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The case for LineageOS and the PinePhone

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Re: The case for LineageOS and the PinePhone

#171

Post by synicalx »

jrm4 wrote: post #110
Kerrick wrote: post #58

> Don't smartphones... kind of suck? How many times have you had to replace a phone in the past 10 years? Do you have a drawer of random crap with a growing pile of phones? I simply cannot relate with this hook. > Don't smartphones... kind of suck? No, smartphones are kinda magical. They take better snapshots than my first DSLR, they play games at higher fidelity than my first gaming PC, and they’re general purpose c…

You completely lost me at "they're general purpose computing devices." This is not even remotely a reasonable definition of today's smartphones.

I beg to differ. They might not be suitable for "power users" or Stallman but for most people they're fine. I've got at least a few non-technical friends that haven't owned a laptop or PC in years and do all their "computing" from their phone and maybe an iPad. The only reason my parents still have a computer is because they like to look at their photos on a large screen, but outside of that one use-case (which could be solved in other ways) they barely ever turn their PC on.

You can bank, search, chat, consume content, and shop from one device - it doesn't get much more "general purpose" than that.

Re: The case for LineageOS and the PinePhone

#172

Post by cjohansson »

usrn wrote: post #97
zwieback wrote: post #30

I like the idea of a more open phone a lot but dispute the "Smartphones are shit" premise. I think modern smart phones are an unbelievably awesome value. Battery, display, wireless and processing power have advanced at such an unbelievable rate that we have something in our pockets that far exceeds predictions of 20, 30, 100 years ago. The problem is that we don't want to pay what it really costs to have such a great…

As someone who had a few pre-smartphone PDAs: Smartphones absolutely are high powered shit. On paper they're amazing but the ecosystem limits you to scrolling instagram and only a handfull of accepted IMs (iOS struggles with XMPP and IRC for example, something even my hacked DS could do fine with 4MB of ram and a 60Mhz ARM9.) Just editing fucking textfiles and copying it back to a normal PC (that isn't a mac) is a re…

Very good points, we have access to very powerful hardware in modern-day smartphones but the software is seriously limiting what can be done with it. My Nokia E71 from 10 years ago had a lot of nice features that I don't have in my iPhone á 2022

Re: The case for LineageOS and the PinePhone

#173

Post by IanCal »

usrn wrote: post #125
IanCal wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On the other hand, my android phone works reliably for ... I don't know weeks? Months? I only restart for major update. My Ubuntu laptop after a straight install didn't turn off properly, my Ubuntu desktop regularly has chrome crash and fails to wake up the screen. I've had so many issues with basic Linux setups that I absolutely do not want that on my phone. I don't want a browser that's described as just "usable".…

I actually don't share your experience. My Linux machines are all more reliable than the best smartphones I've had. Flagship Android phones have been the worst in my experience, most can't make it a week without crashing, not to mention the awful battery life. Maybe it's because I know to be picky about PC hardware and don't run things like Chrome. >I don't want a browser that's described as just "usable". I have to…

> Maybe it's because I know to be picky about PC hardware

I have had home built pcs, custom built ones and have just bought that laptop from a common Linux only supplier. My Dell was much worse.

If it takes more effort than I have spent finding either support, components or experts then it's a bad sign.

Maybe you should just be ever so slightly picker about your Android phones?

> I have to wonder what exactly you do want then, maybe a parade?

Well this just unnecessarily rude, and frankly silly. What I want is a browser that works "well" not that just meets the bare minimum of "yeah it's possible to use".

> You've been conditioned to feel helpless here. You've been told you can't fix things so you accept that they're broken and don't think about it

No. I have told you exactly why.

1. I haven't come across this on my phone

2. I have on other devices and I would much rather spend time with my family now

I have gone through years of tinkering and adjusting xorg config files, wrangling with mythtv, all that kind of thing. It's no longer a trade-off I want to make.

> It's a little upsetting for people to act like that's reasonable or ok.

I think you have invented a false image of me in your head then are feeling upset about that character.

Re: The case for LineageOS and the PinePhone

#174

Post by jamesmishra »

fartcannon wrote: post #75
josephcsible wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem with not using Snapchat is the network effect: you miss out on socialization when you're the only one in your friend group that isn't on it. The problem with not using those banks is that I don't think there's any banks that aren't hostile like that, and keeping all of your money under a mattress is a worse choice than compromising on this principle.

