Live data from Hacker News

We should have the ability to run any code we want on hardware we own

hugotunius.se

511–520 of 1001 posts

Re: We should have the ability to run any code we want on hardware we own

#511
post #165

> In this context this would mean having the ability and documentation to build or install alternative operating systems on this hardware It doesn't work. Everything from banks to Netflix and others are slowly edging out anything where they can't fully verify the chain of control to an entity they can have a legal or contractual relationship with. To be clear, this is fundamental, not incidental. You can't run your o…

> However all of these things are not technical You understand it, but even in this thread you have people proposing solutions like switching from traditional banking to bitcoin, stoping using Netflix and starting torrenting again etc. Tech crowd always tries to solve non-technical problems through technical means, and this is why I don't have much hope.

Netflix isn't worth to use or pirate even if it was free as in freedom.

Re: We should have the ability to run any code we want on hardware we own

#513

> building new operating systems to run on mobile hardware is impossible, or at least much harder than it should be. Why isn't there a linux flavor for phones with an app store?

The same reason why linux isn't broadly used on PCs: Lack of hardware support and drivers.

Re: We should have the ability to run any code we want on hardware we own

#514

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can’t you do banking on the web via your phone? Same as desktop users?

I heard some banks don't have web sites, only apps.

Sounds like they are outliers. None of my banks are like this. Multiple countries and continents.

Re: We should have the ability to run any code we want on hardware we own

#515
post #165

> In this context this would mean having the ability and documentation to build or install alternative operating systems on this hardware It doesn't work. Everything from banks to Netflix and others are slowly edging out anything where they can't fully verify the chain of control to an entity they can have a legal or contractual relationship with. To be clear, this is fundamental, not incidental. You can't run your o…

My parents are getting old and they aren't tech savvy. The missing piece here is that I want my parents to have a computer they can safely do their banking on, without leaving them vulnerable to scams and viruses and the like. I like that they have iphones. Doing internet banking on their phone is safer than doing it on their desktop computer. Why is that? The reason is that the desktop PC security model is deeply fl…

Is it really safer on a phone ? Don't banking apps reject latest community Androids builds with all the CVE fixes or Graphene OS yet work totally fine on years old, full of vulnerabilities yet signed official Android ROMs ?

Re: We should have the ability to run any code we want on hardware we own

#516

I think we really need to discuss whether IP/copyright protections were a mistake. A LOT of our "modern" problems stem from IP protections. Whether that be not being able to own media, right to repair, DRM, censorship, a lot of monopolistic behavior, medicine prices, etc. And no wonder, IP protection is government sanctioned monopoly, and it is generally recognized that monopolies are bad; is it such a surprise that…

The protection period simply needs to be adjusted downward to reflect the faster pace of change. Rewarding 1700's technology pace today is asinine.

The original copyright from the 1700s was 14 years. You could file for an additional 14 years after that. It was extended starting in 1909 until the monstrosity it is today.

We're far from the promotion of useful arts and sciences and instead guarding the likeness of a cartoon mouse.

Re: We should have the ability to run any code we want on hardware we own

#517
post #462

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What I like about your comment is that it points out that all technical work-arounds are moot if people as a whole are not willing to stand up with pitchforks and torches to defend their freedoms. It will always come down to that. A handful of tech-savvy users with rooted devices and open-source software will not make a difference to the giant crushing machine that is the system. And I'm afraid most of us are part of…

Only competition can provide a solution. We have lost sight of this principle even though all Western democracies are built on the idea of separation of powers, and making it hard for any one faction of elites to gain full control and ruin things for everyone else. Make them fight with each other, let them get a piece of the pie, but never all of it. That's why we have multiple branches of government, multiple partie…

in the face of large monopolies such as today's platforms, to keep competition you must regulate with laws that stop consumer abuse

Re: We should have the ability to run any code we want on hardware we own

#518

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Incorrect. Choice 2. Empowered user. The end user is free to CHOOSE to delegate the hardware's approved signing solutions to a third party. Possibly even a third party that is already included in the base firmware such as Microsoft, Apple, OEM, 'Open Source' (sub menu: List of several reputable distros and a choice which might have a big scary message and involved confirmation process to trust the inserted boot media…

Consider the possibility of an evil maid type attack before a device is setup for the first time, e.g. running near identical iOS or macOS but with spyware preloaded, or even just adware.

With the root of trust and original software wiped, what used to be, say, an iPhone stops being an iPhone. It becomes a generic computer with the same hardware. All the software designed to run on iPhones like the App Store is likely to stop working. You won't fool the user for long.

And this attack is already doable by simply replacing the iPhone with a fake. It won't fool the user for long either, but you get to steal a real iPhone in exchange for a cheap fake.

Re: We should have the ability to run any code we want on hardware we own

#520

> building new operating systems to run on mobile hardware is impossible, or at least much harder than it should be. Why isn't there a linux flavor for phones with an app store?

There is Sailfish os Ubuntu Touch, you can run Fedora and Debian rebuilds on phones. I think it is finally getting there & all this Google and Apple bullshit will hopefully make it move faster and be more attractive to people. :)
Post reply on HN