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What happened to running what you wanted on your own machine?

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Re: What happened to running what you wanted on your own machine?

#211

Post by vetrom »

codyb wrote: post #205
swiftcoder wrote: post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So far, yes. It's getting hardware with every release. First you had to click approve in a dialog to launch unsigned software. Later you had to right click -> "open" -> then approve. Now you have to open system settings to find the button to show the approval prompt. Meanwhile to install a kernel extension you now have to reboot into safe mode and disable part of system integrity protection (with big warnings that it…

Devil's advocating here... when have kernel extensions _ever been_ a part of the average user's experience?

The early MacOS era as well as pretty much the entire classic Mac OS era was infamous for being a more-or-less do it yourself environment for adding bits the OS didn't have or did sub-optimally for given use cases.

The wisdom of such a freewheeling ecosystem in today's era is maybe debatable, but given how user-hostile the mainline OS and software vendors can be, I say there's still plenty of room for that ecosystem and it should be preserved.

Re: What happened to running what you wanted on your own machine?

#212

Post by immibis »

mnmalst wrote: post #51
immibis wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They will not, but the hardware will (as it already does) do its best to stop you from installing LineageOS and other similar ROMs.

In my opinion, the biggest problem that comes with this, is the fact that google play independent apps will become A LOT less popular. To a point where alternative roms are even less interesting to people which in return makes developing apps for them even less interesting.

Some people even sideload on iOS, which doesn't allow sideloading. They do this by getting an apple developer account, installing Xcode, compiling the apps themselves and refreshing them on their phones every week. And this seems about as popular as Android sideloading where you just download an app and install it...

Re: What happened to running what you wanted on your own machine?

#213

Post by 01HNNWZ0MV43FF »

pizlonator wrote: post #203
everdrive wrote: post #197

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I love Linux, but if 90% of the US were on Linux the same commercial / political pressures would apply and Linux would just look like Android or ChromeOS. Can you run an alternate OS on your smartphone? Yes, but you can't run your banking app. Linux alone cannot save us.

But I don't want to run a banking "app" on my computer. I am happy to use a browser on my computer to log into my bank's website.

If nobody participates in government, the banks and entertainment industry will get whatever they want, which is to lock down your computer into a portable kiosk

Re: What happened to running what you wanted on your own machine?

#214

Post by dminik »

ekjhgkejhgk wrote: post #202
dminik wrote: post #193

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ok, but surely there are more important thing going on there than the wording. It feels like Stallman wants to defend his friend, but doesn't really have any way to do that. So, instead, he pivots to pedantry. Like ok, assuming that Marvin really did not know, it's wrong to label him as a sexual assaulter(?). Though legally a sexual assault still occured. But, it still doesn't explain, justify or deny that he alleged…

> Ok, but surely there are more important thing going on there than the wording. Correct, it's the abuse of the legal system. > Though legally a sexual assault still occured. Just because something is true legally doesn't mean it's ok, good, correct, moral or ethical.

If the victim really was coerced/forced, then there is no wordplay going on here. No legal tricks. No abuse of the legal system.

We're talking about sex trafficking, which we know did occur and Epstein was convicted of. Twice.

And possibly rape/sexual assault, even though the "perpetrator" did not know about it.

You're getting awfully close to defending Epstein there.

I also can't help but notice that you ignored everything else in my comment?

Re: What happened to running what you wanted on your own machine?

#215

Post by pizlonator »

01HNNWZ0MV43FF wrote: post #213
pizlonator wrote: post #203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But I don't want to run a banking "app" on my computer. I am happy to use a browser on my computer to log into my bank's website.

If nobody participates in government, the banks and entertainment industry will get whatever they want, which is to lock down your computer into a portable kiosk

but is Android locking down something because government?

Re: What happened to running what you wanted on your own machine?

#216

Post by vetrom »

lejalv wrote: post #173
fsf4alltemp wrote: post #60

This idea that protecting users is worth the cost of giving up your ownership rights is fallacious. Protecting 1 million grannies is an entirely different risk class than the security implications of stopping everyone from using their devices as they see fit. Protecting 1 million grannies means everyone loses ability to install apps that: -allow encrypted chat -allow use of privacy respecting software -download art/g…

> A US president could attempt to force Google and Apple to shutoff citizen access of banks and health services of an entire nation. Merely the threat could give them leverage in any sort of negotiations they might be in This. We can’t anymore say to ourselves “but surely a US president would never do that”? Reference: recent tirades at Canada, Spain, Colombia, Ukraine, ...

We already have the UK intimating they can exercise parliamentary supremacy over American citizens, so we already have this today. (Reference: https://prestonbyrne.com/2025/10/16/the-ofcom-files/)

Without limitations on authority and control, I worry more that the world will devolve into a multilateral legal hellscape, even moreso than exists today. Given how much is dependent on software, you are going to have the governments of pretty much any country with multinational exposure trying this in the next 10 years if recent UK and EU developments are any indicator.

Re: What happened to running what you wanted on your own machine?

#218

Post by NoSalt »

swiftcoder wrote: post #138
NoSalt wrote: post #128

> "When the microcomputer first landed in homes some forty years ago, it came with a simple freedom—you could run whatever software you could get your hands on. Floppy disk from a friend? Pop it in. Shareware demo downloaded from a BBS? Go ahead! Dodgy code you wrote yourself at 2 AM? Absolutely. The computer you bought was yours. It would run whatever you told it to run, and ask no questions." None of what was writt…

> or Macintosh I'm not sure how many Macs you've used lately, but this isn't entirely true: out-of-the-box, Macs only run software that has been signed and notarised by Apple. You can still disable this, but the methods of disabling are getting more obscure, and it's not a given they will remain available

> "You can still disable this, but the methods of disabling are getting more obscure"

Which is why after Snow Leopard, I switched to Linux 100%.

Re: What happened to running what you wanted on your own machine?

#220

Post by wetpaws »

amelius wrote: post #111
buyucu wrote: post #77

Answer: companies realized that they can milk you for more money by restricting your options and alternatives.

Yes, this is the main idea behind iOS and the App Store. I don't get why smart people are falling for this.

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