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I want a computer that I own

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Re: I want a computer that I own

#451

Post by vbezhenar »

Siira wrote: post #438
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…

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.

That's surprising as Apple is supposed to revoke those kinds of certificates pretty quickly. Enterprise certificates are for use inside enterprises, not for outer users.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#452

Post by tremon »

rnestler wrote: post #389
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 cannot choose any of the parts, and even doing simple reparation tasks like replacing a battery is a nightmare these days. There is the https://www.fairphone.com/en/ which is a modular and easy to repair smartphone. They also make it easy to install alternative operating systems like Sailfish or an OSS version of Android.

The company itself only supports stock Android, although they do foster (some) community efforts for ports. Sailfish doesn't seem available for the Fairphone 3; /e/OS is, but to get it preinstalled you need to order from E, not Fairphone itself: https://esolutions.shop/shop/e-os-fairphone-3-plus/

Re: I want a computer that I own

#453

Post by Xylakant »

bayindirh wrote: post #348
Xylakant wrote: post #343

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> iOS takes all of these away. Complete backups are built-in They’re not. Backups are built-in but they’re not complete. For example google Authenticator data is not backed up. Microsoft Authenticator can be backed up, but you need to go through a few extra steps (and have a Microsoft account). Other secrets are not included either - my banks PhotoTAN app doesn’t store any credentials etc. There are reasons why this…

> Authenticator data is not backed up. Microsoft Authenticator can be backed up, but you need to go through a few extra steps (and have a Microsoft account). Other secrets are not included either - my banks PhotoTAN app doesn’t store any credentials etc. AFAIK, applications allow their secrets to be backed up or not, and I'm not mad that my 2FA keys are no backed up and shipped overseas. I keep another copy of my 2FA…

> I keep another copy of my 2FA codes in another application, so it's not a very big problem from my PoV, though.

It's not a problem if you took measures to make sure you have a copy. It's a problem if you just take "full backups" for granted until you figure out that some things don't get included in "full".

Re: I want a computer that I own

#454

Post by vbezhenar »

saagarjha wrote: post #440
vbezhenar wrote: post #432

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

That's very interesting to know. I guess that's an ultimate solution to my problems then, rebuilding once a year is perfectly acceptable.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#455

Post by XorNot »

demosito666 wrote: post #419
XorNot wrote: post #373

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pretty much noone should be using any of the authenticator apps. Get Keepass2Android, and it'll track TOTPs just fine. Throw Syncthing on their and you can securely get those to any device you own without involving Google.

Congrats, you have just negated the second factor in 2FA by having all your keys at one place in one application.

2FA is about having a factor which changes everytime you use it so if the medium is intercepted somehow the account isn't permanently compromised.

It's protection for when using untrusted computing devices, or because most people have their passwords in some way visible or shared.

TOTPs can't be reasonably made much longer then they are while still usefully entered, but my password database never leaves my own devices and neither does the password to it.

If someone compromises my phone to the level they can get that database, then they've already got my Google Authenticator or whatever DB as well anyway.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#456

Post by Ensorceled »

guyzero wrote: post #258
rfrey wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Alternatively, they want the NSA to obey the law, and for surveillance-for-profit business models to be forbidden.

"surveillance-for-profit business models to be forbidden" Are you going to ban TV networks and credit card companies next? Grocery store loyalty programs? Practically every company these days collects about their users and customers.

Credit companies would do just fine if they couldn't sell your data. Loyalty programs don't need to sell your data, they existed before it was even possible. TV networks ... wait, how is broadcast TV even collecting your data.

None of these businesses NEED to collect and sell your behavioural and demographic data to exist. TV and newspapers would probably start doing OK if precision targeted ads were not possible.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#457

Post by necovek »

krmboya wrote: post #262
_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…

Have you taken a look at Ubuntu touch? I came across it while researching for my next device. From what I recall, it gives you a full Ubuntu environment on your phone. Didn't go that route though because of the unavailability of the supported models where I'm at

Ubuntu touch is not a full Ubuntu in your phone.

Canonical supported versions were based on snaps-predating app framework (click packages). There were a couple of phones released with it out of the factory (bq aquarius 4.5 and meizu mx4) and a bq tablet, but rest of the supported phones use android kernels for hw enablement.

Ubutouch has forked the software when Canonical pulled out and even runs an app store, but I think the best hw you can get is Oneplus 6t and then mx4.

I used mx4 as my daily driver for years prior to switching to Android for the first time 3 years ago. While not the fastest phone, mx4 was usable (things I hated most were sharp edges and how it would register touches in my pocket, and then get locked for 10 mins because of wrong passcode).

To be honest, I quite prefer the Ubuntu Touch over Android (and Nokia Meego/Maemo is up there too, but Palm Pre WebOS takes the cake as the best basic phone UX I've experienced).

I think Mobian has the biggest potential to be the pure GNU/Linux system in your pocket, so I am hoping it'd get Unity included too.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#458

Post by thwoeriu2334234 »

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…

> trying to ungoogle it as much as possible.

From experience, no matter what you do, your phone will still continue to ping 1e100.net every few minutes. This may just be something innocuous, but there just is no way to get rid of this behavior (or to understand where it's coming from).

Re: I want a computer that I own

#460

Post by teekert »

My computers are cerebral prostheses. They are deeply personal, I know them, they know me. They are a part me. Without them I would have a different character. Please, indeed, allow me to have one that has me as it's only priority.

In practice I strive for this. I run all the backend services I can get my hands on from my basement (Home Assistant, NextCloud). But getting to the 100% mark indeed seem impossible today without mayor inconveniences, compared to other people, in this time frame at least..

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