Comment by mark_l_watson | Hacker News Reader

Comment by mark_l_watson | Hacker News Reader

+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 far as not having a lot of junk preinstalled. 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.

I really like the iWatch and if/when it becomes possible to use one independently of an iPhone (now my iWatch with a data plan needs the phone for app installation and configuration) I would like to either ditch the phone or mostly keep it turned off.

Still, I differ from Richards opinions in that I think that Apple and Google do have some good privacy policies in place. I feel fairly OK using a personal G Suite account and Apple has a fairly good track record for privacy.

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 solves the planned obsolescence issue, because my Galaxy S4 is screaming-fast on a version of Android from three years after its last manufacturer update.

[0]: https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/

LineageOS is pretty nice, but it's a bandaid and they dropped a huge amount of older devices from support when they left the CM brand. Hopefully postmarketOS will become more usable in the future, and we'll be able to use that on existing hardware, perhaps in combination with something like Halium when needed to make the proprietary driver blobs usable with a custom, non-AOSP userspace.

The devices they can maintain are constrained by manpower and what they have on hand for testing, but they keep some really old devices going based on popularity. I'm pretty sure the Galaxy S3 still gets the latest. I know the OnePlus One does.

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?

It works fine without cellular. In the hands of someone who can install Linux, it shouldn’t take more than an hour (if you have a not-dialup internet connection).

First, apt install adb heimdall-flash. These are the basic tools for interacting with Samsung phones and Android devices in general from a Linux machine.

From there, follow the instructions I linked below, which basically amounts to getting root and unlocking the boot loader using Heimdall, then flashing TWRP, which is a recovery program, then flashing LineageOS from within TWRP. It’s not hard, but be sure to follow the right set of instructions, because the files for the Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint phones are not compatible.

Assuming you have the Verizon model: https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/jfltevzw/install

Thank you for these instructions! I am going to try later this afternoon after some family stuff.

There is an active community of developers, who are keeping the Galaxy S4 alive by creating optimised versions of LineageOS. It might be easier to consult the guides and resources at XDA. If you feel it is a task you want to undertake - assuming the bootloader is not locked, decide which version you want to install based on the model you own i.e. i9505 or another variant and once you flash custom recovery (TWRP), it a fairly easy process.

You should expect to face some issues initially and will have to go through the forums/comments to trouble-shoot broken features etc., especially if you are picking the latest ROM.

https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s4

It is worth noting that adb also allows the user to remove unwanted software in the event his/her device can't be rooted, which is the case of one of my tablet which resisted any attempts so far. I'm not going to get a new one because it sits on a bench 24/7 and is needed for that abomination called Whatsapp some people is forcing me to use, and beyond that it has zero value to me, but the level of crapware preinstalled made it next to unusable, so I welcomed the day I discovered that adb remove can be used also on unrooted devices to delete vendor installed "system" crapware or other unneded stuff. Just search for "adb uninstall"

I haven't really checked out LineageOS before. Just briefly browsing their site gives me a bit of skepticism. It doesn't seem to be very professional. For example, their about page, and one of their most recent blog posts.

I'm definitely looking for an OS to move to from Android. I suspect Librem will have its own flaws, but they inspire more confidence in me than my first impressions of LineageOS from their website.

https://www.lineageos.org/about/ https://www.lineageos.org/An-April-Apology/

They made a mistake with that joke, but it was an outlier. I used Lineage (and Cyanogenmod, its predecessor) for six and a half years straight and never had any reason to doubt its quality. The long-term security updates alone make it one of the best options for keeping your Android device solid.

For a non-Apple laptop I am also really liking the Xiaomi Mi Air with Linux.

LineageOS has a tendancy to disable or break piles of vital security features very carefully architected by Google security researchers like verified boot. Google also maintains a release process designed to help mitigate supply chain attacks. LineageOS also deviates from AOSP sources enough that it often creates significant time delays before new security patches can be backported if they get backported at all.

Sadly stock Google phones also violate your privacy and the privacy of those around you. Stock Android is not a great solution either.

We can have it both ways! Check out https://github.com/hashbang/os

> 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 Pony https://www.pony.gg

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.

EDIT: in your daily delivery

Cool idea. There’s no contact info on your website... how can people interested in this concept get in touch?

