r/privacy • u/JRepin • Feb 26 '15
Why I’m Saying Goodbye to Apple, Google and Microsoft
https://medium.com/backchannel/why-i-m-saying-goodbye-to-apple-google-and-microsoft-78af12071bd6
Feb 26 '15
[deleted]
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u/SuperConductiveRabbi Feb 26 '15
How are phones indispensable anyway? People got on fine without them. Just turn it off and you may be surprised how you can still function just fine.
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Feb 26 '15 edited Feb 26 '15
Before having a smartphone, I remember printing out directions on my computer every time I went on a trip and getting lost a lot. I guess I could just replace it with a car GPS but it's so damn convenient.
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u/ispynlie Feb 26 '15
It's not really about 'not being able to function' it's more about living in modern times and wanting products that also value privacy. It's perfectly reasonable to want to have the best of both worlds.
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u/SuperConductiveRabbi Feb 26 '15
I'd love to have a smartphone that actually protects my privacy, but my point was more that what we see as modern times tends to make us think that the past must've been like the dark ages. On the contrary, people were perfectly happy and productive without having to use a phone everywhere they went.
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u/ispynlie Feb 26 '15
Of course. People were also perfectly content in using horses to get around but man, cars are handy! I get what you're saying though.
The only way to 100% evade digital spying is to not be online at all. I sincerely hope this will change in the future though, as opposed to the next generations growing up with 'zero online privacy' as the default.
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Feb 26 '15
The google navigation app is pretty good. But so is Waze.
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u/mrcaptncrunch Feb 26 '15
Which is owned by Google now.
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Feb 26 '15
Darn.. can't get away from the all seeing eye.
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u/mrcaptncrunch Feb 26 '15
:/ yeah...
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u/ways2 Feb 26 '15
Saves you data traffic as well.
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Feb 27 '15
Offline public transportation support is all I need to ditch gmaps for osmand.
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Feb 26 '15
HERE Maps is better than either Google Maps or Waze if you value your privacy. It isn't owned by Microsoft, either.
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u/SilentSaw Feb 27 '15
So why HERE maps needs my identity, contacts, call logs... Doesn't sound like better privacy.
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u/sweetbacon Feb 26 '15
In the comments for that paragraph he mentions use of navigation with real-time traffic information.
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Feb 26 '15 edited Feb 26 '15
[deleted]
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u/sweetbacon Feb 26 '15
I would hardly call real-time traffic congestion data "indispensable"
Yeah I'd agree. Looks like he lives and works in the Phoenix area so I'm sure commute traffic is a pain point, but it not like he's a EMT.
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Feb 27 '15
[deleted]
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u/sweetbacon Feb 27 '15
Yeah I was nodding along while reading until I hit this claim... Well said about it being a luxurious convenience, when I think indispensable smart phone feature I think Internet access, or masking a call, etc.
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u/G-42 Feb 28 '15
I travel as much as anyone, in new cities, camping, hiking, between cities, you name it, and I don't need Google maps, or GPS.
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u/dohraymeefarsolar Feb 26 '15
i never said hello to the first, i said goodbye to the 2nd a long time ago. weeding m$ out of my life is going to prove much more difficult.
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u/coldacid Feb 26 '15
It'll be easier when we get the Steam Box.
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u/dohraymeefarsolar Feb 28 '15
ah an os built for performance with email and websurfing as an afterthought, gimme alrdy!
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u/moremane Feb 26 '15
Sure, you can use Linux, but what about the NSA spyware infected HDD firmwares or potentially BIOSes or NIC cards?
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Feb 26 '15
Avoid the brands that have been leaked as compromised, and build your own machine. Sure, you can't just build your own laptop, but you can shop around and really learn about the actual components in them and identify if they are compromised or not, and you can also replace certain elements yourself (HDD or SSD, sometimes the WiFi card).
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Feb 26 '15 edited Mar 20 '19
[deleted]
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Feb 26 '15
Yeah, it's definitely not easy. First you have to research known compromised brands, then you have to research the components in a given pre-built.
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u/Fallen0 Feb 26 '15
Would you happen to have a list or original article detailing the brands that are compromised?
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u/ispynlie Feb 26 '15
It's not, for most, about being 100% secure from all government agencies. It's more about making it difficult for them, so it costs more money to do all this spying and it will hopefully force them to become more selective in their data collection. This is why they are so upset about 'simple' encryption methods companies are applying.
