Re: [OT] Relavant mailing list or USENET group
On Sat, 2 Dec 2017 13:17:14 -0600
Richard Owlett <rowlett@cloud85.net> wrote:
> On 12/02/2017 12:02 PM, rhkramer@gmail.com wrote:
> > On Saturday, December 02, 2017 12:17:39 PM Richard Owlett wrote:
> >> 6. *NOT* be a "smartphone".
> >
> > Well, I am curious about why you don't want it to be a smartphone,
> > and whether doing something like removing the SIM from a cell phone
> > (and possibly epoxying the socket) would meet your needs?
> >
>
> You might say it's the 3 P's ;/
> [ Philosophical Practicality Prudence ]
>
> Philosophical - application of Linux philosophy
> > As stated by McIlroy, and generally accepted throughout the
> > Unix
> community, Unix programs have always been expected to follow the
> concept of DOTADIW, or "Do One Thing and Do It Well."
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix_philosophy#Do_One_Thing_and_Do_It_Well
>
So you'll be avoiding anything containing systemd...
> Practicality - avoidance of Android
> Most "smartphones" come only with Android which presumes someone who
> has never met the user knows best what the user needs (let alone
> wants) and then goes to great lengths to prevent the end user from
> installing a suitable OS.
>
And there, I think, you encounter the brick wall. It cannot possibly
be accidental that modern portable hardware makes it so difficult to
install Linux, or indeed any alternative OS. I think it is not desired
that people should carry around devices which are not under the complete
control of the manufacturer, particularly in terms of data collection.
In short, I think you're trying to fight the system.
I wish you luck: I have an eight-year-old Acer Aspire One, which I
bought second-hand and which must be on borrowed time. It has Ethernet
and three real USB ports, and runs straight Debian unstable without a
trace of a problem. I've been looking to replace it for a few years,
but have seen nothing promising. It's all 'runs Debian flawlessly,
although the sound, Bluetooth and wifi don't work yet...' and even that
in a chroot with the host kernel running.
--
Joe
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