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The boiling frog of digital freedom

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Re: The boiling frog of digital freedom

#421

Post by doctor_radium »

gavinhoward wrote: post #261
attah_ wrote: post #19

There is one interesting force acting against that though (or it would probably already have happened). It is the simple fact that most people that are competent enough to actually implement these things also understand the problems with doing so. For the most part anyway. If we could just agree to not do that... well, what are "they" going to do? And of course: we owe it to the web to use Firefox. The Chrome clones…

> It is the simple fact that most people that are competent enough to actually implement these things also understand the problems with doing so. For the most part anyway. If we could just agree to not do that... well, what are "they" going to do? Which is why we should shame every one of us that does do it.

> Which is why we should shame every one of us that does do it.

I don't tend to have the issues people are describing using Firefox for banking, paying bills, etc. And when I'm shopping for something at random and looking for the best price, if one site I've never heard of doesn't work (typically Cloudflare) I just go somewhere else. But Verizon reworked their back end within the last month, causing UBlock Origin to SCREAM (over 2000 blocked scripts and counting when all was done), although the real trick was spoofing as Chrome because until then only the page headers and footers would appear, not the body with the "Pay my bill" button. Opera was even worse, so somebody screwed up something badly! I was chatting with support all this time and they logged at least one ticket.

Thinking through the "public shaming" bit, if the issue reoccurs next month, I'm going to the Better Business Bureau. While they can't guarantee a resolution, it is a very simple way to publicly shame a company doing wrong.

Long term, I'm thinking we need to add "user agent" to the list of "protected classes", i.e. gender, race, sexual preference, etc. to really hammer the point home. While it's just a piece of software, there is a real person behind it. Bots need not apply. And from there perhaps a law or FTC rule to state that public web sites must be accessible by the public.

I do wish the EFF would take up this cause.

Re: The boiling frog of digital freedom

#422

Post by walteweiss »

Daril wrote: post #328

There is hope: - 20 years ago it was impossible to buy a PC, especially a laptop, without MS Windows : today there are several suppliers: System76, LaptopWithLinux, TuxedoComputers, to name but a few. - It is only in the last few years (less than 10) that Linux is perfectly usable on the desktop, so I don't care what decision MS will take for Windows, it is irrelevant if you have other options. For office suites we h…

Can anyone elaborate on Free Office? I checked, it was first submitted to AUR in 2013, but it’s the very first time I hear the brand. I use Libre Office and I tried OnlyOffice as well. Of course I know Open Office, which Libree Office was, once upon a time.

But I never seen in any shape of form Free Office. I couldn’t find even Wikipedia article about them. Their website looks dull to me. What is it all about?

Me, I’m looking for a way to fool people that claim they need Windows when they need browser and Office by installing Linux (possibly with some similar looking shell) and some Office suite that looks very similar. Is Free Office that thing?

Re: The boiling frog of digital freedom

#423

Post by deafpolygon »

huhtenberg wrote: post #82
attah_ wrote: post #19

There is one interesting force acting against that though (or it would probably already have happened). It is the simple fact that most people that are competent enough to actually implement these things also understand the problems with doing so. For the most part anyway. If we could just agree to not do that... well, what are "they" going to do? And of course: we owe it to the web to use Firefox. The Chrome clones…

> And of course: we owe it to the web to use Firefox. Mozilla is hanging tightly on the Google's tit though. It won't be shocking to see Firefox deteriorate rapidly should it start gaining ground on Chrome. He who pays the piper calls the tune.

Which, in this world, can happen. The part that irks me the most isn't so much that, but that Mozilla is more than happy to suckle at that teat and not change the current status quo.

Re: The boiling frog of digital freedom

#424

Post by walteweiss »

vinceguidry wrote: post #373
LesZedCB wrote: post #338

Earlier quoted context omitted.

i would prefer not to

You can, of course, pick your level of engagement, and make adjustments over time. An Android phone can provide all the engagement you need, and there are lots of distributions that focus on providing different experience. I'm using a stock Android phone and Linux everywhere else. My current phone isn't rootable, (I bought it to replace a lost iPhone and didn't have time to do research) so I'm stuck with stock, but m…

I live that two phones lifestyle. One is being iPhones SE 1st Gen., the smallest one; another is being Google Nexus 6P ¹

While in theory that works, in practice I bear just iPhone all the time. With Android on the shelf most of its time. I even started to turn off its Wi-Fi so it keeps being alive after a week of being untouched.

————

1 — I’m the lucky one who hadn’t been bootlooped, so I’m not on Pixel yet. Both phones are enough for me, performance wise.

