Isn’t Android that? Of course, lot’s of proprietary software components. “Linux for the masses” is open to discussion.
In case of looking for more “freedom”, a bunch of open source Mobile OSs:
TBH, I’m happy with Android. When I get a new phone, I connect it to the laptop and use the Android Developer Tools to remove all the bloatware. Then, several years with a phone that works.
@Ace : I don’t want to complicate my life with a Windows Phone, I have an Android one. Remember how bad were the Nokias with Windows Phone OS?
A lot of OSs are based on UNIX. iOS is a good example. In fact MS windows is heading in this direction. They have come a long way from being a VMS ripoff.
I used to use Linux when i was at the faculty. Then as I joint industry, the computers were loaded already with the Microsoft packages. When I became an independent consultant, I came back to Linux / Ubuntu. Had tons of problems with the cusomer’s file conversions of the mainstream apps; having a double OS was a nightmare for the computer - and for me. So had to relent … so, more than for geeks, it is for people with a lot of patience…
Actually nowadays G/MS/A is complicating my everyday life that’s why I can’t stand using their product as daily driver. We used to own the devices and had the admin responsibility, but since a few years the trend shifted to “you don’t own it, we manage it as we know better”. I love the simplicity of an OS which doesn’t treat you as an enemy.
And yet, apart from some issues on a particular installation/update on an older machine that you mentioned much earlier, all of which were fixable, I still have no idea what is the problem you’re having with Windows.
(edit: removed irrelevant stuff)… That is why people continue to use it. It. Just, Works,
I’m genuinely curious as to what ways “G/MS/A” complicates your everyday life, Please tell us!
There’s a lot to talk about this topic, too much for a quick reply. For me it’s an ethical thing. I’m tech person and I prefer not to agree to give away management of my devices and data to 3rd parties. Sure, there’s nothing fundamentally wrong with giving the control to someone else, paying for it explicitly or not, provided that you’re conscious what does it mean to you and it’s what you really want. On paper these companies are acting in best interest of the users, in practice there’s lack of responsibility (collective class lawsuits to the rescue) and cases of serious unethical abuse. What’s more annoying, the bad guys have gained an enormous privilege, since users can’t maintain their devices there’s only a single point of failure, only one player to bypass it’s eyes - governments love this as it allows them to buy hacks to implant more easily.
For years using proprietary OSes was a fair deal. You paid for the quality and ongoing timely maintenance, where the administration was left to you. If we look even further in the history, actually you had to pay for each maintenance update, which was a really good incentive for the company to do it right to delight their customers. However nowadays it went out of control. How about the lawsuit against A, where private Siri recordings were leaked even though the users never enabled it? If you could manage the device, you’d not install or remove the app in the first place. If you could manage your Android you’ll never let G install and run quietly whatever they wish (and yet you actually must agree to this unethical behavior before you can start using the device!). It’s even more obnoxious to the forced on you right to remove any app. On desktop OSes full local administration is still possible but with serious caveats. The companies are also aggressively trying to tire off their tech users to give up. The A will let you enable root, but immediately a number of things won’t work so in practice you either can’t administer the machine or can’t use what you’re paying for. MS don’t care about local admins either, pushing more and more entangled bloatware which just prevents you doing the administration, and once you go through the hoops of controlling it all (far exceeding what I would name an administration work, in reality entering a serious hacking zone) a next day update will reset all your system settings.
What a world we’re living in, where people don’t care about their rights nor privacy anymore. There’s actually one guy who gives excellent talks, well depicting my mindset, so enjoy
Right. I can’t really disagree with what you write, but unfortunately you have to accept then that your statement that “G/MS/A” complicates your everyday life is fundamentally flawed.
“G/MS/A” is actually offering ways to simplify your life, you’re just not happy with the compromises it requires, and the complications that result are then entirely of your own making.
Because people have different experiences, different needs and a different life, they easily dismiss what is happening to others if it doesn’t match what they do or experience.
Yeah. A while back, I was compiling my own Android OS, but no time for that now.
It’s not even just the OS. Major components such has the Browser are important platforms in their own right and Google exercises control over it the benefit them against the consumer e.g. manifest v3 to kneecap ad-blockers.
so, more than for geeks, it is for people with a lot of patience…