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TazeTSchnitzel

How are Apple actively malicious?

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Let's see here:

* Started the trend of non-replaceable batteries in phones

* Started the trend of non-replaceable batteries in laptops

* Started the trend of locked-down devices where the owner can't decide what software to run

* Custom screws in order to prevent people from fixing their devices

* Custom enclosures in order to prevent people from replacing parts in their devices with commodity devices

* Soldering in stuff that doesn't need to be

And so on, and so forth. It'd be easier to come up with a list of good decisions they've made. In fact, for the sake of balance, here you go:

Right. These can also be interpret as their reason to make slimmer devices. People buying these products would presumably know what they're getting into.

Custom screws, unless they're customized beyond the driver required to remove them, almost certainly don't qualify as a tool for making slimmer devices.

How does needlessly soldering ram in make a device slimmer?

Replaceable RAM modules take up more space.

I'm certain that if you are really honest with yourself, you'll agree that the "malicious" practices you point out are entirely different - not even comparable - to the security negligence pointed out in the OP. When I buy an Apple computer, I'm aware of everything you listed - and in fact, I enjoy it. I don't want to worry about a thing when I buy my computer. I'm not interested in self repairing, upgrading, or tinkering. If I buy an Asus however, I would have had no idea that my entire system was at risk. That kind of negligence is malicious in my eyes - not creating closed off hardware.

Apple's devices tend to be more difficult to repair or upgrade yourself, yes, but this is not malicious, even if it is somewhat hostile.

Also, I should point out that while Apple's phones don't let you install unapproved software, this isn't true of the Mac, which, unlike Microsoft-approved PCs[0], lets you install alternative operating systems (you can even boot to DOS!), disable its security features, etc.

[0] I know that MS do allow OEMs to allow disabling Secure Boot, but it's not required as of Windows 10. Meanwhile, Apple's computers don't have it in the first place!

> Apple's devices tend to be more difficult to repair or upgrade yourself, yes, but this is not malicious, even if it is somewhat hostile.

If they consciously take a hostile action (and let's face it, you don't accidentally design a new screw) then yes, I'd call that malicious. If you do that repeatedly then I'd consider you evil.

> Also, I should point out that while Apple's phones don't let you install unapproved software, this isn't true of the Mac, which, unlike Microsoft-approved PCs[0], lets you install alternative operating systems (you can even boot to DOS!), disable its security features, etc.

Gatekeeper seems like a step towards it. And regardless, Microsoft isn't exactly a paragon to compare yourself against.[0]

[0]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlcngdW2Ju4

Gatekeeper applies only to GUI apps and can be trivially turned off.

For now.

4 out of 6 complaints here all help reduce the size of an electronics product.

In fact some of those decisions led me to chose an Apple product over a non apple one.

Locked down software ended up being a business decision for Apple's App store. As for the screws, I have no idea, but you can easily find appropriate screwdrivers online so it doesn't seem like that big of a deal to me.

> Locked down software ended up being a business decision for Apple's App store.

Just as all the others? That's not a defense.

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