

Android version

11-12

Device

No response

Link to debug log

No response

[valldrac]

We'd prefer to use only OpenStreetMap, but unfortunately, Google Maps' links have become the standard for sharing coordinates. That's why we use these links for compatibility reasons. Take a look at this pull request: https://github.com/mollyim/mollyim-android/pull/185

Perhaps in the future, we can come up with a solution to work around this. Either way, it's not a bug but a design compromise.

[RedSteel-1]

Thanks for clarification.

I cannot agree with that gmaps have become standard, isn't the standard just the coordinates, the 2 numbers separated by comma?

I just checked the situation in Telegram FOSS clients (Forkgram for example), the shared location there is 100% OSM-based, nothing google-ish Could you take a look at Forkgram? Maybe it could be done in a similar way?

(Or in any case it's never late to set the coordinate link type in the settings if such an option is added there)

[kamazeuci]

I hope this could be seen again. I personally prefer OSM by far, I don't like promoting any Google Platform because they are monopolizing the Internet in an ugly way. I want to send my friends OSM links so, even if it is kind of weird for them at first sight, it makes them question and maybe even leap to OSM. We need people contributing to OSM, not to Google Maps. I personally chose to switch to twinhelix Signal-FOSS just because of this, but I love Molly and would be very happy to come back if I get the possibility of sharing location through OSM. Thanks!

[RedSteel-1]

Absolutely agree with the post above. Would like to ask the devs to re-think about the issue and consider re-opening it. @valldrac

[Killercat103]

Would love to see OSM as well. If including OSM for everyone is unrealistic due to convenience. Maybe make the implementation of google maps in the build with proprietary blobs only. I believe people who use the FOSS build such as me are more likely to have a distaste for using Google maps. (Or Google entirely). (To be honest, I don't like Github much either xd) Personally I run a degoogled phone (no MicroG or even Aurora store) and the OSM sharing implemented in the Element matrix client has been useful. Even with normies of my age.

[DarrenWarrenV]

So... FOSS, but it still uses some Google's service (that people who are into foss avoid like fire, especially this one)? Standard? Standard for who? People using official version of Signal you wanted to write I guess. That's a completely wrong mindset. I was about to switch to this fork, but I'll choose johanw666's one instead. I don't even know how to reply to this, my mind is blown away. You're literally promoting something that people want to get away from instead of an open-source alternative in FOSS.

[Killercat103]

So... FOSS, but it still uses some Google's service (that people who are into foss avoid like fire, especially this one)? Standard? Standard for who? People using official version of Signal you wanted to write I guess. That's a completely wrong mindset. I was about to switch to this fork, but I'll choose johanw666's one instead. I don't even know how to reply to this, my mind is blown away. You're literally promoting something that people want to get away from instead of an open-source alternative in FOSS.

I bit agressive for my taste (might just be me, sorry) but I do see your point. This was probably more of a compromise. But yes Google maps location sharing is not a "standard", it's a monopoly and the only way to challenge that is to use a standard or alternative. I believe thay in general and especially when considering libre products, features should ideally also be libre by default. We do want people to use as ethical services but when this is not practical maybe we should make the foss option opt-out so switching to open-source is not as much of a drastic change. Every step counts but not everyone is prepared for taking multiple steps at a time. So 2 steps forward and an option to take 1 step back I believe is a reasonable compromise.

[DarrenWarrenV]

I just can't stand something like this anymore. People coming here and downloading FOSS versions know exactly why they're here for and what they're doing/want to do. Just like on Nintendo Switch's Android, bundling LineageOS release with Google services where you could add it as an option to add it if someone really needs it (or hell, microG is there as a lesser evil). I have a friend who works for this company and I know about a lot of terrible things that they're doing. Ironically, I bought and I'm waiting now for a new Pixel phone to install GrapheneOS on it. Also, at the end I switched to SimpleX. Just like a lot of my friends lately. Enough of people telling me what's best for me or how things should be. BTW, this fork is great. Fixing almost everything that Signal should have/is missing, but then something like this comes up and it just almost completely nullifies all the hard work that was put into it. This should be for people to get rid off all the trash from corpos. I can assure you that 99% of people interested in FOSS are using Organic Maps.

[matchboxbananasynergy]

The issue here seems to have devolved into a tangent, which is unfortunate, but I feel like some things should be clarified here to make sure that we're all on the same page, as well as for the benefit of future readers, so that they may also have full context.

