Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Reasons Not to Use Apple (2018)

stallman.org

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

91–100 of 238 posts

Re: Reasons Not to Use Apple (2018)

#91

Post by mark_l_watson »

snazz wrote: post #63
mark_l_watson wrote: post #45

+1 Richard Sure, he is cherry picking examples, but there are a lot of examples to choose from. I used mostly Linux at home for about 15 years, then switched to a decade of MacOS. My new laptop is a Linux laptop and I think I will go back to Linux as my main driver. I am really conflicted about cellphones. I was unhappy with the crap ware preloaded on my Verizon Android phones. I am happier with a Verizon iPhone, as…

If your Android phone is compatible[0], you might enjoy the result from installing LineageOS on it. If you wish, you can continue to use the Google Play Services package (which is where Google does all the tracking, and is also the only way to get the Play Store). I chose not to and use F-Droid and directly downloaded APKs, which saves me from running any proprietary code that I haven’t vetted carefully. It also solv…

Thanks for that comment. I still have a Galaxy 4 and last week I pulled it out of the drawer and charged it. I looked at LieageOS but was concerned about the time spent installing it. Also, my Galaxy 4 no longer has a SIM card; do you know what the LineageOS experience would be like WiFi only?

Re: Reasons Not to Use Apple (2018)

#92

Post by mch82 »

simion314 wrote: post #52
mch82 wrote: post #18

I disagree with the bullets about banning/censoring apps. There are ways to install and run software on iOS without using the AppStore. If developers share source code, people are free to compile and install it using Xcode. It’s also possible to run Python programs using Pythonista. Finally, programs can be run as JavaScript in Safari. Apple definitely controls the AppStore. That makes it less convenient to install p…

Are you aware of the limitations of the methods you describe? If yes it is very dishonest to not mention them, if not you should get the details right(find out how can you share an iOS native app you made with your friends)

Does Apple prohibit sending them the source code so that they can compile and load it through Xcode?

I realize that requires a MacOS computer, which costs money, but the “free” in free software principles is about the freedom to share the code, not the price of the code. Free software is allowed to be sold.

Increasingly, it is also possible to run Swift code on Linux without Xcode or MacOS (recognizing the GUI would need to be rewritten).

Re: Reasons Not to Use Apple (2018)

#93

Post by dmitryminkovsky »

mark_l_watson wrote: post #88
dmitryminkovsky wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I am reading Cal Newport’s new book Digital Minimalism that is making me realize that I need to be more focused in how I spend any screen time. To this end I am launching an email service that sends and receives messages once a day. The idea is that with one delivery each day, you don’t need to regulate or discipline yourself as much, and you get a lot more space to think and enjoy your communication. It’s called P…

Cool idea. I like to ‘go dark’ and not receive emails or phone/text while I am working but I don’t know if I could do once a day email. Nice idea though.

Thank you!

> but I don’t know if I could do once a day email.

Maybe you’d be surprised? There is a notification you can get if you get anything in our daily delivery, so you don’t completely forget about it.

Re: Reasons Not to Use Apple (2018)

#94

Post by [deleted] »

saagarjha wrote: post #84
throwawaymath wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The general argument is that iOS is more secure because Apple strictly controls both the hardware and the software. The two are very tightly integrated in Apple products, which means proprietary software for e.g. segregating userland or interacting with the secure enclave is specialized and well-audited. The other (perhaps more compelling) argument is that Apple is only able to invest this level of security in its pr…

The Secure Enclave is not well-audited in the traditional sense, as it’s just as proprietary as the rest of the device.

[deleted]

Re: Reasons Not to Use Apple (2018)

#95

Post by hellofunk »

dana321 wrote: post #69

Recent examples of why not to use apple: 1. Their new keyboards are terrible, and are buggy. 2. Lack of headphone jack on phones. 3. Vast price increases for relatively little new features. 4. Constant upgrading of the OS which breaks half of the software you use.

And a few good reasons to choose Apple:

My new iPhone XR needs to be charged only once or twice per week.

For development, I get a certified UNIX machine with an excellent user interface, best of both worlds for the vast majority of tasks we need using computers.

Apple makes money off me because I buy their products. I am myself not the product, their hardware is. This has so many natural side effects that benefit users, that it scares me to go in the direction of android.

The iPad is truly a revolutionary best in class device, I’ve not seen anything else that comes anywhere close to its quality for what it does.

Re: Reasons Not to Use Apple (2018)

#96

Post by tokyodude »

jeromegv wrote: post #46
tokyodude wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Same with Google. Google has privacy teams as well which are > quite powerful and forces lots of safeguards about how exactly data can be used. Apple recommends apps based on other apps I've downloaded. So does Google. Apple recommends music based on other music I've played. So does Google. Apple recommends books and movies as well based on similar data. So does Google. Apple keeps track of every placed your Apple de…

You seem to be simplifying things a bit too much. Apple doesn’t keep track of where your device has been. Your iPhone knows but it’s not being sent to Apple. Google has been shown to know this data even when you disable as many location services as you can.

Apple knows which is how they can display every devices location on icloud.com including "last known location" which means the location was previously sent to Apple.

Re: Reasons Not to Use Apple (2018)

#97

Post by snazz »

Kye wrote: post #57

The last update to Telegram on iOS was two weeks ago. Is the rest of it worth reading if point #1 is wrong? edit: This last page update was 2018 according to the copyright. The OP didn't put (2018) in the title.

The list is updated continuously. The last element in the censorship section is from December of last year, which is pretty recent.

Re: Reasons Not to Use Apple (2018)

#98

Post by saagarjha »

The problem I have with Stallman is that he’s usually right, but he is remarkably horrible at coming across as someone with valid opinions. It is disingenuous to come to the table with clearly cherry-picked evidence, and calling companies and their products with stupid names is just childish. There are a lot of problems with companies, and Stallman is very good at recognizing them, but he’s just pretty bad at getting people to not consider him as somewhat crazy :/

Re: Reasons Not to Use Apple (2018)

#99

Post by [deleted] »

pbalau wrote: post #62
JdeBP wrote: post #34

> If you carry a cell phone, it tells Big Brother where you are. It's worth remembering that if one carries a mobile telephone, and it is not fully powered off, TPC always knows where you are, and the powers that be do not need to go to Apple for that information. A mobile telephone broadcasts to let the world know where it is, and the mobile telephony system only works in the first place if the system knows how to r…

> the mobile telephony system only works in the first place if the system knows how to route incoming calls and SMS messages to a person's telephone Like every other messaging system. Because you know, in order to send a message you need to know where...

[deleted]

Re: Reasons Not to Use Apple (2018)

#100

Post by mark_l_watson »

krn wrote: post #75
mark_l_watson wrote: post #45

+1 Richard Sure, he is cherry picking examples, but there are a lot of examples to choose from. I used mostly Linux at home for about 15 years, then switched to a decade of MacOS. My new laptop is a Linux laptop and I think I will go back to Linux as my main driver. I am really conflicted about cellphones. I was unhappy with the crap ware preloaded on my Verizon Android phones. I am happier with a Verizon iPhone, as…

> I am really conflicted about cellphones. I was unhappy with the crap ware preloaded on my Verizon Android phones. I am happier with a Verizon iPhone, as far as not having a lot of junk preinstalled. I personally prefer SIM-free Android One smartphones[1], which come without any bloatware and with monthly security updates. Not only they offer the best price / performance ratio, but they are also easy to keep private…

And then I could install a Verizon SIM card myself? Sounds much better. I am stuck with Verizon because they have the best coverage in the mountains of Central Arizona.
Post reply on HN