This is HN so I'll be slaughtered for this reply, but someone definitely tried to fix the banks issue a little over a decade ago. But yeah, fair enough! I choose to just not chat to those people, but I totally get that it's not that easy for some.

You choose not to chat with your friend group?

Re: The case for LineageOS and the PinePhone

#175

Post by spacexsucks »

zwieback wrote: post #30

I like the idea of a more open phone a lot but dispute the "Smartphones are shit" premise. I think modern smart phones are an unbelievably awesome value. Battery, display, wireless and processing power have advanced at such an unbelievable rate that we have something in our pockets that far exceeds predictions of 20, 30, 100 years ago. The problem is that we don't want to pay what it really costs to have such a great…

I ahve been using a long forgotten Lumia 830 and a BB on GSM for a year now. Short of maps and uber, modern smart phones are media consumption and attention draining devices for spying that have ahige impact on the environment. I use aseparate camera for photos.

Side benfit? No tracking from big tech

Re: The case for LineageOS and the PinePhone

#176

Post by spacexsucks »

synicalx wrote: post #171
jrm4 wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You completely lost me at "they're general purpose computing devices." This is not even remotely a reasonable definition of today's smartphones.

I beg to differ. They might not be suitable for "power users" or Stallman but for most people they're fine. I've got at least a few non-technical friends that haven't owned a laptop or PC in years and do all their "computing" from their phone and maybe an iPad. The only reason my parents still have a computer is because they like to look at their photos on a large screen, but outside of that one use-case (which could…

I beg to differ. They are higly optimized attention seeking monsters with side "benefits". They will turn on you thr momemnt google/apple so choose.

Re: The case for LineageOS and the PinePhone

#178

Post by synicalx »

spacexsucks wrote: post #176
synicalx wrote: post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I beg to differ. They might not be suitable for "power users" or Stallman but for most people they're fine. I've got at least a few non-technical friends that haven't owned a laptop or PC in years and do all their "computing" from their phone and maybe an iPad. The only reason my parents still have a computer is because they like to look at their photos on a large screen, but outside of that one use-case (which could…

I beg to differ. They are higly optimized attention seeking monsters with side "benefits". They will turn on you thr momemnt google/apple so choose.

Right but that doesn't make them any less useful as a general purpose computing device - they still serve that function perfectly well with or without them slowly eroding our mental capacity and stealing all our data.

Re: The case for LineageOS and the PinePhone

#179

Post by Kbelicius »

scarface74 wrote: post #150
asciimov wrote: post #88

The only solution to the e-waste problem is legislation. First we need to pass laws that force repair ability on these devices. Like being able to replace a battery easily, think slipping the back cover off easy. Force the unification of a charging standard. Finally we need to nickle and dime these companies for not making the devices more reusable.

Are you also going to force phone manufacturers to provide OS updates for 7 years like Apple is doing and security updates for nine years? I can get my battery replaced for $50-$70. If the EU had forced a common standard before USB C became prevalent we would be stuck with USB A. Government moves way too slowly and doesn’t have a clue about technology. GDPR made web browsing worse with cookie pop ups everywhere.

> If the EU had forced a common standard before USB C became prevalent we would be stuck with USB A.

No we wouldn't.

> GDPR made web browsing worse with cookie pop ups everywhere.

Cookie pop ups are not happening because of GDPR.

Re: The case for LineageOS and the PinePhone

#180

Post by cehrlich »

zwieback wrote: post #30

I like the idea of a more open phone a lot but dispute the "Smartphones are shit" premise. I think modern smart phones are an unbelievably awesome value. Battery, display, wireless and processing power have advanced at such an unbelievable rate that we have something in our pockets that far exceeds predictions of 20, 30, 100 years ago. The problem is that we don't want to pay what it really costs to have such a great…

The fundamental problem seems to be that there is one group of people who believe that smartphones should be 'real computers', and another group that wants it to be something different, more limited.

For my personal usage I'm in the second group. I have several 'real computers', and I just want my phone to do phone stuff, and do it without getting in my way. I have no interest in switching from my iPhone to a PinePhone or whatever.

The big caveat here, which has me a bit worried in the long run, is that there is an entire new generation of people growing up using only devices that are not 'real computers'. That seems really bad, but at the same time I might just be old. Who knows.

Disclaimer: I know the phrase 'real computer' is a bit of a trope, but I hope it's clear what I mean.

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