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Tim Cook makes blistering attack on the “data industrial complex”

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Re: Tim Cook makes blistering attack on the “data industrial complex”

#151

Post by johnsea »

stult wrote: post #34
orbifold wrote: post #23

It's sad how the introduction of a new class of devices "smartphones" brought along with it a surveillance software platform in the form of Android. Where it is clear that the only incentive for google to develop it is exfiltration of as much personal data as they can. In contrast in the case of Apple you have a customer relationship with the company that sold you the device and they have an incentive to keep you as…

I would kill for a Linux phone, but until that happens I would settle for a phone that comes with root access (or at least allows technically capable users to get it) and let's me control my own data and device from the bare metal up. Because even if Apple has less incentive to exfiltrate data, I don't want to have to trust any company to do the right thing or to keep doing it.

You don't have to kill... but some compromises you'll have to do. Librem and (partly) Sailfish/Jolla give you much more control but they are by far not as polished/broad as iPhones or Androids. Here a link, maybe the Sailfish 3 version will get a bit more traction?

https://together.jolla.com/question/191235/official-event-sa...

Re: Tim Cook makes blistering attack on the “data industrial complex”

#152

Post by AnIdiotOnTheNet »

chongli wrote: post #28
simonh wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple's stance has been completely consistent. They comply with the law while making their ethical beliefs and stance as a company clear where they disagree with it. What do you suggest Apple should do instead of comply with the law? Require it's employees to incriminate themselves?

What do you suggest Apple should do instead of comply with the law? Require it's employees to incriminate themselves? I'm not the GP but I've seen this exact form of complaint many times. I think the usual response is "stop doing business in China." I don't know how that's supposed to work, though, since Chinese companies make all of Apple's hardware.

Are values not backed by a willingness to make sacrifices worth anything?

Re: Tim Cook makes blistering attack on the “data industrial complex”

#153

Post by MarHoff »

akuji1993 wrote: post #139
stewartm wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If it is a while since you last tried the switch, startpage is worth a go. I recently built a new laptop and set it as the default, after several failed attempts in the past. I now rarely find myself struggling with tech related searches as I had done previously. Consequently, it has stuck this time. YMMV obvs.

I might give it another go. I also really really like the guys behind DuckDuckGo, so I'm still hoping they can get their search algorithm on par (or at least near) Googles'

With DuckDuckGo you can always use the !g syntax to switch to google if first results don't suit you need.

By my experience DDG usually provide way more appropriate answers when you are looking for a reference or a documentation entry. Google still is better for recently pushed contents like news and is still marginally better for finding result inside Q&A sites. After 1-2 years of DDG by default I tend to know in advance which query is best for which search engine and so I half conscientiously add the !g while typing when needed.

Re: Tim Cook makes blistering attack on the “data industrial complex”

#154

Post by nneonneo »

akuji1993 wrote: post #138
nneonneo wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, but also keep in mind that Apple has literally no way of knowing what a third-party repair shop might do. Apple does not want to end up on the hook if a third party shop uses a fake exploding battery, the wrong adhesive (causing e.g. antenna issues, excess heat, or flaky phone), a fraudulent or fake part, etc. If that phone blows up/dies/erases everything afterwards, an irate customer or the media might well pi…

I would be fine with Apple doing the repairs themselves. But the fact is, right now, they're not repairing anything. They're swapping out parts without search for cause and charge you a massive amount for the hardware they've swapped. If Apple started doing "Certified Repairs" and actually repair or fix the issue instead of swapping parts every time (there are a lot of problems that can be fixed by cleaning out gunk,…

The time cost for diagnosing the cause of an issue can be quite high, especially with these tightly integrated devices that have to be laboriously disassembled for repair and reassembled for test. That's a high cost of high-skilled human labor, when there's a much lower cost in just getting you a new part. It also means they don't need as many employees to execute repairs, nor do they need as much detailed training on repair procedures.

