I use a seedbox abroad and secure ssh to transfer stuff to my own server. Don’t see what additional security a vpn would give me.

Oh yeah, I don’t have an issue with them ruining their devices. I just have them locked down because I don’t want them to have free use on the internet. So much mindrot on there…

I’m very happy my 12y old kid can’t just sideload shit nilly willy. He legit Googles minecraft hacks and downloads random apks and stuff if he gets the chance)

(his phone is also fully locked down with parental because a 12y old should have free reign on the internet, but that’s beside the point)

Really? Been using a logitech trackball at work for 14 years now. My k750 keyboard lasted me almost 10y until the battery completely gave up and I wanted to upgrade. My Mx keys has lasted me for years since.

Similar stories for my mice, none of them have failed, I’ve only upgraded because I wanted lighter, more/less buttons or for other reasons.

Ofcourse not, I also use fdroid and I sideload a shitton of apps. But Google is not killing off alternate stores, they’re just making their store safer. My whole point is that this change is not that negative. If anything it’ll have a positive effect on non tech savvy users. It’ll save me time by potentially causing less issues on the devices of family members.

That final part isn’t really Google’s fault no? But just the devs cutting functions?

Yeah, I read it. Didn’t think much of it. Are those apps that common? Don’t use them, as my browser can read pdf and text files.

Sounds more like some fringe apps will get caught in the cross hairs. Still sounds like a good change for the average end user. For the average power user, it won’t make a difference imo.

I mean, I know lemmy has an open source hardon and hates anything walled, but is this really such a bad thing? Google is getting rid of a bunch of shitty apps and risky apps. Nothing is stopping you from still sideloading them if you really need them.

I really fail to see the actual issue aside from “google bad”

I wanted to vote for them, I did so last time, but they didn’t appear on the ballot in my country this time. Couldn’t vote for them…

I’ll never understand the people that have their photo archive linked to a chat app.

Where I live, line is the de facto standard. Soooo many people don’t use any backup and just count on line to manage their pictures. Some dude went viral for losing 10years worth of family pictures when he went from iPhone to android. Line is a shit all that doesn’t do any migration past 14days when changing os.

Just use Google photos and never think about it again? Or use self hosted stuff if you don’t like the cloud. But for the love of God, don’t count on the chat app…

Been using it for close to 10 years. Never had a single serious issue with it. Apps break now and then. A simple reboot of the server or the app fixes it every single time.

A lot of public torrents download and seed at insane speeds. Like “must be in the same building or even the same disk” speeds.

To be fair, I’ve been using windows since 3.1. I haven’t paid for windows since xp I think. I got an oem key second hand right around w7 for my desktop. That key has just lasted me all the way to w11. So I haven’t paid ms anything either in decades (except for my personal data I guess?)

Ever heard of a job? Some people need to work with a specific software suite as part of their job, regardless of their personal convictions :)

I have to use office and chrome on windows at work, I don’t get any choice in the matter.

As an end user, I don’t care about proprietary garbage, I want my mouse to work :). I understand the aversion to proprietary stuff etc. But non techie end users don’t give a flying fuck.

Also, everyone has had an MS account since the msn messenger and Hotmail heydays. That is an absolute non issue for 99% of the people tbh.

But that’s the entire point. The windows UI is still easy, especially for people that have always used windows. There have only been gradual changes. :)

And to slap in an anecdote, I am quite proficient with everything IT related. I try installing Linux once a year on average, in general I try to recommended “noob distros” . I always go back to windows after a few weeks at best. You really have to make an big effort to fully go to Linux. I end up spending more time dealing with the OS itself than doing the stuff I want.

I can absolutely see the appeal of it, but I don’t enjoy it :)

Because Linux doesn’t just work out of the box.

Somehow the Linux evangelists never understand that point.

All your peripherals, no matter how old, and all your (legacy) software just works on windows. Maybe the OS isn’t blazing fast and there is more and more so called bloatware (at least according to FOSS people), but if I plug in my 10y old Logitech wireless mouse, it works in 10 sec. In Linux I’d have to start searching for a solution, a driver, a little hack, a script, a controller repository, etc… It will work eventually, but it’s not intuitive. Doubly so for people that were raised on windows.

Linux is absolutely not user friendly for non techies that have 20y of windows habits in them.

Not refusing, but lately I basically don’t pirate games anymore. Steam made it so easy to buy games… + pirating games is always a pita with the required hacks etc. (or at least it was way back when I did it).

Software I don’t pirate, I just use foss stuff wherever I can.

I also don’t pirate books in general. Just get them on Kindle and support the author (and unfortunately also Jeff bezos)

I pay for Netflix (mainly for kids) and go to the theater for big movies, but aside from that I pirate all screen content.

I also pirate comics, but that’s 90% because it’s almost impossible to get them legally where I live. I would pay for DC unlimited if it was available in my neck of the woods.

One more endorsement for the link bud s. Seriously underappreciated in ear buds. They are ridiculously comfy and sound quite well on top. + you don’t look like some weird scifi character. They are very discreet inside the ear.

Just imagine what they could come up with in the future. A female captain? A black station commander? No way, Star Trek has gone down the gutter. I’m not watching TNG. They can stick their wokeness where the sun don’t shine.

It literally takes 1h max, and the majority is done automagically. Setting them up is the least annoying part of it all…