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Comment by necovek | Hacker News Reader

With phones becoming our main computing platform, I wonder why do we look at it any different from our personal computers?

On my computer, I can choose to containerize applications I run with something like docker, flatpak or snaps; run them in a VM, under a separate user, in a chroot... or, not! I can get them from the Debian/Ubuntu/Fedora/... archive or... not! Or I might compile it from source and run it directly or... not!

Based on source of the app I decide how much I trust it and thus decide on the encapsulation strategy for it (sometimes, none).

Yes, I understand having full control of your system has some minor downsides (you can mess things up more easily), but you can usually do that anyway (just fill up your phone storage with photos and see how your phone behaves).

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> With phones becoming our main computing platform, I wonder why do we look at it any different from our personal computers?

Especially after people paying so much money for the devices, it's ludicrous that they are not allowed to make their own decisions and install what they want. Ownership, user rights, and privacy have been kicked in the face. If you can not install whatever software that you want, then people should be signing only rental agreements.

It is also more the reason to push Linux smartphones[1]. Android is not doing anything special, that people could not get or create for Linux phones.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_open-source_mobile_pho...

I mean, personally I don’t feel like my user rights are being kicked in the face just because my smartphone is more locked down than I’d like. I’m all for more power to the user, but that seems a little strong.

Are you serious?

While not as powerful as root access, your user rights are almost completely gone.

You buy a $1,000 phone and $1,000 on a service plan which is not an insignificant amount of money for many, then take away every semblance of ownership.

Right to repair? Warranty void. Want to run language models Google doesn’t approve? Not anymore. Want to run your favorite VPN? Too secure, unavailable. Want to audit the security and scan the device you carry everywhere and stores your life’s data? Unapproved. Want to compete with anything that dents Google’s profits? Papers please developer.

Just because your nose is already caved in and you’re dazed from the repeated blows, doesn’t make it less of a face kick. It’s more of a curb stomp.

I’m 100% serious, and I believe most people are with me. It’s a minor inconvenience at most for 99.9% of users. I don’t actually think it’s a good thing, I just don’t personally feel as strongly or in the way you’re describing. I’m sorry if my lack of reaction to this offends you.

A jail has 3 meals a day and a bed. Without knowing it, most people would be fine living out their days in jail until you show them the outside world. Its not a big deal until it expands and expands.

I don't think that's an apt comparison: GP has not lived their life entirely without "going out" (locked down phones), yet they are still fine with phones getting increasingly locked down.

Thank you! I appreciate it! However I will quickly say I’m not sure I would say I’m _completely_ fine with phones getting increasingly locked down. I said it’s probably not a good thing, and I also made no statements about a possible future where things are worse somehow. Just that the current world really ain’t so bad in my opinion.

I’ve had an unlocked phone before, mostly was like “that’s neat I guess” and I haven’t felt any need to return back to it. It doesn’t add anything much to my life. That comparison really isn’t fair.

Also your comparisons to “kicked in the face” “curb stomped” “being in jail” are seriously over the top at this point. Continue making them only if you don’t want to be taken seriously.

You are absolutely right that majority will not care enough to influence a change.

Which is why we should always applaud and support those who do care enough to sacrifice something in return: they are the ones ensuring at least _some_ things we disagree with do not come to fruition.

Sure!

Narrator: it did offend him

> With phones becoming our main computing platform, I wonder why do we look at it any different from our personal computers?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19328085

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