Re: Tim Cook makes blistering attack on the “data industrial complex”

#155

Post by johnsea »

stuaxo wrote: post #134
stult wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would kill for a Linux phone, but until that happens I would settle for a phone that comes with root access (or at least allows technically capable users to get it) and let's me control my own data and device from the bare metal up. Because even if Apple has less incentive to exfiltrate data, I don't want to have to trust any company to do the right thing or to keep doing it.

I had the first Jolla one for a bit. It wasn't too bad, though the swipey interface made it a little to easily to accidentally call people when drunk.

don't get drunk ;-)

Re: Tim Cook makes blistering attack on the “data industrial complex”

#156

Post by nneonneo »

SmellyGeekBoy wrote: post #147
jason46 wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm curious what would apple use if google was not paying, or if google charged apple? This seems backwards to me.

They're literally the biggest tech company in the world. Couldn't they build their own? I mean, it wouldn't be great at first but seems like a worthwhile project (and Microsoft managed it with Bing, so there's precedent there).

Ehh, Bing still isn't that great. I've had to use it on trips to China, and it routinely misses stuff that I'd expect to see on Google.

Apple could do it, but they are a trillion dollar company that hasn't even gotten Maps completely right yet - let them work on one thing at a time...

Re: Tim Cook makes blistering attack on the “data industrial complex”

#157

Post by HeadsUpHigh »

nneonneo wrote: post #119
akuji1993 wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Before you consider Apple as your next device provider, remember that they right now are completely shutting down third party repairs of their devices. Also Apple's own "repair method" is to tell you that it's broken, without so much as opening the case and just replacing any component that seems to act up, costing you up to the device's original price in repair fees.

Sure, but also keep in mind that Apple has literally no way of knowing what a third-party repair shop might do. Apple does not want to end up on the hook if a third party shop uses a fake exploding battery, the wrong adhesive (causing e.g. antenna issues, excess heat, or flaky phone), a fraudulent or fake part, etc. If that phone blows up/dies/erases everything afterwards, an irate customer or the media might well pi…

I do. Or rather, I don't care if they want third parties doing repairs or not but it should be the user's choice. All this is cheap talk to increase their profits.

Re: Tim Cook makes blistering attack on the “data industrial complex”

#158

Post by sigfubar »

johnsea wrote: post #155
stuaxo wrote: post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I had the first Jolla one for a bit. It wasn't too bad, though the swipey interface made it a little to easily to accidentally call people when drunk.

don't get drunk ;-)

“Don’t get drunk” is the new “you're holding it wrong” ;)

Re: Tim Cook makes blistering attack on the “data industrial complex”

#159

Post by compcoffee »

SmellyGeekBoy wrote: post #150
compcoffee wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> He literally said that we as a society should be grateful for having Apple. Which is utterly cringeworthy. iPhone user thinks iPhone is best thing since sliced bread. News at 11.

I'm not usually one for fanboyism (and I say this as a full time Linux desktop and Android user) but Apple really do seem to be trying to do right by their customers in most cases. Certainly more than the competition. I've been considering switching for a while, but it seems the quality of their hardware and to some extent their software has slowly been going downhill post-Jobs.

The cringe was more related to "we as a society should be grateful to Apple".

It's an utterly laughable statement. Not surprised it upset a few worshipers of the Tech Overlords. Apple, the billionaires it produced and the people it employs should be grateful to the rest of society.

Re: Tim Cook makes blistering attack on the “data industrial complex”

#160

Post by simonh »

pluma wrote: post #50
chongli wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What do you suggest Apple should do instead of comply with the law? Require it's employees to incriminate themselves? I'm not the GP but I've seen this exact form of complaint many times. I think the usual response is "stop doing business in China." I don't know how that's supposed to work, though, since Chinese companies make all of Apple's hardware.

How does sourcing in China require you to sell to the Chinese market? I don't see how Apple could be compelled to open their iCloud to the Chinese government if they're not operating iCloud in China and don't directly have Chinese customers.

China requires that the services be operated from within China and requires government access to the data centres.

I suspect this is one of the driving forces behind Apples efforts to do as much AI Balts is on the device, and employ encryption and advanced anonymising methods on data that is transmitted to the back end.

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