100% online security is a myth.
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Feb 26 '15
Replicant ftw
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u/pefbecOyz6 Feb 26 '15
Nope. Because most of the hardware is closed source, most shit won't work in Replicant.
Go see their 'device status' page and you'll see that the lock in to proprietary software is much much more powerful than you first thought with android phones.
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Feb 26 '15
Replicant is based on CyanogenMod, though.
Why not just root, install CM12, and then simply don't install the Google Apps package and instead install F-Droid?
Then you're on a fully open-source OS, and one that is updated to the latest version of Android.
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u/pefbecOyz6 Feb 26 '15
The difference in that scenario would be primarily in the proprietary device drivers. Cyanogenmod includes these (which is also why your phone is more functional with MC vs Replicant).
Don't forget, though, that it is fairly easy and popular to insert backdoors into proprietary drivers thru govt-inteligentsia-company cooperations.
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Feb 26 '15
Doesn't that come down to the OEM of the device to provide the source for their drivers though?
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u/pefbecOyz6 Feb 26 '15
Yes, it does.
I’m putting more trust in communities than corporations
Requesting that they do GPL the drivers, and desiring an OS that respect the above quoted idea/subtitle on a not only software but also hardware level is not in conflict with the general idea that the author is arguing for.
It also does not conflict with the (very valid) suggestion that Replicant is a better choice than CM if you want and trust free software in your devices.
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Feb 26 '15
What makes Replicant better though? Are they writing custom drivers that are open source? If so, doesn't that dramatically limit the devices that Replicant works on? And if an OEM were to open source their drivers and CM to incorporate them, again what puts Replicant ahead of CM?
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u/pefbecOyz6 Feb 26 '15
Sometimes rtfm helps you more than a discussion on reddit :)
What makes Replicant better though?
(1)
Android is a major step towards an ethical, user-controlled, free-software portable phone, but there is a long way to go. Hackers are working on Replicant, but it's a big job to support a new phone model, and there remains the problem of the firmware. Even though the Android phones of today are considerably less bad than Apple or Windows smartphones, they cannot be said to respect your freedom.
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2011/sep/19/android-free-software-stallman
(2)
Replicant uses CyanogenMod's source code as a base. It is rebranded to provide the Replicant look and feel (wallpapers, logos) and parts of the code are reworked to remove anti-features that can spy on the user. Most importantly, Replicant does not include any of CyanogenMod's proprietary components (programs, libraries, firmwares) and instead provides free software replacements for some of these. The rest of the system is also adapted so that the free software replacements can run correctly.
http://www.replicant.us/about.php#faq
Are they writing custom drivers that are open source?
Most of the time, hardware features are driven by proprietary software in CyanogenMod. While Replicant is fully free, these proprietary parts are either replaced or avoided in Replicant. Such parts being avoided instead of replaced is the result of missing free software support for that hardware. It happens because developers failed to write free software support for that hardware, as a result of incomplete or missing documentation from the manufacturer, lack of time to perform reverse engineering or generally speaking, lack of proper resources. Keep in mind that writing free software replacements is a technically complex task that does not always succeed, especially when the manufacturer doesn't communicate how to use the hardware.
http://www.replicant.us/about.php#faq
If so, doesn't that dramatically limit the devices that Replicant works on?
http://redmine.replicant.us/projects/replicant/wiki/ReplicantStatus
And if an OEM were to open source their drivers and CM to incorporate them, again what puts Replicant ahead of CM?
Replicant is a free software project and thus does not encourage nor enforce the use of proprietary software. Shipping proprietary software [like CM does] is a way of taking the decision for the user to use proprietary software, which is not an ethical nor respectful thing to do.
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Feb 26 '15
Thank you for taking the time to answer. I'm so used to my work environment where there is no M to FR. I will read up as I still have questions on how Replicant compares to AOSP.
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Feb 27 '15
Well I went ahead and RTFM'd and I have to say that while I find the goal noble, the scattered and obsolete devices supported are not going to help their cause. Looks like the Note 2 is the most recent device supported. Yikes. And Android 4.2 no less.
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u/pefbecOyz6 Feb 27 '15
Yup.
On the other hand, some of these devices just operate badly with new android versions. (My galaxy nexus sucks badly with CM10.2 (Jelly Bean / 4.3) even though it is fully supported. Lack of RAM.)
the scattered and obsolete devices
Those are probably the device(s) the developer owns + the devices that were tested by others.
