Open source app to watch videos from any platform

https://gitlab.futo.org/videostreaming/grayjay

by ImHereToVote • 3 years ago

58 46 3 years ago

gitlab.futo.org

tagawa• 3 years ago

Looks like you need to create an account to be able to read the documentation: https://gitlab.futo.org/videostreaming/documents/-/wikis/API...

Any chance of making it publicly viewable?

silviot5• 3 years ago

It is now public, but slow. Probably hugged to death.

ImHereToVote2• 3 years ago

Introduction to the app:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DePDzfyWkw

judiisis4• 3 years ago

Don't claim it is "open source " when it is not, it is just another non-free paid source available software https://gitlab.futo.org/videostreaming/grayjay/-/blob/master...

ben-schaaf• 3 years ago

This seems to be an issue purely with the title on HN? I haven't been able to find any references to futo themselves calling it open source.

judiisis4• 3 years ago

In this YouTube video, https://youtu.be/5DePDzfyWkw?si=hkAalkXqA5HGp97c Louis rossmann(FUTO's paid employee) claimed that it is open source(when it's clearly not)

ImHereToVote2• 3 years ago

Sorry. Didn't mean anything malicious by it.

imiric3• 3 years ago

I find it curious that in the open source community we emphasize that the software is "free as in speech", yet if someone puts the source behind a paywall suddenly the "free as in beer" point becomes more important, and we argue that it's not _libre_ anymore.

I'm a firm believer in the benefits of the rights granted by F/LOSS, but think that we should normalize paying for both binaries and source code. Monetizing OSS is hard enough, and developers should have more ways of getting paid to write OSS, not less.

Giving the software and source code away _gratis_ can be unsustainable, and introduce perverse incentives that ultimately harm the user.

judiisis4• 3 years ago

The issue is not about "paid", OSS can be paid, but it doesn't meet other freedoms of the Open Source Definition https://opensource.org/osd/

silviot5• 3 years ago

The authors have this to say about it:

The issue with the non-standard license for the application stems from problems that arose with NewPipe, an open-source media player. When a video recommended downloading NewPipe, many people mistakenly downloaded a malware-ridden version from the Play Store. This fake version was loaded with ads and sometimes even required payment. The crux of the problem is that people were forking NewPipe, adding ads and trackers, and then asking for money on the Play Store. To prevent this kind of exploitation and deceit, the developers of the application in question opted for a less permissive license. This allows them to retain the right to take action against anyone who forks their application and tries to monetize it through deceptive means. They are committed to an ad-free, non-tracking application and don't want to engage in a business model where the user becomes the product.

Source: https://youtu.be/5DePDzfyWkw?si=ivUrdDTwrhqUdt37&t=613

theK3• 3 years ago

Interesting approach, hopefully it works out because the problem they are addressing is an important one IMO.

If the creators are still aligned with the open source ethos maybe it would help outlining what they consider a fair use fork.

EDIT: typos

_cenw3• 3 years ago

Isn't the solution to this more generally to trademark your name, not to change your license to something less permissive?

prmoustache• 3 years ago

Doesn't make it open source. And as someone commented before me, trademarks can take care of this without using a proprietary license.

2Gkashmiri• 3 years ago

you can use Mozilla public license and still do that. you can do that with AGPL no problem.

unixfox• 3 years ago

https://archive.ph/2SlTq

silviot5• 3 years ago

I just clicked on a video link in this thread (so I know nothing about this app), but came here to mention that the fact that Luis Rossman is behind this plays a big role for me. I have a lot of trust in that guy. I think others might share the feeling.

safety1st2• 3 years ago

I've never heard of him and I'm curious to learn more but two big problems. One, it seems his Gitlab instance has received the HN hug of death and couldn't handle it. Two, it seems he is trash talking open source software and using that to justify his own proprietary monopoly software.

Ironically one of the great things about open source licenses is that when a guy can't keep his website online we can fork it and someone more competent can become the maintainer of the project. Of course Louis Rossman wouldn't profit from that.

