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I want a computer that I own

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Re: I want a computer that I own

#631

Post by stjohnswarts »

danogentili wrote: post #493
Razengan wrote: post #466

Earlier quoted context omitted.

All the Apple haters keep missing the point for why Apple users prefer “walled gardens”: They are fucking beautiful respites from all the crap outside their walls. Apple has refunded me without question whenever an app tried to scam me, no matter how big people popular it was, whereas apps using third-party payment systems almost never give any refunds.

Imagine actually using free and open-source apps from free and open source app stores&operating systems instead of buying an overpriced rehash of open source software.

or....

"you don't like what I like and my choices are obviously superior so I'm going to insult your opinion and act as if my opinion is undeniable fact"

Re: I want a computer that I own

#632

Post by brokenmachine »

fsflover wrote: post #359
HideousKojima wrote: post #256

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm really heartbroken that I can't use a Pinephone as a daily driver because of the simple fact that it doesn't have a 5ghz wifi antenna. Where I currently live there's just too much interference on 2.4ghz. It's literally the one feature I need. As soon as they come out with a model that has 5ghz wifi I'm happy to jump right on board, especially since they're coming out with a keyboard attachment.

Librem 5 has 5ghz wifi.

The battery time, at 3–5 hours, and the inability of the phone to charge while turned on, they called "A stark reminder of the Librem 5's beta status".

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Librem_5

Re: I want a computer that I own

#633

Post by coupdejarnac »

megous wrote: post #431
coupdejarnac wrote: post #303

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Yes. I was looking for an answer along the lines of a particular model from Telit/whoever. I'd rather use the external micro to control the module with AT commands.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#634

Post by stjohnswarts »

demosito666 wrote: post #469
XorNot wrote: post #455

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 device…

IMO this reduces the protection of 2FA significantly. For me 2FA is primarily not having a single device that's enough to compromise to get access to your important accounts. This means that I never have both factors (password and TOTP key in our case) on a single device. That's why > they've already got my Google Authenticator or whatever DB as well anyway. is of course good for them, but they still need to get my p…

For most of us 2FA as it is works fine. Until I become a CIA operative or drug dealer I suspect the current setups are fine via companies like authy, 1Pass, and google auth.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#635

Post by stjohnswarts »

nvarsj wrote: post #404
bayindirh wrote: post #313

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

Oh I totally agree. I treat my phone as purely a consumption and communication device. It's a dumb brick that should do those things well, including being secure. The more walled garden the better, in my opinion, as long as it's doing those things well and maintaining my privacy. On the other hand, it's useless for creation. But that's fine, the trade offs are worth it in my opinion. I have dedicated hardware running…

Yeah exactly. I sometimes use it to view documents in a pinch but vast majority of everything I do is on a desktop/laptop. When I backup all I have to do is copy one folder over to my desktop and that folder also gets backed up to icloud. Iphone also obviously will reinstall the apps that I use if I need to switch devices. It works pretty well. my phone isn't the center of my world and in general I don't care about keeping old conversations on chat apps and such. Some people want to keep all their data into perpetuity but I don't.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#636

Post by kjrose »

salawat wrote: post #618
kjrose wrote: post #592

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, I agree that the open source movement and free software has helped immensely with organizations that create these environments. However, the key thing is those environments still need to be paid for in order to keep them operational and pay for improvements, etc. This is why Facebook is inherently free except for the ads. Same with Google. People have not demonstrated a will to pay for a search engine, or for a s…

See, the problem there is the "paying" part. What do you, the customer, allegedly willing to pay, get from a search provider? Especially once everyone else piles on? What you get is a simple tool, that then requorements bloats as soon as the rest of the economy notices you're a growing centralized control point. You start getting DMCA pipelines. You start getting hosting amd analytics, and monetization. You get your…

So what do I use if I don't want to use google? Or any other free service that's co opted

Re: I want a computer that I own

#638

Post by brokenmachine »

mschuster91 wrote: post #366
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…

> and even doing simple reparation tasks like replacing a battery is a nightmare these days I went ahead and bought a SM-T575 tablet a couple weeks ago. The only tablet I could find in the 8-inch range that had a somewhat decent CPU/GPU, a camera with light, NFC and a replaceable battery - while still being waterproof. And it's not made out of hard plastic that will shatter at the first fall. For all that joy however…

>We need regulation in this space, and fast.

I'm hoping the EU can help a bit. Please, EU, you're our only hope!!

Re: I want a computer that I own

#639

Post by apatters »

mwcampbell wrote: post #551
sammorrowdrums wrote: post #484

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, even when you boot up into Netlfix in Epiphany browser or something and discover you can't. It's not a great OOTB experience for new Linux users, never mind being locked out entirely. But that said, I don't really know how to fix the DRM problem without first making progress on open hardware. Viability and market share in spite of the adversity is the only chance I can see. It still might fail. We try because w…

I think the solution is to convince more people that we can live happy lives without access to big-budget entertainment. I've been mostly going without for about two years now, though I've wavered a few times.

I think the trick is to start viewing the problem through the lens of anti-trust/pro-competition law. Something like mandating compulsory licensing of DRM technologies so that the DRM manufacturer and Hollywood studios don't get to be kingmakers in the browser or operating systems markets.

IANAL but seems to me like laws along the lines of "you can reverse engineer DRM without being arrested" and "the patent holder/whatever of the DRM cannot deny you a license to use this without a good reason" seem like the right direction to me. Then the linux distros or anyone else can go off and build/integrate the DRM to the extent that they wish.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#640

Post by brokenmachine »

culturestate wrote: post #306
dirkt wrote: post #300

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But it is controversial to complain that the best stuff is more expensive than the cheap stuff. Nah. Technically, and in terms of manufacturing cost, it would be even easier to make a simpler computer, without all those bells and whistles that can be turned against the user, without the Intel Management Engine, TPM, and what have you. > That's the type of stuff they sacrificed to make it cheap. No, it's economies o…

> Technically, and in terms of manufacturing cost, it would be even easier to make a simpler computer...without the Intel Management Engine, TPM, and what have you Maybe I'm missing something here but how is it possible that on-die features like IME affect the manufacturing cost and complexity of a laptop for e.g. Dell?

Intel has to pay for it, so they add more to the cost that Dell has to pay, and then that cost is passed on to the consumer.
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