Thank you!
And thanks for asking. Just swapped home pages yesterday and the contact part got dropped. Bringing it back today. In the mean time it’s:
- dminkovsky on twitter
- dmitry@pony.gg
- dminkovsky@gmail.com

I have a few questions and suggestions since I didn't clearly understand what your service does.
1. Does your service create a new email address for the user (something like <emailaddress>@pony.gg), requiring users to update all their contacts with this address so that correspondence gets sent here? Or does it work with existing mailboxes?
2. What is the business model and pricing? I couldn't find any pricing links or any FAQs talking about whether it's free or paid or has free and paid tiers.
3. Please copy some of the content from your About page into your homepage to make it clearer. The homepage should have more information so the potential user knows what it does.

Thank you for your feedback and questions.
1. Yes, each Pony account is a new email address @pony.gg. I think of this as a feature. You start with a brand new space separate from your existing world of instantaneous messaging. Of course you can use it for anything, but the idea behind Pony is it provides a special place for your correspondence, so starting blank and with a fully fledged, separate email account is what made sense to me. There are other services that let you do similar things with existing email providers but that didn’t make sense to me: if you can still get and send mail at any time by circumventing these wrapping services, you need to exercise mental discipline to obtain the sort of experience Pony provides without any cognitive load at all (which is the whole point).
I considered adding a contact import feature but decided to collect feedback first.
2. The business model is TBD, with users being the requisite first step for any business model. But user privacy is paramount and the privacy policy lists all third parties (currently only Google Analytics, and at that, proxied through Pony so you the user do not expose yourself to Google and we get less information as a result). We’re free now and would like to continue offering a free tier in the future without turning our users into the product at the expense of their privacy. That seems possible to me!
3. Improving and expanding the home page. Thank you for this feedback.

> Still, I differ from Richards opinions in that I think that Apple and Google do have some good privacy policies in place.
The problem is there have been a lot of scandals as of late of SV companies violating the trust you place in their 'policies'. A policy only works if it's being adhered to also when it's not convenient.
I have a HomePod, but with the mics disabled, (I just wanted a decent wireless speaker that can stream lossless audio). The problem is there's no hardware cutting off the mics, it's only software and considering there run full iOS, it's one OTA away from violating my privacy, without me ever knowing.
There's been the Alexa stories, the smart TV stories - it's a real prospect.
I think that's a relatively scary prospect with these sort of closed systems, especially as 'smart homes' are becoming smarter.

> 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 by uninstalling / disabling those few apps that come with the device.
[1] https://www.android.com/one/

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.

I am not sure how the mobile operators work in the US, but I was able to install a local SIM card in every country I have been to for more than a few days, which saved me hundreds in mobile data fees across the world.

Yes. SIM = freedom.
SIM-free sounds like something you are given in oppressive regimes with one state-controlled telecom actor.
Can’t see why anyone would want it.

> I personally prefer SIM-free
If I can’t insert a SIM card of my choice, how do I choose or switch provider? Is it hard coded to whatever Google prefers?
I’m open to lot of things with phones, but you can take the SIM-slot from my cold, dead hands. That thing is not going.

From the FAQ of the UK-based Carphone Warehouse[1]:
"What is a SIM free phone?
SIM free phones are sold without any SIM card or network attached to them. Normally, people buy the phone and then choose a SIM only deal for their calls and data. All SIM free phones come unlocked, so you can choose whichever network you like.
What are the benefits of buying a SIM free phone?
Normally, people buy a SIM free phone when they want to own the handset outright and take out a SIM only deal. This reduces the cost of a monthly plan as you are only paying the network for your minutes, texts and data allowance. SIM only deals aren’t only less expensive but they can be more flexible, as 1-month rolling contracts and 12-month contracts are common place."
[1] https://www.carphonewarehouse.com/mobiles/sim-free.html

If so the established term is “unlocked” (which is the default), making you free to use whatever SIM/provider you choose.
As such SIM-free is a terrible and confusing name making it sound like they are taking SIM-based freedom away (Kind of like Apple’s headphone jack-free phones).

> If so the established term is “unlocked” (which is the default), making you free to use whatever SIM/provider you choose.
"SIM-free" means "bought without a contract". In my country, even devices with contracts come unlocked, making this term useless.

Tip: turn your iPhone screen to black/white, witness significant reduction in screen addiction.
Tip: uninstall any app with gratuitous notifications on the spot. Move off the main page notifying apps that you can’t uninstall: mail, calls, messages. Check notifications on your schedule [once a day], not on the app developer schedule [three times a minute, yay engagement]

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