Re: The boiling frog of digital freedom

#425

Post by walteweiss »

Jenda_ wrote: post #415
Daril wrote: post #328

There is hope: - 20 years ago it was impossible to buy a PC, especially a laptop, without MS Windows : today there are several suppliers: System76, LaptopWithLinux, TuxedoComputers, to name but a few. - It is only in the last few years (less than 10) that Linux is perfectly usable on the desktop, so I don't care what decision MS will take for Windows, it is irrelevant if you have other options. For office suites we h…

Thank you for most of the points, it's easy to miss the good parts of development of the recent years. I don't however agree with this one: "It will take a few years, but I'm sure we'll have a viable alternative to Android in the near future." I think many essential apps (such as banking, or "less essential" such as for bike- and car-sharing) will start requiring device attestation as soon as even low-end Android pho…

Oh, I have a nice contribution to your comment! I use some taxi apps (very infrequently), and sometimes I need to call it for someone else, not in my current location. Sometimes there is a promotion catch with, say, 20% discount. Which is applicable only for a personal ride (e.g. from your location), but if you ask a taxi to bring someone to you (e.g. from other location to your location), well, then sorry, not applicable. I used to trick the app but faking my location on my Android with gps-fake app (don’t remember the name, mine was from f-droid). I bet taxi services are not happy about that kind of a customer. Giving it some thought: still a returning customer. Sometimes it’s not just the money thing for me, but the challenge of whether the algorithm could be tricked.

Re: The boiling frog of digital freedom

#426

Post by walteweiss »

nwellinghoff wrote: post #365
Daril wrote: post #328

There is hope: - 20 years ago it was impossible to buy a PC, especially a laptop, without MS Windows : today there are several suppliers: System76, LaptopWithLinux, TuxedoComputers, to name but a few. - It is only in the last few years (less than 10) that Linux is perfectly usable on the desktop, so I don't care what decision MS will take for Windows, it is irrelevant if you have other options. For office suites we h…

Would be nice to have a Linux phone where one could run ios and google android in a vm. Same way I run my computer. Level 1 hypervisor and all flavors on top. Max control, max options, max nerd.

Oh, do you mind elaborating on this? I’m looking for a way to organise my PC with similar approach. I thought of minimal Arch Linux installation as a host, and macOS (or Windows for very special cases) on top, when I need those GUI apps that aren’t present in Linux. I see no need to keep Linux apps in a VM.

Re: The boiling frog of digital freedom

#427

Post by deafpolygon »

geniium wrote: post #391

2036: Virtual Reality Social Distancing becomes a thing, where people attend virtual parties by sending holographic avatars, ensuring they’re “virtually” present without the need to physically mingle. Emoji dance-offs are all the rage! 2037: The “Mind-Meets-Code” era begins, allowing developers to write code directly with their thoughts. Unfortunately, this leads to a surge in “accidental” code commits when programme…

> 2040

You mean year 3100? This isn't going to happen for a long time and people happily slurp up subscription plans in part because it makes them feel good.

Re: The boiling frog of digital freedom

#428

Post by deafpolygon »

tstrimple wrote: post #330
amelius wrote: post #312

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's all about milking and rent-seeking: greed. And greed starts to become an issue when managers think they need a raise. But to be fair, if you're not an engineer is there much else you can take pride in other than driving up profits by whatever means?

It’s weird how people in tech think they are superior to their less-technical colleagues. Everyone outside of software development is a moron and the entire world would be better if programmers ran everything with no oversight. Somehow only engineers are moral and everyone else is purely motivated by profit. But engineers are above that! It’s so ridiculous.

Especially since the engineers are the ones who created this.

Re: The boiling frog of digital freedom

#429

Post by lifeisstillgood »

graemep wrote: post #402
lifeisstillgood wrote: post #308

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No. Just No. Look Brexit was shit. But it was democratic shit. 20 million people did not get tricked by their Facebook feeds. Hell 20 million people did not get mind controlled by Nigel Farage's "I'm just sayin" approach. 20 million people were asked "the country is run by thousands of highly educated, slightly patronising, articulate, over-achieving technocrats who want the best for everyone and frequently find the…

Those of us who voted for Brexit think it beneficial, not "self harm". I agrred with your view of the consequnces I would have voted remain.

Wow seriously? You think Brexit was beneficial? This is (afaik) an unusual point of view these days.

So why did you vote and why do you think it's a good idea now ? (honest question)

Re: The boiling frog of digital freedom

#430

Post by hnwizard »

bboygravity wrote: post #217
0xEF wrote: post #169

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This blew my mind as a younger person who took an interest in repairing tube radios from the 30's & 40's. One of the first things I realized was how generally easy it was to find schematics of popular brands and models. Some were even pasted right inside the radio shell! I also hack and repair modern stuff, and it is so common to open up a product just to end up staring at an epoxy blob. User manuals hold no mention…

It's all about milking and rent-seeking: greed. Every device/vehicle/system now needs to be connected to the internet and needs you to download an app. Is that for the consumer? No. That's for the manufacturer. For milking be reselling your data and/or spying on you and/or charging extra because they can and/or the capability to turn any device into literal trash by not providing updates or bug fixes to a half-baked…

It's really evil and indeed against the customer, and it applies to pretty much any real product out there nowadays from cars to washing machines to water boilers. It's all designed to fall apart, break and stop working.

What about the incalculable environmental factor for all of this? Nobody cares.

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