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I want a computer that I own

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Re: I want a computer that I own

#431

Post by megous »

coupdejarnac wrote: post #303
_peeley wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

I've been wanting to cobble together a phone using a microcontroller hooked up to a 4g/5g module. Anyone have a module recommendation? I think everything currently available on sparkfun and adafruit won't work for me.

Many 4g/5g modules are basically stripped down/headless smartphones in themselves, running Linux + modem firmware, etc. You don't need the microcontroller, you just need to patch the firmware.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#432

Post by vbezhenar »

navaati wrote: post #409
vbezhenar wrote: post #393

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can somewhat relate to you, but in different aspect. I own iPhone and I'm thinking about some home automation. I can program iPhones, I tried to find out some way to put my code onto my phone without restrictions and I did not find any. I can use web app, but it's restricted and I might need some API that's not available for web. I can install my development build, but it'll expire in a few days and I don't want to…

It’s frustrating to have to pay, but I think you can shell out something like a 100 bucks to get an Apple developer account and it allows you to install your own code on your own phone. I hope it’s a 100 bucks forever and not once per year… Can someone confirm ?

I can pay, but, as I said, my apps will expire in a few days, so I would need to rebuild and reinstall them every day to keep them working. The only way to have non-expiring apps is to submit them to AppStore which is obviously not possible, as it's only for me.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#433

Post by bboygravity »

_sgws wrote: post #379
bboygravity wrote: post #329

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> iOS takes all of these away. Complete backups are built-in (I know android has it, but I don't know how bulletproof is this) Not to burn you down, but to burn Android down: no, Android does not allow you to take complete backups. Let alone "built-in". The only backups that are made are forced to Google cloud and only backs-up apps that where downloaded through Google Play and app settings for Google stuff. It is an…

> Android does not allow you to take complete backups. Let alone "built-in". Android has had full system backup capabilities through `adb backup` for years. It does not require removing carrier locks or rooting and has been available since Android 2.x iirc. I've used this to transfer all of my apps, app settings, and system settings between all of my Android phones: Nexus One -> Galaxy Nexus -> Note 3 -> Galaxy S6 ->…

> This is false. Android has had full system backup capabilities through `adb backup` for years.

Apparently this is false, because apps can "opt out" of ADB backup and many do (see other comments), furthermore it doesn't backup the entire phone, but only the system image (partly). Does it backup the root state of the phone? Nope. Does it backup the restore partition of the phone? Nope. Making it a "maybe full system backup but not full system image backup that is kind of buggy". In other words, like I wrote earlier: not a -full- system backup at all.

I was specifically talking about effortlessly backing up and restoring a full system image. Blackberry OS10 style: plug in phone, press "backup system image" and get a carbon copy of EVERYTHING that runs on the phone that can be restored to a new or existing phone with 1 click. Your post confirms that this is not possible in Android: using ADB is not "effortlessly" and it's not a full system image backup.

Even if I would backup and restore from and to the exact same rooted phone (that's all I'm asking), the restored backup would not be the same as whatever was on the phone when the ADB backup was pulled. Nandroid can do this, in theory, with a lot of hassle (but not on my phone, because TWRP for my phone doesn't support decryption of the system partition).

Re: I want a computer that I own

#435

Post by Goz3rr »

BoysenberryPi wrote: post #86

This feels like it was made to get to the top of somewhere like HN but I'm actually very confused. >I want it to be, but which can also be used to communicate securely with anyone on the planet without being observed by a third party. I don't want to be spied on by Microsoft or Google.I don't want the NSA intercepting my conversations or even their metadata. I don't see what this has to do with the actual computer ho…

I'm not sure if it's ironic or intentional, but I find it funny that they talk about these points while not having HTTP redirect to HTTPS on their own site, presumably because it's using a self signed certificate.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#436

Post by capableweb »

vbezhenar wrote: post #393
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 can somewhat relate to you, but in different aspect. I own iPhone and I'm thinking about some home automation. I can program iPhones, I tried to find out some way to put my code onto my phone without restrictions and I did not find any. I can use web app, but it's restricted and I might need some API that's not available for web. I can install my development build, but it'll expire in a few days and I don't want to…

I both hate and love both of Android and iOS. Currently I'm on iOS has the hardware is nicer but damn if the UX isn't confusing and downright dangerous sometimes (looking at you CarPlay).

I also looked into getting some of my own programs into my iPhone but rather than getting stuck on not being able to keep it there for a long time, I got stuck on how to even get the program into the phone. Turns out you need Apple hardware to push the code, so I'm stuck before even being able to try it.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#437

Post by fogihujy »

rubin55 wrote: post #416
fogihujy wrote: post #382

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're right; freedom of computing is a non-issue for most people. What I don't agree upon is that "NOBODY" would want open platforms; there's probably a larger market for that than there was a personal computing market in the 70's. There's businesses like Raptor that sell fairly open workstations, and they simply wouldn't if there wasn't a market for it. The main issue is the disconnect between engineers/programmers…

Raptor systems are not fairly open, they're fully open. Purism and to a lesser extent System76 could be classified as fairly open though.

Fair enough. My point is that there are open hardware available, and that there wouldn't be if there wasn't an actual market for it. :)

Re: I want a computer that I own

#438

Post by Siira »

vbezhenar wrote: post #393
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 can somewhat relate to you, but in different aspect. I own iPhone and I'm thinking about some home automation. I can program iPhones, I tried to find out some way to put my code onto my phone without restrictions and I did not find any. I can use web app, but it's restricted and I might need some API that's not available for web. I can install my development build, but it'll expire in a few days and I don't want to…

All those Apple apologists should go and take a look at the world; I live in Iran, and here Iranian apps just use a business profile to install. There are even alternative app stores using device management profiles. And these apologists keep bullshitting that the monopolist walled garden actually keeps people safe. The walls don’t keep out anyone powerful, they just enforce rents.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#439

Post by capableweb »

bayindirh wrote: post #313
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'll play the (intentional) Devil's Advocate here to present an alternative viewpoint. I like iOS, but not Android. Let me explain why. I personally love Linux, Unix philosophy (I'm even sometimes an old beardy zealot about POSIX standards and the old way ), and inherent customization possibilities. On the other hand, I don't want to manage my phone like a desktop or laptop computer, or a server because of a plethora…

I agree with you overall, but felt the need of commenting as I thought "Settings do not change spontaneously" was true as well but it is not! I just discovered the other day that you cannot turn off WiFi or Bluetooth. If you do try to disable either of them, they will be turned off but only for a day. The next day they enable themselves automatically.

So much for not changing settings by themselves :)

Re: I want a computer that I own

#440

Post by saagarjha »

vbezhenar wrote: post #432
navaati wrote: post #409

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s frustrating to have to pay, but I think you can shell out something like a 100 bucks to get an Apple developer account and it allows you to install your own code on your own phone. I hope it’s a 100 bucks forever and not once per year… Can someone confirm ?

I can pay, but, as I said, my apps will expire in a few days, so I would need to rebuild and reinstall them every day to keep them working. The only way to have non-expiring apps is to submit them to AppStore which is obviously not possible, as it's only for me.

If you pay your apps will expire once a year rather than once every couple days.
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