[ilioscio]

Google is really losing the plot lately, like worse than ever before. The changes to sideloading android apps is perhaps the biggest red flag they've ever thrown. But the new UI updates look largely silly and unhelpful, but maybe I'm being unfair.

[dzogchen]

If you are calling 'installing an app on your own phone without involvement of the vendor' 'sideloading' then you are complicit.

[joshmn]

Not OP, but to add to your sentiment: It was called installing when I was a child. I would download software—from CNET just casually browsing, or whatever from a warez forum—and open the package to reveal an installer (I was fond of InstallShield-based installers, I do not know why). I could customize the directory which the application would install to, stare endlessly at the verbose “advanced” or “custom” mode, and listen to my HDD spin a little faster.

[sho_hn]

I like this point very much.

That the term "sideloading" has normalized treating this as a special case is a problem.

It's unlikely the terminology can be rolled back at this point, but occasionally reflecting on this is useful.

[AuthorizedCust]

Semantic wars are unhelpful distractions. Focus on the issues.