I want a computer that I own • Hacker News Board

Re: I want a computer that I own

#271

Post by detaro » Tue, Mar 09, 2021, 5:42 AM UTC

hakfoo wrote: post #267

superkuh wrote: post #184

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You will never own your smartphone. That would require you to be the licensed operator for the radio transmission. Instead the radio is licensed to the telco (or related) and the telcos have every regulatory and monetary incentive to prevent users from being able to access or control the radio. The government regulators demand the user not have control and the baseband modem manufacturer(s) demand their licensed inte…

I never understood why they don't sealed box the wireless stuff then. I could imagine a family of cellular and Wi-Fi devices that present as Ethernet bridges. They'd offer a configuration interface reminiscent of home routers (go to a magic IP either with a REST API or a browser-controllable menu). This eliminates a lot of the delicate, externally facing configuration options and has the side benefit of eliminating a…

It is an isolated peripheral in many smartphones. Whatever you do, there is of course a risk malicious code could break out of the isolation, true for your Ethernet proposal too.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#272

Post by charcircuit » Tue, Mar 09, 2021, 5:48 AM UTC

varenc wrote: post #76

It's a bit ironic this site is served over unencrypted HTTP. While static content on a blog doesn't really need it, HTTPS would still help protect the privacy of visitors browsing history.

It also protects viewers from MITM attacks that can add advertisements, add malware, change your words to make you say something bad, etc.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#273

Post by unobatbayar » Tue, Mar 09, 2021, 5:53 AM UTC

It's probably very difficult to be 100% sure, even if we create the hardware and software on our own. Therefore, be mindful of your actions and always assume it's being monitored. Running linux on raspberry pi might be a good start though.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#274

Post by edoceo » Tue, Mar 09, 2021, 6:00 AM UTC

path411 wrote: post #265

edoceo wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I do similar. Just use my previous Android (eg Pixel2) with the apps on it and my current phone (Pixel3) is trimmed (disable what you can, no apps but Firefox). I leave the 2 in a known safe location. Not a 100% solution but is dead simple and better than 0%

In your scenario what do you even use the 3 for? Just web browsing?

Web, Phone, SMS. Email is via web-interface.

And I've actually got three apps: Firefox, Mattermost and Wireguard

Re: I want a computer that I own

#275

Post by osobo » Tue, Mar 09, 2021, 6:00 AM UTC

ROARosen wrote: post #269

JKCalhoun wrote: post #225

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'll go further: when have you ever been able to communicate with guaranteed privacy? Telephone? Nope. Ham radio? Nope. Letters sent through the mail? Nope.

Letters sent with homing pigeons were mostly private...

Pigeon: ...

Re: I want a computer that I own

#276

Post by jhoechtl » Tue, Mar 09, 2021, 6:05 AM UTC

Owning sthg. vs. renting has economical comsequences. If you own sthg. you will keep it for longer. If you rent you will keep it shorter. Plus all sorts of assurances can form as an ecosystem around that.

Therefore economy will push us to goods we don't own. If you would like to own something you will have to pay the surplus for reduced turnover at the economies side.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#277

Post by m463 » Tue, Mar 09, 2021, 6:07 AM UTC

JKCalhoun wrote: post #225

ocdtrekkie wrote: post #206

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I think the parent started with some good concepts like "a computer I own" and "not being spied on", but then missed the lack of relation between the two. You can have a computer that does not connect to the Internet, or connects to the Internet very little, or only connects to the Internet through specific communication channels you open in a firewall. That's all very attainable. However, as soon as you commun…

I'll go further: when have you ever been able to communicate with guaranteed privacy? Telephone? Nope. Ham radio? Nope. Letters sent through the mail? Nope.

By turning off the radio, sitting in the pod and talking about HAL behind his back.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#278

Post by dasf » Tue, Mar 09, 2021, 6:09 AM UTC

I got a bunch of FPGAs and I'm building my own 68k/6502 machine to run my C programs and to tinker with assembly. Seems that I have a bunch of these chips so it will rapidly grow into a multiprocessor thing.

This is likely the only way forward other than RISC-V on FPGA. But they aren't exactly well defined. Or open. Solid hardware RISC-V is interesting and medium term viable but I foresee a world of blobs waiting in the wings. Time will tell.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#279

Post by m463 » Tue, Mar 09, 2021, 6:11 AM UTC

aiisahik wrote: post #105

This is literally something that NEVER crosses the mind of the average consumer. We should have a HackerNews version of "first world problems" and call it "HackerNews Problems". You now have a computer that is 10,000 times faster than one you had 30 yrs ago at half the price. Oh and it fits in your pocket. A lot of time and money went into creating that. Those people need to get paid. And yes you pay for it with some…

> This is literally something that NEVER crosses the mind of the average consumer.

I think it happens more than you think, but people view this as eating healthy and exercising - should do more about it, but the world makes it easier to eat poorly and do things that aren't exercise.

What would help is if there are people with the capability to help aligned with solutions.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#280

Post by b0tzzzzzzman » Tue, Mar 09, 2021, 6:13 AM UTC

boring_twenties wrote: post #237

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…

> Owning my computer is still relatively possible. Sorry to burst your bubble, https://libreboot.org/faq.html#intelme

Great stuff. First time I flashed a chip with SPI or started learning and playing with surface mount chips. Old ThinkPad are still very capable and empowering if you like playing with software and hardware.

Coreboot is great as well, but a bit different.