FSF Tries Pushing Blob-Free "Replicant" Android OS

[Brane215]

And all your phone data goes through a carrier that most likely logs it all. Also satellites that can see the pores on your face in full HD.

So...

Suure. Be smart if you want. I'm just curious to see how long will it last. Just recently we had quite a few scandals and revelatins regarding phone AND celular network security and I can tell you tha t this shit can make a nightmare out of your life in a nanosecond. And EVERYONE is willing silent participant in this - local police that just loves to have secret weapon ( never mind that it gets used just for political games), even if that means the fact that your local criminals will get that same gear, too.

So, thanks but no, thanks. Fuck Angry Birds and bazillion braindead application in Google Stores etc etc. I want phone I can rely on that it won't be used to spy on me.

Or at least not by just about anyone with intense desire to do so.

[Brane215]

Thats why you should use encrypted VoIP in your phone. Not unless you look to sky or when its cloudy or when you are in tunnel etc.

So you can still be "safe" unless your dumb

Which works "great" until someone decides it is time to use purposefully built-in-by-manufacturer backdoor in your phone and take private keys from it right under your nose.

Such solution in the end works worrse than none at all, since it lures you into illusion of security.

[energyman]

great. Just what I am looking for. I wan't to be able to look around dark corners of my phone, otherwise it can be easily used to spy on me.

It's silly to talk about security of the platform with any seriousness ( with Dalvik VM etc crap) while having these blobs around, with NSA/CIA/etc hand deeply in many, if not all of them.

and you really read every line of code AND you are able to analyze it completely so nobody can fool you, right?

puhleeze....

on the other hand - ever compared printing in windows with that half done crap in linux?
or the sorry state of scanners?

[Brane215]

and you really read every line of code AND you are able to analyze it completely so nobody can fool you, right?

I'm not striving for the state of bliss where NOBODY can fool me. I want to be able to control the risk according to my needs.
And I want AT LEAST such level of security so that I don't get screwed by just anybody with an intent and some spare time.

And yes, I have read quite a few lines of code. Not every, but certainly every line that I wanted to check and found the time to do so.

puhleeze....

on the other hand - ever compared printing in windows with that half done crap in linux?[

It's funny you should mention this, because I DID check quite a few lines in Cups and tweaked a few things that bothered me. And since I plan to use inket for making films for photodevelping PCBs ( for electronics), yes, I'll have to modify driver for my EPson to make a couple of passes instead of one. Which I simply couldn't do on Wins.

Furthermore, I don't see the risk of getting malformed print or scan and risk of trjyn stealing your passwords as equally important. Not by a Mile.

or the sorry state of scanners?

Even if sorry, it has immense advantage over closed source - you can change it. If you don't want to, fine. You can always pay someone or use closed source solution.
But the big thing is- it is available should you choose to use, adapt or advance it.

And yes, I've ahd a few headaches with X/Sane. But since I did my homework and cracked that nut, it works GREAT. Now I can scan over Ethernet, even internet without any particular problem.

Once again, it would be prudent not to equate your phone with your desktop. Conceptually the might both be just computers, but in reality there is BIG difference. Even legal.

[dee.]

on the other hand - ever compared printing in windows with that half done crap in linux?

Actually, did that just recently. I've been printing documents in Linux with no problems for quite some time. No problems whatsoever - all the options are available and easily configurable. Documents come out the printer just like they're supposed.

Then, my printer crapped out (probably the secret counter inside hit the hardcoded "maximum allowed prints" number) and I had to go to a library to print some pictures, on their windows machines. Nothing fancy, just black & white images on regular A4 paper. And it took me half a day and two separate libraries to get them to even print at a decent DPI, the interface was horrible, the preview didn't work properly... well, managed to get it done in the end but in my recent experience, printing on Linux has worked a lot smoother and easier.

or the sorry state of scanners?

Incidentally, I now use my crapped-out printer/scanner as only a scanner, as the scanner part still works. No problems on Linux, I get the scans I want at the DPI I want, good enough for me.

[philip550c]

ever compared printing in windows with that half done crap in linux?
or the sorry state of scanners?

lol just had to get the network printer working for everyone at the office, linux was just as easy as windows. But as far as my hp all-in-one printer/scanner that I bought at walmart about 5 years ago, it has always been easier in linux. This is what I do in linux: Turn on printer and computer and plug in usb cable. Start printing and scanning. This is what I do in windows: Turn on printer and computer and plug in usb cable. Wait for computer to ask for drivers, say no dont search for them. Go to HP website, try to find drivers for my version of windows. Download drivers after agreeing to whatever they want and wait. Click on exe and process starts. Accept whatever else they want, probably copies of everything I scan and print. Installer informs me that I did not put installer in proper folder name on desktop before opening. Dont know why it matters but ok. Fix problem repeat steps. This time I am informed that I should not have plugged in the usb and that I need to unplug it and start over. Third time, installer completes. I notice I have some HP thingy in my taskbar, great I now have two places to check settings, hp's proprietary settings menu and windows settings menu. Open msconfig and disable HP printer software. Start printing/scanning.

[peppercats]

If you're this worried about snooping on your calls, have you considered tin cans and wire?

[GreatEmerald]

Yea, printing was pretty bad a year ago, for instance my printer used to not use the black cartridge, and try to print black with the colour cartridges. Had to use VirtualBox to get any decent printing at the time. Fast forward to today, and everything works just perfectly. As we speak I'm looking into an excellent CUPS printer test page on my desk. I recently tried setting up another printer in a different place, which didn't have Gutenprint drivers, so it was a bit trickier, and I had to go hunting some dependencies, but in the end it now also works perfectly.

[Brane215]

If you're this worried about snooping on your calls, have you considered tin cans and wire?

Not enough range, shitty audio, dependance on the wire. OK, now I considered it.

[Delgarde]

Not enough range, shitty audio, dependance on the wire. OK, now I considered it.

How about you and the people you want to talk to make up your own language? Then you can use regular technology as much as you like, without worrying about eavesdroppers...