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Comment by jjav | Hacker News Reader

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jjav

> Am I missing how this is different from what we already have on most platforms?

Most? The only platform that is like that is ios.

On linux, in any form, I can run what I want.

On a mac I can run what I want.

On windows I can run what I want.

Obviously on BSDs, Illumos, etc, I can run what I want.

On android up to now, I can run what I want.

The one and sole exception where I don't really own the device and can't run what I want it ios (therefore I don't own anything that uses ios). And now google wants to join that evil club.

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Have you used windows 11 and macOS 26? They both have malware scanning and throw up alerts or scary dialogs that you have to do cli commands or workarounds to launch unknown apps. I don’t see this as much different than Android requiring you to either root or enable developer options.

I understand this is a controversial position and I’m not in favor of this change, I just want to understand where the real differences are in an impartial way.

Of course Linux is an exception but it is also not widely used by consumers like Android and the other OSes I listed are.

I'd be fine with a warning. You can just dismiss it and continue doing your thing.

It is a bit more convoluted in macOS now but still something quick.

What Google is saying is that I need to install adb, search for a cable, connect it and _then_ run the cli command. It is very different, not even close.

Warnings don't work. Scammers will tell you please do the needful and dismiss the warning, and grandma will obey. UAC on Windows was instructive: it only served to desensitize people to warning dialogs. Microsoft is moving toward the industry best practice in this regard by setting Windows Defender to quarantine unsigned code automatically.

No problem running what I want on mac. I've never had a mac app store account, I find the idea repulsive so I don't. I download what I want and use it.

I don't use windows but my kid has a gaming rig which has windows and I know we download various programs on that and use them, no problem.

The whole point of a personal computer is you install and run whatever you want on it.

I used to think a phone is just a phone so who cares, but nowadays the phone is the personal computer for a lot of people, so that same freedom is vitally important.

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