So from what I am seeing so far I am thinking fuck this guy. The GPL, similar licenses, and user freedom are all way more important than him, whoever he is. Huge negative marks to this guy for attacking free software. We have seen a long string of these exploitative software vendors come and go. He seems to be establishing that he's just another one of the vendors who wants to exploit his users.

silviot5• 3 years ago

Two, it seems he is trash talking open source software and using that to justify his own proprietary monopoly software.

I'm sorry, but I really don't see this in any possible way. Can you help me understand? What did he say that you consider "trash talking open source software"?

The reason I like him is that he's been fighting Apple anti-repair policies for years.

yreg• 3 years ago

Where did you get these ideas since as you say, you don't know him?

cocoa19• 3 years ago

How will this project avoid being sued to death by platforms?

I’ve thought of starting a similar project for paid tv/movie streaming services, but got discouraged since a lawsuit can erase thousands of hours poured into the project.

antoniojtorres• 3 years ago

Agreed. I wish there was a mixture of legal portability / universality that allowed platforms to still monetize the content they host while allowing others to choose how they consume content. Not a fan of the consolidation of walled gardens.

joshspankit• 3 years ago

Given their commitment I think they are great people to take on the inevitable lawsuits but I think they face a more immediate threat: simply being blocked from accessing the APIs.

The internet has seen this play out many many (many) times before.

svag2• 3 years ago

Here is another link to the actual product and not source code, https://grayjay.app/

theshrike79• 3 years ago

The site is 100% hugged to death :D

svag2• 3 years ago

Checking at the https://futo.org/, there is a number of other projects worth checking

* [Circles](https://circu.li/): A private photo sharing feed for families.

* [FUTO Voice](https://github.com/abb128/LiveCaptions): A voice input app for Android that respects your privacy.

* [Polycentric](https://docs.polycentric.io/): A distributed text-based social network centered around communities.

* [Live Captions](https://github.com/abb128/LiveCaptions): Accessible live captions that are completely private. It seems that Live Captions are the same with FUTO Voice.

bestouff• 3 years ago

Hey, your "FUTO Voice" link goes to "Live Captions" !

It should point to https://voiceinput.futo.org/

smashah• 3 years ago

If there is a consortium which is ready to protect this project from legal threats (C&Ds) from platforms based on their overreaching TOS then please share it as many OSS maintainers out there are stuck in legal purgatory who need help and dont have the same backing that futo does.

Us C&D'ed maintainers have the context to help this kind of app potentially win legal battles but in exchange we want to get back to work without fear!

If you care about OSS maintainers being protected from billion dollar bullying anticompetitive megacorps then please reach out.

SXX2• 3 years ago

This app we discussing is no free or open source.

No reason to help them with legal defence.

Or to donate to them.

ranguna• 3 years ago

The arm v8 android package is around 180 MB in size, when did apps get so big?

perryizgr8• 3 years ago

Ironic that they remove ads (going against Youtube's policy/copyright) but themselves rely on the copyright system to prevent others from using their code.

SXX2• 3 years ago

Too bad to see Louis Rossmann of all people selling this source available software as open source. He spend years proving to his audience how Apple bullshiting their users by not providing hardware documentation for "user security" and "safety". And now he pushing commercial source-available software to "protect users freedoms".

Problems he brought with NewPipe can all be solved by copyrighting the logo and registering trademark for software name itself. No need for BS source available licensing.

hayrhotoca• 3 years ago

Awesome! Does it help removes all ads?

IYasha• 3 years ago

I was literally waiting for this to pop up on HN :) Congratulations to developers and all freedom-respecting people around the world! I'm checking it out now.

_cenw3• 3 years ago

One big problem is that Odysee and Rumble don't primarily attract people because they're somehow better than YouTube - it attracts them because YouTube - often rightfully - bans them. Their front pages become right wing propaganda outlets - Odysee has somewhat cut down on it, but I still see Dave Cullen and a "woke triggered cringe compilation" when I scroll a little. Rumble is a full page ad for Steven Crowder - but then again, that's the same company that hosts trumps truth social.

It's also really telling this app doesn't support any self-hosting solutions.

Open source app to watch videos from any platform

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