Google Maps is not included in Molly-FOSS. I need to make sure that this is fully understood by everyone. What this entire issue is about is that even though Molly-FOSS uses OSM for location sharing, the link that is generated after getting the location is a Google Maps link. Aside from the resulting link being a Google Maps one, Google is not at all involved in the process whatsoever. The reasoning behind the resulting link being a Google Maps link instead of an OpenStreetMaps link is that OSM apps support opening Google Maps links, meanwhile the opposite is not true.

There is no proprietary Google code included in Molly-FOSS. The resulting link is just a Google Maps link that will work in virtually any maps app.

Assuming that this is understood, it feels like the argument here becomes one of ideological purity, and not one of practicality. I personally know people who want to and do use Molly-FOSS, but need to use Google Maps as their map application. What you're essentially suggesting is that this demographic does not exist, or that they should just deal with it. You're suggesting that clicking on the link and it not opening in their map app of choice is just fine, as long as the link in the app is not from Google, even though it makes no meaningful difference and you would be able to use that exact link to open it in your OSM app of choice.

If there was a valid reason to change the current behavior beyond an ideological one, I would personally be very happy to discuss further, and I assume that would also be the case for Molly's development team, but right now, it seems that we might be letting ideology get the best of us, and I don't think that the resulting discussion will be very productive.

[kamazeuci]

First, although I don't agree with @DarrenWarrenV 's way of communicating his frustration, I think I share his frustration. AFAIK, his is a non profit project ran by volunteers who dedicate their time to what they think is a contribution to humankind. Please, let's be nice to each other.

I don't think this is only an ideological subject. A lot of us here are people caring for our digital future and doing what we can in promoting a migration to libre, private, ethical platforms. Molly and Signal are key in this. For me, although I think Molly si far superior to Signal-FOSS, Molly is not an option right now just because it uses Google Maps links. I am part of the OSM community and we are doing great efforts to promote it as best as we can, so it really is important for us being able to send "ethical" links. Some people may find it weird, but that's cool because we need them to think about this. I mean, if they were not worried about their privacy or the platforms they use, they could probably be using Whatsapp right now instead of Signal/Mollly. Maybe they also found it weird when they got their first "let's talk using Signal/Molly link."

So, we are a community, but one that goes far beyond Molly itself.

I am still here in the Molly community because I have hopes that in the future this OSM link sharing gets implemented and I can come back to it.

thanks to everybody for your work!

[valldrac]

I think we could add an option in the settings to select the sending mode, until we find something better. I add it to the backlog.

[RedSteel-1]

Have there been any news/updates regarding the issue so far?

[s38b35M5]

The steps to move away from Google in life with an Android device are not simple or without loss of function. To get what I thought was a de-Googled messenger experience, I had to research several clients, and found that Molly has three flavors. I had to research the flavors and settled on Molly-FOSS as I am not in a position to run any servers presently.

Seeing my de-Googled choice of messenger sharing Google maps links is confusing. I have read the reasoning behind this, and understand, but would greatly appreciate the option (at least) to disable sending of Gmaps links. I thought I made that choice when I went through the process of migrating to Molly-FOSS.

Please consider this comment another vote for bumping the priority of this up in Dev. TIA

[Killercat103]

There's a GEO URI scheme which is the actual standard. If that could be used it could be worth looking into.

[niels0n]

Let's use WhatsApp instead of Signal then! You know, it has become the standard for communicating.

[kamazeuci]

I think @niels0n nails it... hope Molly implements some way of sharing OSM maps (I personally would also extinguish the option to send google maps altogether, but I understand some people might find that confusing) I am eager to get back to Molly!!

[valldrac]

Let's try sending the location with both links, OpenStreetMap and Google Maps. We'll do this for both Molly and Molly-FOSS.

Hopefully, everyone will be happy with this change. Also, once the location is sent, the description is editable, so the sender can delete one of the links if they want.

Screenshot:

[kamazeuci]

that's a nice everyone-happy solution

[schklom]

There's a GEO URI scheme which is the actual standard. If that could be used it could be worth looking into.

@Killercat103 Where is that scheme used? I just sent myself my location on the latest version of Molly, clicking on the picture just makes it bigger, and the links are standard URLs.

[kamazeuci]

Finally switched back to molly thanks to OSM link sharing! thanks!!