I read a post here a while back claiming that graphine is less private but somehow more secure. Of course the only person I have to ask is the graphine Matrix who claims are the opposite of this. Generally my main concern about Calyx is it’s Fake google play thing. Apparently this is less private than graphineOS’s sandboxed google play since it is still connecting to Google, and is just as privileged as Google play usually is.
I think this is only the case if you use GrapheneOS with Sandboxed Google Play. Obviously it is more privacy invasive to have a literal Google app on your device constantly running even if it is sandboxed, whereas with CalyxOS MicroG is somewhat of a proxy/anonymous workaround to Google Play. The reason why they say CalyxOS is less secure, is mainly because they have a tendency is fall behind on security updates for up to weeks or even months, whereas the GrapheneOS team is always on top of it. So, the privacy aspect goes like this: GrapheneOS > CalyxOS > GrapheneOS with Sandboxed Google Play. The security goes like this: GrapheneOS > GrapgeneOS with Sandboxed Google Play > CalyxOS.
I shall note that if you are like Richard Stallman and an extreme free software advocate then CalyxOS is the one that will align with your needs more.
Also FYI, the GrapheneOS and CalyxOS teams do not like each other at all, mainly because the old GrapheneOS head, Daniel Micay, was a toxic individual. Check out this video from Techlore and this video from Louis Rossmann for more info. Despite of that, I would say GrapheneOS is objectively the better operating system and it is what I use, very happy with it.
Can GrapheneOS be used with MicroG? I vaguely remember that being an option.
You would have to build GrapheneOS yourself from the source I believe as there is no built version of it with MicroG. Check out this Github page
Magisk + LSPosed + FakeGApps LSPosed module + MinMicroG project. You have GrapheneOS with microG. Loose in security, but boost in privacy.
I use CalyxOS and will also suggest that people use GrapheneOS instead. I’m more comfortable with MicroG but I appreciate that Graphene is technologically the more impressive project of the two.
Yeah the project has continued without him, And yeah running Google Apps is likely less private but considering I use proprietary apps like discord regularly I feel like Google and people are getting more and more of my data anyway.
Honestly anything without google is good
I think what I’ve heard (more or less) is that they are equally private but GrapheneOS is more secure. I don’t remember what the justification was though. I’m interested to see what replies your question gets.
I’ve always seen CalyxOS as the version that is the more user friendly (easier installation, better support. At least as of few years ago. Things migh have changed now.)
Personally what I question is the choice of GrapheneOS to use sanboxed Google play services rarher than the open source alternative micro-G. I can’t see how that’s better.
GrapheneOS has an incredibly easy installation as it’s entirely done through your browser (though it doesn’t work on Firefox unfortunately).
As for Sandboxed Google Play versus MicroG, I believe app compatibility is much better. It’s not perfect as I’ve come across multiple apps that simply don’t work on Graphene but I hear the situation is a lot worse with MicroG. There have also been quite a few instances in the past of MicroG leaking data it shouldn’t be.
though it doesn’t work on Firefox unfortunately
unfortunately!They don’t allowing websites access to USB devices for a reason.
CalyxOS installation is also extremely easy now. These projects have come a long way in terms of accessibility and it’s awesome to see.
But the Sanboxed Google play services, I would imagine is still closed sourced. Right? If true, just accounting for trying to minimize closed sorced software on device, Micro-g must be strictly better, in that one issue at least.
Sandboxing it means it doesn’t have any elevated privileges like MicroG has so it gets less data. MicroG still gives Google the information they’re after, just proxies through alternative services I believe.
Graphene has been good at getting security and feature updates out the door quicker. For that reason (and that google telemetry will happen no matter what OS), it’s much more secure.
It’s much more then just that they harden it even more and have great features like contact and storage scopes where apps only get access to what you give them and you can fully block apps from connecting to the Internet by denying the Internet permission at install those are just the privacy enhancements https://grapheneos.org/features for all they do to improve security