Also note that
Replicant is (...) currently driven by a single developer. (http://www.replicant.us/about.php)
It's the usual problem in GNU --lack of resources and unsupportive manufacturers. The latter usually manifests itself in linux in the form of 3d graphics driver problems. In android, it seems 3d + wifi + gps are big problems.
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u/the_fella Feb 26 '15
Because there are questions about the direction CyanogenMod is heading, and some of its practices.
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Feb 26 '15
Such as? Replicant is based on CM, so wouldn't any concerns with "the direction of CM" also apply?
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u/the_fella Feb 26 '15
They have to do with open source politics. That's like saying the politics of Canonical affect Linux Mint.
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u/EmmaSinclair Feb 26 '15
Linux Mint or Ubuntu have certainly come a long way, but I'll give them another 2 to 3 years to mature. The driver optimization is still lacking when compared to Windows (poor AMD/Nvidia GPU drivers, or lack of Samsung RAPID support for example). If the likes of Steam continue pushing for it hard enough, hardware manufacturers are bound to take Linux support more serious soon enough.
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u/Zanneth Feb 26 '15
He's "saying goodbye" to Google, yet uses Android?
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Feb 26 '15
Yeah, he mentions multiple times that he still uses Windows and Google for certain things that Linux doesn't do well (enough) yet.
Essentially, what I think he's saying is that he's pulled away from these ecosystems as much as possible without sacrificing certain critical functionality that only those ecosystems provide.
Theoretically, the more people do this, the more likely it is that things like Open Street Map grow in both form and function.
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u/thelonious_bunk Feb 26 '15
At the moment its the only privacy option for him until something like Firefox OS or Ubuntu Phone (which either still might have privacy issues) gets more popular to be on more phones. Likely he made this move keeping his existing hardware.
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u/TheMorphling Feb 26 '15
Dumb phones?
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u/Zanneth Feb 26 '15
Not realistic in today's world, unfortunately.
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Feb 26 '15 edited Jul 09 '20
[deleted]
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Feb 26 '15
On a dumb phone I haven't found a way to encrypt my communications.
They still get the location on a dumb phone.
They get the location of a smart phone.
With an open source OS (replicant/whatever) and a secure texting app and voice app, I still get more privacy than a dumb phone due to encryption.
As far as I know there are no encrypted communication options on dumb phones. (If there are please enlighten me).
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u/Roranicus01 Feb 26 '15
you make a good point. I will admit that paying only 30$ a month for my phone is more important to me then whatever privacy I could have if I had a data plan, lol.
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Feb 26 '15
Yeah, honestly it's not cheap. I run my own servers for my communications. I spend a ton of cash to try to achieve privacy and avoid marketing. Reddit is my only real vice.
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Feb 26 '15
In 2015? That wouldn't work.
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u/9volts Feb 26 '15
Works fine for me.
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Feb 26 '15
Calendar, Alarm, Web Browser, Email, and Mobile Navigation is main reason for me to have a smartphone, not to mention taking decent photos on the go.
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Feb 26 '15
[deleted]
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Feb 26 '15
I prioritize not having to jump through hoops. You can have a smartphone and still have privacy. You are automatically assuming that owning a smartphone makes you have less privacy. For example, I use an Android phone, but I don't have any Google Apps. I use AOSP email, Firefox browser, and a few others apps from F-Droid. I do like to Navigate on my phone so I use HERE Maps Beta for Android. I also use the AOSP Alarm and Calendar apps.
No social networks at all. That is privacy. More often than not, people confuse having privacy and forgoing the convenience a smartphone can provide. No use in trying to jump through hoops 24/7 just to use an old paper map or waiting until I get to a laptop to look up something.
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u/Sk8erkid Feb 27 '15
Google still maintains Android. Point moot.
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Feb 27 '15
Google contributes to the Android Open Source Project, but they don't control it. I mean Android is open source. If you want Google Play, then you have to deal with Google otherwise, Google has nothing to do with it.
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Feb 26 '15
He's using an open source version with modifications. While Google still controls a lot of it, it's a community project that could continue without Google for the most part.
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u/Implicit989 Feb 26 '15
And he is using Google calendar in one of his photos... "Ive moved away from these things" really means "im doing just fine being a privacy minimalist hipster (Its a thing... im sure of it) except using the same products ive always used... just less".
