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Joined 1 year ago
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Cake day: September 21st, 2023

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  • Frankly, their asshole attitude sucks.

    I had an error flashing it to a Pixel, and dev response was classic “what did you do wrong” instead of addressing the error message, they criticized me. Well, fuck you then.

    Mind, I’ve been flashing phones since 2010, I’ve done hundreds of flashes, so I have extensive notes for every phone. My current approach is to use a project management app (MS Project), so I don’t miss anything. I’m meticulous - if a step doesn’t work as expected, I start over from the beginning, including re-flashing the factory image, until my documentation is spot on (I built desktop deployment images in a former life).

    I’d read other comments about their behaviour, but thought I’d give it a try anyway. Sorry, if support is like that to me while just setting up, what it like if I had a real problem?

    I’ve also seen the same behaviour when they discuss how their approach is different from other people - they don’t seek to clarify how their approach is different, but only to say their way is right, and to denigrate anyone else.

    Graphene is useless to me with attitudes like that.


  • It was a bit emotionally difficult to take new $400 hardware and then just simply re-flash it risking say bricking.

    This is a not-insignificant part of why I buy older (flagship) models. My most recent upgrade was to a Pixel 5, I bought 2 for that same $400, and another for $150.

    Flashing has gotten so much easier, especially with Pixel (or not Samsung, and a few others). Motorola has been pretty good forever, generally, though some models have been tricky.

    I’m not using Graphene (I disagree with their attitude about some things), but DivestOS - a fork of Lineage. Running MicroG for now, but working away from Google Store apps.

    Check out NativeAlpha - it’s a browser which presents websites like an app. A big plus is it uses the phone’s own web engine, so it’s really just an app/UI config. I use it for my library, bank, hospital/doctors, etc. It seems to be good at replacing dedicated apps (with their issues). I tjin

    Hermit is an app on Google Play that’s similar, but doesn’t seem to require Google Services (not that Native Alpha does, just surprising for a Play app). I’ve been finding so many apps that have GServices dependencies for no apparent reason, like simple offline dictionaries (what the hell??)!


  • Meh, security isn’t one thing, it’s layers.

    Everything always has risks. 0-days most notably.

    Take a look at the NTLM risk that was just announced - every version of Windows is susceptible to it. Minimizing access to small groups is what has kept smart businesses safe from it. Along with things like isolating primary systems on a VLAN with no direct access, unless authorized by more than one person, and through well-configured, specific mechanisms.

    Everywhere I’ve worked has had to run expired OS’s for one thing or another - typically CNC type systems that were built for DOS or maybe XP. Do we stop running those systems just because the OS is no longer supported? No - they either get air-gapped or run on a very isolated VLAN with very strict access controls.

    Then there’s the person’s threat model. Who is likely to be after you? Do you run questionable apps or just basic ones? Do you have Google services (it’s a risk in my opinion)? Does your phone have a firewall? Do you block network access for apps that shouldn’t need it? Do you separate apps into user profiles to keep data from leaking across them? Do you use a VPN? Maybe a mesh network to your own systems, with all internet traffic going there, then filtered by that firewall or IPS/IDS?

    Lots of ways to skin the cat, but most importantly is to maintain layers. Layering is why MFA is such a big thing right now - it’s another access control layer.

    I run a bit wild, I admit it. But my threat model doesn’t include people specifically coming for me, or state-level actors. I do have some data-destruction mechanisms in place, just in case.



  • Lol, of all the people to choose, Bev is the one that would like it the most!

    You could’ve made a joke about her giving the pill to the captain, since she had a thing for him, and all but got down and dirty in his “ready room”.

    There’s a current meme about her banging a ghost, haha.





  • Yea, for appliance components like compressors, thinner materials has practically no impact on performance (but probably saves a little money on manufacturing, and probably reduces life span).

    For the condenser and evaporator, it could make a difference, but those have been largely optimized probably since the 60’s - they’re not complex things. Even there, a thinner wall on the tubing isn’t really going to make a major improvement, since it’s fin density that really matters.

    It’s controls that break 98%+ of the time. A refrigeration circuit is pretty simple, so long as you don’t poke a hole in the system, generally it will continue to work.

    Of all the systems I’ve worked on, I’ve rarely replaced even a compressor (it does happen). Condensers and evaporators practically never wear out - almost all that I’ve replaced have failed from being hit by something, or being cleaned with an unfriendly chemical (some newer ones are really fragile, and even conventional ones don’t like dog urine on them constantly). A family friend has been an HVAC guy since I was little (he taught me), and this squares with his experience.

    Controls are #1, seals are second (especially on automotive systems, since they get shaken around constantly and deal with much greater temp swings).

    “New” stuff (starting in the 80’s) has shit electronic controls - they’re manufactured as cheaply as possible (unlike say electronic controls for a car engine or safety systems, which have to meet regulatory requirements). Old school controls are so simple there’s little to go wrong.

    The “new” DC/inverter compressors are probably the biggest improvement in recent years, since they can run at varying loads instead of just off/on - this should make them noticeably more energy efficient.



  • UAC is a bandaid for a lack of proper local user account management. I never see it in Enterprise, nor on my home machines, as users have appropriate permissions, with admin being tightly controlled. (To be honest, I just turn it off on my home machines, run as a user, and if I need admin I switch accounts).

    This really only affects home users who like to run as admin all the time (about 98% of us, I’ve been guilty of it most of my career).

    I get it, I just don’t see it really being a significant risk (this is related to a hack published perhaps a week ago where an attacker, could, potentially, maybe, gain admin by timing the attack perfectly during an install, but only on specific machines).



  • Fuck advertisers at this point.

    Maybe in 1999 I was still with you, but they’ve continually shown, not just disregard for out concerns, but a flat out “fuck you” malicious adversarialism.

    So fuck all advertisers at this point. Every fucking last one of them.

    I will block them every way I can. I will poison their tracking. I will do everything I can to fuck with them.

    Don’t be an apologist for their bullshit.

    And if you bring up the “well websites will cost you then”. That’s a whole lotta not my problem. If you want to host a server, that’s your problem how to pay for it.

    I currently pay for my internet, and you want me to subsidize your ads by paying my ISP to deliver those ads.

    I also pay for my own VPS, and related services, for stuff I want to do, such as provide some services to family and friends. Should I serve ads to them to subsidize my server costs?