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I want a computer that I own

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Re: I want a computer that I own

#241

Post by justinjlynn »

spijdar wrote: post #163
bogwog wrote: post #158

> Except for a handful of very over-priced models that I can't afford to buy Which models is he talking about here? Those Raptor Power9 workstations that are like $7k are the only things that come to mind.

Just FYI, you can make a functional system for way less than 7k. I pieces together my system for a little over 2k, and I could have gone cheaper for some of my parts. I probably spent around 1.3k on parts from Raptor themselves. (the prices have increased since then but the point remains)

Happy user of RCS Talos II and Blackbird for several years here. It really does live up to all the hype. There's also a very close knit community of users and an IRC channel (#talos-workstation on Freenode) if you want to drop by and chat. :)

Re: I want a computer that I own

#242

Post by garmaine »

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…

> Owning my computer is still relatively possible. I can build a computer from parts which I can choose

This is insufficient according to conditions of TFA. It is widely assumed in the security industry (based on evidence from the various state-sponsored attacks we can see) that the NSA and/or other government agencies have backdoors and/or zero-day exploits for both the CPU secure execution modes and common networking hardware. It is very likely that there are "magic packets" which you can send to such devices which install a rootkit payload.

If security against even government intrusion is something you care about, it really difficult to buy or make a modern computer that is configured like computers were in the 80's and 90's: just running code we have complete access to, with no hidden interfaces.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#244

Post by m1117 »

In a way you can achieve that. Microsoft and google, they don't know who exactly you are, they just treat you as a behavior pattern, not a human. So they don't know you personally. You're good. If you talk to anyone, the other person will know what you texted them and who you are, so it's not anonymous already.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#245

Post by jrm4 »

superkuh wrote: post #184
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…

You will never own your smartphone. That would require you to be the licensed operator for the radio transmission. Instead the radio is licensed to the telco (or related) and the telcos have every regulatory and monetary incentive to prevent users from being able to access or control the radio. The government regulators demand the user not have control and the baseband modem manufacturer(s) demand their licensed inte…

Except we have very literal and clear precedent for changing this, e.g. AT&T and the Carter Hush-a-Phone.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#246

Post by Aaronstotle »

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…

I've always dreamed of something like an open-source iOS clone. The benefit would be that developers wouldn't have to change much, and this new system could take advantage of the exiting iOS app eco-system.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#247

Post by salawat »

kjrose wrote: post #51

I feel the same way but I quickly realize that as soon as all of those walled gardens and advertising networks are gone, a lot of the "free" or "cheap" tools and programs I like no longer are available. This is a combination of the fact that most people simply aren't willing to pay for the stuff they use and would rather have ads and the fact that the remaining pool of people willing to pay is too small to split the…

Most of the tools we already have materialized out of no small degree of voluntary labor and charity...

In fact, I think you havethe effect straight up backwards. It wasn't the ads or walled gardens that created those free tools you like... It was the presence of those tools and the cleverness of users that made the formation of ad networks and walled gardens a thing.

I assure you, the Free part of Free Software is one heck of a force multiplier.

Re: I want a computer that I own

#248

Post by Scene_Cast2 »

frosted-flakes wrote: post #235
SilverRed wrote: post #210

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is no reason we can't have a proprietary radio chip connected to an open source phone.

I think that's how the Pine phone works. All of the components and software are open source, except the cellular radio.

With regular phones, the radio stuff is pretty darn separate, too (and in case of Snapdragon 865, on a separate chip).

Re: I want a computer that I own

#249

Post by pbourke »

smichel17 wrote: post #169
_peeley wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree with this so much. It would be so convenient if I could just flash Arch Linux or something onto a modern smartphone and be able to use all the applications and settings and data I use on my desktop, but on my mobile phone. Android is markedly better than iOS when it comes to customization, but it's a far cry from a (real) Linux distribution. I've started getting OS-level push notification ads from Google News…

> a far cry from a (real) Linux distribution. They took all the trees, and put 'em in a tree GNUseum..

And they charged the people a dollar and a half to C them

Re: I want a computer that I own

#250

Post by throwawaysea »

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…

Is there a good layman’s guide on how to do this? I’ve heard about things like f droid or cyanogen but really have no idea how those paths compare to “open source” phone operating systems from Mozilla or Ubuntu or other choices like Purism. What’s a reliable route to get a smartphone that can do calls, texts, and browsers without relying on Google or Apple?
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