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JoeBidet

@JoeBidet@lemmy.ml

Random Joe, or should I say… GNU/Joe

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Signal Facing Collapse After CIA Cuts Funding (kitklarenberg.substack.com)

On November 16th, Meredith Whittaker, President of Signal, published a detailed breakdown of the popular encrypted messaging app’s running costs for the very first time. The unprecedented disclosure’s motivation was simple - the platform is rapidly running out of money, and in dire need of donations to stay afloat....

JoeBidet,
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yet it’s fair to say that:

  • Signal was incepted by US gov funds
  • During most of it’s initial conception phase it was US gov funded
  • therefore some of the characteristics its users still suffer today (like reliance on strong selectors, pinky-promise of non-retaining metadata, centralized architecture based on the same “cloud” as the one of the CIA and other decisions hostile to free/libre software users and ethics) originate from that era.
JoeBidet,
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US government: “Make us an app that people can use so we are the only ones accessing their meta-data.” Developer: makes SignalUS Government: 👍

JoeBidet, (edited )
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“Between 2013 and 2016, Open Whisper Systems received grants from the Shuttleworth Foundation,[49] the Knight Foundation,[50] and the Open Technology Fund.[51]”

“Marlinspike launched Open Whisper Systems’ website in January 2013.[2][1]”

(from the page you linked)

How is that not the OTF (100% funded by Radio Free Asia) since its inception? how is it not its initial conception phase?

JoeBidet,
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well before 2013 it wasnt “Signal” but some proprietary software. After 2016 it wasn’t anymore “the initial phase”

Funny how you don’t seem to be wanting to see 2013-2016, but it’s OK. facts speak for themselves :)

JoeBidet,
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Bruce Schneier is also probably just a conspiracy theorist, when he writes in 2014:

"By the way, the Register noted that Whisper Systems (along with Tor and several other privacy projects) received $450,000 from Radio Free Asia – which is pretty much an official State Department / CIA propaganda organ, isn’t it? How exactly does this work as a coherent national security strategy, when State is funding ‘privacy’ while NSA is funding eavesdropping? opentechfund.org/…/otf2013annualreportfinal.pdf"

www.schneier.com/blog/…/whatsapp_is_now.html

oh and that linked annual report of the OTF, like the following ones, doesn’t seem to be online anymore… :))

what a joke

JoeBidet,
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You’re right! I don’t know either.

The facts remain, though.

Next smartphone I buy, which one do you recommend?

Things that make me angry about my current smartphone Samsung Galaxy S21Ultra on a Verizon plan is the mandatory software updates in which they install WITHOUT MY PERMISSION stupid apps like Netflix and addictive gambling games and stacking block games and Candy crush. God knows what else they install without my permission. I...

JoeBidet,
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I have been daily-driving one for more than three years now, and totally happy with it. (with some caveats, some work and nerve-wracking moments, but that’s the exciting lot of the continous learning of free/libre computing…)

JoeBidet,
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sure. but you and OP are maybe not “a lot of people” anyways ;)

JoeBidet, (edited )
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PInephone! A bit of work, requiring to not being shy opening the hood of a linux system. but totally worth it, the reward is freedom and its continuous cycle of collective learning…

(although the Pinephone is not really a “smartphone” in the sense most people use that word: a restricted computer that allows to run wallgarden applications… a pinephone doesnt natively run “smartphone apps” and is more like a full-blown, general purpose computer running GNU/linux that also contains a modem enabling calls, sms and data…)

Signal leaked random contacts to me! (feddit.de)

When I press on some message to forward it, it shows me Random usernames of contacts I don’t know. And it even shows some Mobile Numbers I don’t know. For example, one number starts with +964 that’s Iraq. I’m from Europe tho. These contacts and numbers are from all over the place....

JoeBidet,
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am glad that simplex.chat doesn’t even need to touch sensitive personal data strong selectors such as phone numbers or email addresses!

JoeBidet,
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As many people mentioned backups before, I would only add this: Maybe check -in your favourite search engine- if the very same model of computer that you use doesn’t have know quirks (hardware needing some tweaking, not being fully recognized, etc.) with gnu/linux, like for instance searching “$model linux” or “$model $distro” (with the distros you plan on trying, etc.

Also maybe if you connect only via Wifi, check that wifi chip for compatibility first, and maybe get as a backup a USB wifi dongle that is know to work on gnu/linux… juuuust in case ;)

JoeBidet,
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… er… the only thing stopping an AmericaBad-with-a-gun is an AmericaGood-with-a-gun…?

JoeBidet,
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a couple of things they got right about uthe future:

  • sitting alone in a bubble
  • depending on over-architectured machines
  • having the illusion to connect to others while only looking at them through something
JoeBidet,
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  1. was apparently fixed with latest version.
JoeBidet,
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also now that i think of it:

  1. there is now a discovery mechanism of some sort… but otherwise it’s a feature and not a bug that you can only identify people whom you had an initial exchange with. much preferable than something that Signal that without asking (and without opting out?) will by default access all your contacts and match them through the use of a strong selector (phone number) also:
  2. i think with the minimal knowledge the server has of its users (and the no-identity concept) this really limits risk. Also it means that for the most tight of security models, one can use their own server (which is not feasible with most other chat protocols)

so all in all: go simplex! :)

JoeBidet,
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simplex seems to check all boxes for respecting privacy. it doesnt rely on using any identity (no strong selectors like email addresses or phone number). seems very forward-thinking in its concepts.

JoeBidet,
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Guitarix? guitarix.org

would it be illegal to download Ubuntu on a Chromebook?

what if I, for example, had a job in Google and I liked Linux so much I install Ubuntu on my Chromebook, would that be illegal/send me to prison?? Or, if I had the job, would I be kicked?? I like Chromebooks because they are so smol and nice. But I don’t know if it’s legal to install a Linux distro on it. Thank you!!

JoeBidet,
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…You wouldn’t download a car?!

JoeBidet,
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same here.

my first switch from x to wayland was on the pinephone and that convinced me to make the big jump elsewhere. that feeling of snappiness you describe, from not having all the screen refreshed all the time i gues…?

JoeBidet,
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check wayfire :)

github.com/WayfireWM/wayfire

JoeBidet,
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I already have everything. I use Sway… :)

JoeBidet,
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do you think a company like cloudlare.com, that injects its javascript in between given site and you, will hesitate one second before transmitting its data with the FBI (or any other police), and help them tracking users down?

JoeBidet,
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WARNING: contains some cloudflare.com

JoeBidet,
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wait. unlimited access to healthcare? isn’t it “communism” when you’re not a retired killer-machine over there?

JoeBidet,
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what a masterpiece! still so charming and fun and challenging today! and OH the music (with an extra sound-chip in the cartridge to add more voices!!) <3

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