OS Comparison? Which should I order for the Pro1 X?

[dhilgart 1]

What are the major differences between OS choices? Which would you recommend for a non-tech savvy user?

I don't think Ubuntu has any use for me, so I'm deciding between Lineage and Android. I don't really care too much about the privacy differences. I do care about which is better supported and less buggy. I also care A LOT about any differences in ease of use, especially regarding handling keyboard inputs. For example, does one OS allow you to tap shift and capitalize the next letter pressed rather than having to hold shift? Stuff like that, which will hopefully make it feel more like my old Photon Q.

I had a Pro1 that I never really used because I couldn't activate it on Sprint. Now things may have changed so I'm thinking of ordering a Pro1 X because the non-shifted QWERTY layout looks so much better. But I was not very impressed with the keyboard performance on the Pro1. I remember many many months ago reading on the forums about how the stock version of Android on the Pro1 had some major issues that Lineage may or may not have solved. For example, there was an issue with simultaneous key presses, although it sounds like this may now have been fixed on stock Android. I remember there were some other very basic software issues related to the keyboard that stock Android did not handle well at the time, but I don't recall what they were. Anyway, it seemed at the time that Lineage was all around better supported and less buggy than stock. Something about how the firmware had been outsourced and wasn't actually under Fxtec's control. Is this still the case? I did once root an old phone and install Cyanogenmod, and I found it to be pretty indistinguishable from stock android for my purposes, but if anything it was a little slower and buggier than stock.

Any advice appreciated!

[Slion 1,201]

The main drawback of LOS over Android is that some apps may not work. Disney+ for instance or some app doing extra security checks, like banking app or Microsoft Authenticator maybe?

[netman 1,424]

I'd say LOS is probably your best bet, things are nicer without google services simply - no demanding your google account, no questions about how you liked the supermarket you just passed by, etc. Also it's probably more polished and stable than the stock rom at this point. Also keep in mind as long as you can use a computer, it isn't to hard to switch if you don't like the choice ordered and the only real difference ends up being the engraving :).

[Zamasu 258]

I appreciate F(x)tec trying to supply an official Android version that supports Google Pay and the like, but from what I've seen the updates for that are pretty slow. This seems mostly due to their partners, and there are probably costs involved, but the latest update (including security updates) was months ago. Meanwhile LineageOS seems to be getting almost weekly updates. Granted I don't think I've ever really noticed a change between versions, but there are still security updates in there. It's probably fine to not have those security updates, plenty of people go through life just fine without updating their phones, but still the option to get them is there. 

There's also AICP, which seems like LineageOS but slightly more flexible. While LineageOS has more manpower behind it to be pretty buttoned up regarding update schedule and presentation, it's also maybe a bit too rigid in what you can do with it. From the little I've read of AICP it seems a bit more open, but personally I don't think the support would be as good. Still good, but comparing the support to LineageOS just seems unfair to me. I could be wrong about this though, LineageOS just looks like Firefox while AICP looks like Waterfox or something, supported, but not as well supported. 

[Wheeljack 212]

11 hours ago, dhilgart said:

For example, does one OS allow you to tap shift and capitalize the next letter pressed rather than having to hold shift?

I'm on Lineage and sticky shift works more on an app by app basis. WhatsApp, Messenger, Firefox, Discord... they all work fine with sticky shift. But then I write a mail in GMail and suddenly I have to hold down shift again to get the next keypress to be upper case.