[Xposed Framework Modules] Woody:
Guess now I will get involved.

No matter how nice and responsive [MENTION=526666]cryptyk[/MENTION] has been, [MENTION=4415879]CHEF-KOCH[/MENTION] has raised a legitimate question about the ads. Since this is a developer's site, these type of questions should be encouraged and even taken into careful consideration before further progress on the app, ROM, kernel, whatever are continued. Where is comes into the gray and taking of sides is when there is no concrete evidence given for the accusation and one's sides defenders come in and the other sides defenders come in (take a look at any Faux or Franco kernel thread or any ROM thread for that matter). This is the case here.

On one hand, CHEF said that there are ads and if you rename the apk to zip and unzip it, you'll see adlibs. I did that and didn't find anything remotely like that. So I am wondering if we could see a screenshot of the file-path that shows it. On the other hand, we have cryptyk asking for the "evidence" multiple times. The debate goes back and forth and we see analytics, screenshots of MinMin throwing the Adslibs up (mine shows the same as his) and explanations on both sides of the argument. Personally, I have not seen a single ad in the app, but that isn't the real question at heart here. It is about the transfer of information, whether it be personal or common. (I use a combination of Adaway, MinMin, AppOps, Avast Firewall and a few very high level security tweaks that I will not disclose to control my traffic. Basically, nothing gets out that I don't want it to.)

But here is the thing. Questions are allowed to be asked as long as they are legitimate and have some foundation for their existence. This is a site full of hackery. It was founded on this principal and has flourished for over 10 years which is an EON in internet time. With that being said, there is always inherent risk in flashing anything and Xposed is no different. Xposed has had it's detractors and naysayers, but I'd like to remind everyone about a small group of hackers who revolutionized Android and the gathering of User Data since way back during the Froyo days; CyanogenMod. I don't use CM anymore, but how do you think that they gathered all the information on Installs during CM5,6,7,...? There is, or at least there was, an option for them to "gather statistics" in Dev Tools. Run a search in Google on Chrome on your phone and then go home and boot up the PC and look in your search. You'll see the same topic you searched for on your phone. Why? Don't think that your information is already being taken? I may have some swamp property to sell you if you don't. Don't like it, don't use Google Play Services or any of the corresponding apps. It is possible you know.

So that leads me to two things that can solve this. One, don't like it, don't use it. This is the best way to keep yourself out of the loop and all your personal information,....well, personal. Two, there is always risk in what we do here. I can tell you that there are apps out on XDA that are malware and when we find them, we destroy them on sight. Find one, then report it. But there better be some sort of concrete, irrefutable evidence to support the claims. Questions are just questions in the end if there is nothing to support their base. But questions are encouraged and need to be asked, otherwise there will be no progress and we'll all be using iPhones by the end of the year.

Both cryptyk and CHEF-KOCH have asked for this topic to be left alone. The files are on Git and can be built for anyone's personal use. I encourage all to look into the files and make your own assumptions, clarifications and questions. If you do find something that you don't understand, I encourage you to ask. I am constantly telling my sons to ask questions about things they don't know. It is truly the best way to learn.

This issue is over, move on. Happy Friday to all unless you are in Australia, then it is almost Saturday. :silly: