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I want a computer that I own

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Re: I want a computer that I own

#91

Post by kokx »

a5withtrrs wrote: post #59
kokx wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I love the PinePhone. It is an amazing project, and I'm definitely considering buying one. However, it does not solve my main problem. For most scenarios I still need a "normal" smartphone with either iOS or Android. Apps like WhatsApp and banking apps are unfortunately needed for a large part of my daily life. At risk of either socially isolating myself or bringing major inconveniences without having them. All unava…

The (not cost effective) solution is to carry both. Shut off the 'normal' smart phone when you don't need it (for banking or what have you). Use the web version of Whatsapp ( https://web.whatsapp.com/ ) if you must use it. You could even consider having a WhatsApp specific phone if you have an older model that you've upgraded from that contains no other data. That was my solution anyway.

That is the solution I am considering at the moment as well. Its not the prettiest, but it will likely work as a stopgap measure.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#92

Post by _peeley »

kokx wrote: post #15

I have a similar feeling, but with modern smartphones. Owning my computer is still relatively possible. I can build a computer from parts which I can choose, and have a choice in which operating system to install on them. Laptops are slightly more closed, but even on those I can choose the OS myself. Modern smartphones however, seem like walled gardens in which I have no control at all. I cannot choose any of the par…

I agree with this so much. It would be so convenient if I could just flash Arch Linux or something onto a modern smartphone and be able to use all the applications and settings and data I use on my desktop, but on my mobile phone. Android is markedly better than iOS when it comes to customization, but it's a far cry from a (real) Linux distribution. I've started getting OS-level push notification ads from Google News and other bullshit on my Samsung Note 9, and it makes me want to set the thing on fire.

It also makes me pretty pessimistic when it comes to privacy. I can uninstall Windows/MacOS on my laptop, coreboot it, use FOSS/privacy-centric software, etc. but it doesn't really mean much when my phone (which is basically attached to my body 24 hours a day, and is my main conduit of communication with others) is a privacy/security nightmare.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#94

Post by eeZah7Ux »

a5withtrrs wrote: post #59
kokx wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I love the PinePhone. It is an amazing project, and I'm definitely considering buying one. However, it does not solve my main problem. For most scenarios I still need a "normal" smartphone with either iOS or Android. Apps like WhatsApp and banking apps are unfortunately needed for a large part of my daily life. At risk of either socially isolating myself or bringing major inconveniences without having them. All unava…

The (not cost effective) solution is to carry both. Shut off the 'normal' smart phone when you don't need it (for banking or what have you). Use the web version of Whatsapp ( https://web.whatsapp.com/ ) if you must use it. You could even consider having a WhatsApp specific phone if you have an older model that you've upgraded from that contains no other data. That was my solution anyway.

Carrying a cheap/old/second-hand small android phone can be cost effective. Plus, it works as a backup for phone if the PinePhone runs out of battery.

Also, PinePhone can run anbox - slowly.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#95

Post by gruez »

azornathogron wrote: post #44
realsimplesynd wrote: post #9

> Governments seem to be universally terrified of even the slightest possibility of anyone in the world having a private conversation. How secure do you think face-to-face conversations are? (not sarcastic or anything, just genuinely interested on measuring security of conversations)

Not the author, but I would hazard an uninformed guess at three levels of security: (1) a government is already specifically interested in you or the person you're talking to when you have your conversation: both the fact of the conversation and the content of the conversation can probably be captured pretty easily. (2) no government is specifically interested in you prior to your conversation, but you take no specia…

[deleted]

Re: I want a computer that I own

#96

Post by alexfromapex »

kokx wrote: post #15

I have a similar feeling, but with modern smartphones. Owning my computer is still relatively possible. I can build a computer from parts which I can choose, and have a choice in which operating system to install on them. Laptops are slightly more closed, but even on those I can choose the OS myself. Modern smartphones however, seem like walled gardens in which I have no control at all. I cannot choose any of the par…

It seems like a lot of these problems at the core stem from corporations or the government not being held accountable. How do we fix regulatory capture so these privacy issues are a non sequitur?

Re: I want a computer that I own

#97

Post by solmanac »

My approach to getting a computer I own has been influenced by the esolangs website and I am implementing a single instruction set computer using random ttl chips. I don't care that it won't run preexisting software. Networking will be implemented using hand-couriered one time pads.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#98

Post by autoexec »

marcodiego wrote: post #39

You can have computers that you own today. There is a list here: https://ryf.fsf.org/categories/laptops . If you want something more powerful, there're these: - https://ryf.fsf.org/categories/workstations-and-servers - https://ryf.fsf.org/categories/mainboards Also, Andrius Stikonas achieved a blob-free fully functioning (AFAIK) RockPro64 more than a year ago: https://stikonas.eu/wordpress/2019/09/15/blobless-boot-wi…

Why on earth would they use re-imaged Lenovo laptops when that company has a history of hiding malware in firmware so that even a reinstall can't remove it? Why should anyone trust they haven't shoved something nefarious in a chip somewhere. If you want a trusted system you have to start from trustworthy hardware or at the very least avoid manufacturers that are already known to be both untrustworthy and unethical

Re: I want a computer that I own

#99

Post by m-p-3 »

asymptosis wrote: post #56
marcodiego wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Owning a computer goes way beyond simply choosing its parts or OS.

I get the feeling you could be tempted to say more about that. Please elaborate?

Your average desktop/laptop CPU runs a blackbox like Intel AMT or AMD PSP which is basically an always active mini-CPU that runs in the background and is OS-agnostic. If you consider your OS max privilege level as ring 0, this is ring -1.

If/when someone manage to conpromise those, they can basically take over your computer, and Intel/AMD doesn't provide any sort of killswitch or physical way of disabling it.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#100

Post by meowster »

a5withtrrs wrote: post #43

> Our computers are increasingly designed to be little more than advertising platforms and vehicles for maximizing the cloud revenues of their true owners This applies so much to modern Windows operating systems that it's frankly disgusting. I think most phones are also solidly in this space as well. Apple is marginally better, but their efforts to ram iCloud services down your throat at every available opportunity i…

Apparently Apple will display ads for Safari on the desktop if you run Edge.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/i-opened-microsoft-edge-and-ap...

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