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Windows needs to stop showing tabloid news

(www.tomshardware.com)
1725 points taubek | 6 comments | 27 Mar 23 05:20 UTC | HN request time: 0.595s | source | bottom
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oliwarner ◴[27 Mar 23 07:25 UTC] No.35323842[source]▶
I left Windows in a hail of Vista bugs, over a decade ago. I've seen it get worse and worse in that time, both in UX rot and anti-consumer "features".

I'm almost impressed with what people willingly put up with.

Not here to eulogize over what I moved to, but I think it's important people consider why they're still using Windows. It's not your friend.

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EVa5I7bHFq9mnYK ◴[27 Mar 23 07:55 UTC] No.35324039[source]▶
It took me 10 minutes to run w10privacy to remove all the telemetry and spyware from Windows. It took me hours fiddling with adb to partially remove some of evilness from my android phone. Dont know much about iOS, but I've heard they dont even have an adb equivalent.
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1. BLKNSLVR ◴[27 Mar 23 08:24 UTC] No.35324234[source]▶
I've unrecoverably bricked a couple of android phones through not having the precisely correct model variant for the instructions I was following, or for the specific ROM I was installing. Sucks, but I generally don't faff with a device that's worth more than throw-away.

The risk is worth it for the life that LineageOS really breathes into an older device.

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2. Gasp0de ◴[27 Mar 23 09:45 UTC] No.35324689[source]▶
GrapheneOS is extremely easy to install, the installer is literally a website where you click "Install now" while the phone is connected via USB. It is also one of the most usable custom OSes I've used and it is not only more privacy oriented but also more secure!
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3. Jiocus ◴[27 Mar 23 15:43 UTC] No.35328147[source]▶
Would love to go back to a flashed device, but last time I did (3-4 years ago) my banking and e-id apps refused to run in rooted environments. 2nd-factoring payments and the like is a main use case of a phone now. Are these kinds of issues still around?
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4. fifteen1506 ◴[27 Mar 23 15:59 UTC] No.35328332[source]▶
I like GOS as well -- and use it -- but most people won't have Pixel phones.
5. fifteen1506 ◴[27 Mar 23 16:06 UTC] No.35328407{3}[source]▶
For LineageOS? Yes. For GrapheneOS? Maybe.

Essentialy banking apps hate unlocked bootloaders. GOS (GrapheneOS) avoids this relocking the bootloader (the key is theirs, if you want to build your own GOS you'll have to sign with your own key). However GOS still fails Play Integrity checks: it fails CTS Profile Match.

So, Banking Apps probably work but Google Wallet won't.

Additionally, they run Google Apps as non-privileged apps, using a compatibility layer called `gmscompat`. It's cool because it's easy to Degoogle your phone in an instant if you wish to. But certain niche features, for example, using your camera to help Google Maps match your surrounding with Street View data crash Maps.

Otherwise all runs mostly well. Waze a few weeks ago was wonky but I assume the bug they fixed in Wifi-location allowed Waze to behave -- haven't tested though.

6. BLKNSLVR ◴[28 Mar 23 01:28 UTC] No.35334641{3}[source]▶
Magisk can hide root from apps, but I don't know how effective it is against all possible methods an app might have of detecting root. I'm not sure if detecting an unlocked bootloader is treated in the same way or not - I haven't run into that one as a problem so far.

I refuse to use my phone for banking due to trust issues in putting all my eggs into such a stealable, forgettable-in-a-taxi, and heavily monitored device basket.