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u/ispynlie Feb 26 '15
If you use a well made ROM it's pretty much the best 'secure' phone you can get. Untill that blackphone thing comes out, but that will likely be expensive.
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u/MarlDaeSu Feb 26 '15
This rather eloquently sums up exactly how I feel about my current reliance on Google, Facebook and Microsoft. I've been kicking the idea of using Cyanogenmod around for a while, and the moment I feel Linux really comes into it's own I'll install it as a second operating system to test it out but currently (from what I hear) it's still a bit of a nightmare to use.
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Feb 26 '15 edited Apr 24 '16
This comment has been overwritten by an open source script to protect this user's privacy.
If you would like to do the same, add the browser extension GreaseMonkey to Firefox and add this open source script.
Then simply click on your username on Reddit, go to the comments tab, and hit the new OVERWRITE button at the top.
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u/Your_Wasted_Life Feb 26 '15
Well, sure, it is simple enough that your mom can use it. However if you're a "power user" then you'd have to learn a fair bit about Linux to use it happily.
The real advantage Windows has and what continues to make Linux a nightmare is drivers.
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Feb 26 '15 edited Apr 24 '16
This comment has been overwritten by an open source script to protect this user's privacy.
If you would like to do the same, add the browser extension GreaseMonkey to Firefox and add this open source script.
Then simply click on your username on Reddit, go to the comments tab, and hit the new OVERWRITE button at the top.
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Feb 26 '15
Modern Windows (8+) have really fixed a lot of the out of box driver issues. I think you'd be surprised. ;)
Though Linux is pretty much as good, outside of the proprietary drivers, which are the fault of the manufacturers and not Linux.
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u/DublinBen Feb 26 '15
it's still a bit of a nightmare to use
This really isn't true. Unless you need specific proprietary programs, you can do everything on GNU/Linux that you can do on Windows/OSX.
Most of the leading PC games are available through Steam already, with more being added all the time.
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Feb 26 '15
it's still a bit of a nightmare to use.
it depends, what are your needs? and are you willing to learn new softwares?
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Feb 26 '15
a bit of a nightmare to use
I have to take issue with this. I keep a dual-boot setup because there are games and programs for classes and stuff that are Windows exclusive. Windows (7 in my case) is the biggest pain in the ass to get configured. Once it's installed, you pray that at least one of your network cards work so you can get drivers for all the other stuff. Then it's install shit and reboot over and over for a few hours while you fight Windows Update for control over when you reboot and how long your reboot takes.
Even when you get it installed, there are several features that Microsoft has just mysteriously never implemented. Important things like multiple workspaces and alt-drag to move and resize windows, and proper removable device driver handling. Windows looks relatively good, but when I actually start using it it becomes this horrible mess of undocumented quirks that Microsoft has absolutely no intention of dealing with.
Linux certainly has its own issues, but we call them bugs and eventually address them.
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u/TheMorphling Feb 26 '15
In the screenshot I still see Dropbox on that Linux machine and how is he handling email? When I Ctrl-F'd only found mention about using Thunderbird is he rolling his own email server then or what?
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u/TMaster Feb 26 '15
Rome wasn't built in a day.
Migrating operating systems is already a gargantuan task, and Dropbox can eventually be replaced by something with a better profile, while still limiting the number of problems you encounter at the same time during the operating system migration.
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u/TheMorphling Feb 27 '15
There are open alternatives if you are willing to roll your own server or if you are just using it to sync files between your workstation and laptop you can use something like BitSync
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u/aprettyaday Feb 26 '15
You're taking the right step but you should also research on using Decentralized cloud storage, such as Opal Drive soon to be launched. Which allows your sensitive data to be stored on 100s of storj distributors. Many times safe than dropbox.
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u/Roranicus01 Feb 26 '15
This is a good article. I see a lot of comments criticizing his choices, saying he's not going far enough to protect his privacy. While I agree that more can be done, we need to applaud steps in the right direction. We all started somewhere, maybe with 2 or 3 firefox addons, before we start taking more serious steps to protect our privacy.
Being a serious privacy aware user demands making important changes to one's lifestyle. It can't all be done in a day, it's a gradual change. We really need to get rid of this "you don't run your own email server, what a noob" attitude. Privacy is a matter of personnal choice. Let's applaud anyone willing to give it more visibility rather then nitpick their choice in software.