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Linux phones are more important now than ever

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Re: Linux phones are more important now than ever

#211

Post by globular-toast »

rjdj377dhabsn wrote: post #156
akagusu wrote: post #5

Linux phones are useless for common people until they can run government and bank apps.

I think the only viable solution is going to be to have 2 devices: one for government and financial services and one for everything else, where you still have some hope of privacy.

This is what I'm thinking. Android supports multi-user, right? So a cheap Android POS shared with the family that gets left at home most of the time.

I also think just not using a phone as much is a viable solution. People are addicted to their phones so it would feel like intercision at first. But freedom is worth it. Never sacrifice freedom for convenience. You actually don't need to look up stuff on Wikipedia at any time while you're outside. Just be outside. Be offline. It's fine. It's better even.

I'd be happy just going back to a dumbphone for the phone bit and having a portable GNU/Linux device for travelling. I still have a 15 year old Dell netbook but sadly the battery is shot and it's no good for the wonderful "modern" web. But something like that would be fine.

Re: Linux phones are more important now than ever

#213

Post by Hackbraten »

haspok wrote: post #208
debo_ wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In giant font at the top of the linked post: > apparently it needs to be said that I am not suggesting you switch to Linux on your phone today; just that development needs to accelerate. Please don’t be one of the 34 people that replied to tell me Linux is not ready.

> Linux is not ready OK, but what steps are being made to make it ready? How do you solve the issue of many apps not accepting rooted Androids (and very rightly so)? I mean, Linux distros even struggle with Secure Boot on a normal PC - which is a far easier problem to solve...

Reverse engineering those government apps and writing native FOSS replacements would be a start.

Re: Linux phones are more important now than ever

#214

Post by Aerroon »

godelski wrote: post #188
hypeatei wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> prevents me from taking screenshots if an app author doesn't want me to The most frustrating part about this "feature" is that you don't know it's enabled until the screenshot is taken and you're left with a picture of nothing. That and some app authors thinking they're protecting you with this (referring to banking apps in particular)

In some sense they are. But being protected either from a consequence of my own stupidity or a consequence of their lack of security. I think the worst part of all is that these "bandaids" are being used in place of actual security. I don't need to be protected from my own stupidity nor do I need security theater.

It doesn't really protect anything though, because you can always just use an external camera to take a picture of your screen.

Re: Linux phones are more important now than ever

#215

Post by cranberryturkey »

VariousPrograms wrote: post #116

As someone willing to put up with all manner of nonsense (overpriced/underpowered hardware, clunky UI, endless troubleshooting), battery life on mobile Linux devices alone prevents me from using them in the real world. Is there a single Linux phone/tablet that can last an 8 hour day of actual use? Librem/Pinephone/Juno can't. My uConsole can't. Different category, but my MNT mini laptop lasts like 4 hours and can't b…

My HP laptop lasts 2 hours running linux. My macbook air m4 lasts 12 hours.

Re: Linux phones are more important now than ever

#216

Post by Aerroon »

nicman23 wrote: post #176
ulrikrasmussen wrote: post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My government (Denmark) refusing to let me use their digital identity app because I don't want to accept Google's or Apple's TOS, and Google helping them enforce that via remote attestation services. Luckily there are alternatives in the form of code displays and NFC chips. However, next year I won't be able to watch porn unless I verify my age using a smartphone, no alternatives are planned. Or rather, I have the "f…

route everything through a vps?

It's a temporary solution though. It's only going to get more draconian. Next thing you know the talk is about punishing VPN users, because now they can be painted as evading the law.

Re: Linux phones are more important now than ever

#217

Post by meiuqer »

tsimionescu wrote: post #180
floren wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"nation state" has a particular meaning and it's not just "a smart-sounding way to say country" but it tends to get used that way.

It does have a particular meaning, but it is one that's not relevant in this context, and it's probably narrower than what the poster intended. For example, Belgium is not a nation state, but I'm sure the GGP would be surprised by an answer like "no, it wasn't a nation state, Belgium asked them to do it".

What do you mean by 'Belgium is not a nation state', if i may ask?

Re: Linux phones are more important now than ever

#218

Post by SahAssar »

karel-3d wrote: post #212

Isn't Android... Linux? It's not "gotcha", just... there are many clones of Android that work without Google Play, because Android (AOSP) is based on Linux. Why not just use that? What does "linux phone" add?

Android is a modified/patched linux kernel with a different userspace.

Re: Linux phones are more important now than ever

#219

Post by Hackbraten »

globular-toast wrote: post #211
rjdj377dhabsn wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the only viable solution is going to be to have 2 devices: one for government and financial services and one for everything else, where you still have some hope of privacy.

This is what I'm thinking. Android supports multi-user, right? So a cheap Android POS shared with the family that gets left at home most of the time. I also think just not using a phone as much is a viable solution. People are addicted to their phones so it would feel like intercision at first. But freedom is worth it. Never sacrifice freedom for convenience. You actually don't need to look up stuff on Wikipedia at a…

> I also think just not using a phone as much is a viable solution.

Most European banks force you to use your phone for 2FA if you want to pay your bills, no matter if you're sending the transaction from your computer or your phone.

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