wait a sec. As you’ve indicated, there are so many models that allow unlocking that LineageOS, AOSP (the apparently fully open source version of Android), Copperhead OS, and a whole category of “Android custom ROMs” can exist. Parts of Android are covered by some FOSS licenses and that’s fundamentally different situation than Windows and x86. And while losing a phone warranty is not fun, in this case, there’s an argument to be made that the warranty is a privilege at best, not a “right”. The buyer is usually free to shop for phones and cellular services that respect their desire to change. I would not go out of my way to look at Purism products, if I did not have this freedom!
Other considerations on te history of “PCs” include: IBM lost to Compaq, IBM did not succeed with MCA, and had to accept ISA and EISA; there were many points of failure in their attempts to keep control. I remember reading a proposal (from the 70s?) about the potential for IBM to sell APL terminals and sell computer processing time as a utility.
So, the smart phone manufacturers and cell services got closer to that ideal, I’m not denying it’s an issue. With PCs and the WWW, which eventually dominated as the interface to the internet, we have a good model for resistance. We made FOSS a model, not just for software or hardware, but for many disciplines. We have reasons to be optimistic and remain positive. Let’s stay determined to make Librem “phones” an exception, rather than get disheartened about their model “coming to laptops and desktops”. I don’t see that really happening, I even see “smartphones as phones” as a way that keeps them less expensive for the consumer, who knows what premiums might be charged for them to be expressly convergence platforms. And if ARM desk- and laptops did get worryingly more restrictive, there’s both RISC-V and over 40 years of x86 tech that can be re-purposed. I’m even a little giddy about 8-bit computers being re-implemented in FPGA. I didn’t see that coming! The great weakness of the IBMs, Intels and even Micro$oft, is that technology moves forward with or without them, and they have to innovate and fight each other, on their way to keep the public onboard.
And the optimistic view, carrying on a great legacy, that is what’s going to attract people: optimism of new opportunities. Perhaps in this little forum, it’s okay to focus on, and even mourn, what we’ve lost, but please, we are David vs Goliath and we’re going to load our sling, not darkly question how we got on this battlefield with such odds, not with the armies watching on.
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I started using Windows 95 and before Windows 98 I switched to GNU. I remember how you could install several operating systems but if Windows should be included it had to be installed first as it doesn’t allow any other operating systems.
This made me realize that Microsoft doesn’t care about my interests but they use any dirty tactic to dominate the market. They also threatened vendors not to pre-install any other operating system than Windows. Intel did the same with their CPUs. Both companies were so similar in business practices that we coined the word Wintel. 20 years later Google and ARM are now dominating but the user gained nothing from that change. Purism and Pine64 are pioneers in freeing the ARM platform.
You cannot sugarcoat the truth or not address the issue at heart when you want to educate people and change how things are done. That’s why Open Source failed. It’s about the user’s freedoms and so we should call it free software.
I’m the kind of guy who installs an operating system before I use the computer. Even if I reinstall the same operating system, I want the control and certainty that I only get when I myself installed it.
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do you install linux-from-scratch and blfs ?
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If I understand how FaceBook (FB) still operates, you may disable the app, but FB still needs to follow your device, monitor what you do with it, record your device In/Out and control you as much as possible. So you can prevent you from using it, but you are not permitted to disable their stalkers.
If you’ve seen those FB icons or ADDTHIS on sites via any device, it means when you loaded the page, that what you do on that page is forwarded to Facebook, even if you don’t have a FB account, you have a FB ‘profile’ - and your profile doesn’t belong to you.
Remember that except for L-5. it is NOT your phone. You get to use some of the bells and whistles, such as Wmail (any web-based mail), “Google It” or “Bing it”, maybe even ‘searching’ the 'net, listen to music and videos, mini-games - and other ‘free’ stuff too (free because your right to privacy has no value) but that’s about it. EXCEPT for the Librem products. All others are simply digital leashes.
Do check the AddThis privacy policy, and Terms of Use. You’ll be taken to Oracle’s Legal Notices because guess who runs AddThis! AddThis does have it’s very own and pointed Terms of Use though, but you will need a lot of time - just under 5K words, 120 lines, 27 other links with data you must agree to, and 5 sub-terms separate pages of agreements to muddle through. In the end, there are also 3rd party groups you auto-agree to handling your private information.
ORACLE admits they sell your information under Section 1, sub-section 5 (“HOW CAN WE SHARE OR SELL YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?”):
How ‘devices’ can be smart is beyond me, but being told they are intelligent enough to earn the moniker of “smart” only tells me how much more clever the manufactures of electronic leashes actually are than many gullible consumers.
The L-5 stuff looks great on paper and white-outs are far and few thankfully, but how long I wonder, before we are told by 
government and ♕corporations that by law, we have to allow tracking - for our own safety of course, and society in general. They already track and profile everyone with a digital leash so why are the Kings and Pawns proclaiming ‘tracing apps’ as the 2nd coming and can walk on water and turn it into wine? Wait for it.
I predict that both Overseers ( and ♕) will enact what can and can’t be disabled on all digital devices (as if they already don’t). There are already many signs in the free world and North America of Orwellian censoring - for sheople’s safety of course.
Kudos to Purism and L-5 products - but ya better hurry (IMHO)
~s~
If they can’t find your phone, then they can’t sell you. L5 = Emancipation 2020.
All above are just my opinions based on research, experience, and more research and hours of reading.
.
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They are freeing smartphones, but not the ARM-platform. Therefor we have Risk-V.
Vitual-Box is owned by Oracle … and those lovely extensions …
There is another line of defense that I think is absolutely necessary, namely blocking dns requests at the dns or dhcp level. I use algovpn on android devices and pi-hole for my home network. It probably doesn’t catch everything but I haven’t seen an internet advertisement in years.
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Add to that, we all pay higher and higher fees just to access the bowels of the digital world, AKA “The Internet”, and more $s again to hang onto the remaining thread of our right to privacy. And all the while, ‘they’ look for new ways to circumvent our rights and make more money pimping out our profiles - OUR profile! Not theirs - nope - their profiles are harder to find than a honest politician.
Fortunately, I do not have a so-called “smart phone”. I don’t even have a clever one. Don’t want or need to rent a leash that is designed first for stalking and second to keep me hopping. Now, the L-5 - that’s different. It’s not"smart" - not even ‘clever’ either. No non-human can be smart. Humans are not even “smart”. We’ve proven that, year after year.
But the L-5 can be seen as a bona fide device that operates as right-to-privacy respecting device. I prefer a dumb phone - that way I now I can never be bested by a stupid device.
Thanks for the tips.
~s~
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the L5 CAN be a privacy respecting device if you keep it in full-lockdown-mode 
remember that modem is a black-box but it’s isolated from main memory so that’s a lil’ better than everything else on the market … there are some really specialized low-end attempts (read kickstarters) but non are close to final-product.
we hope that we’ll get our L5 phones as soon as possible so we can have a proper discussion based on actual evidence that we can each attest to …
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to me Apple products are more like electronic jewelry than tools … they might polish their products but the spit-and-shine doesn’t make up for everything missing …
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Convenience and lack of imagination.
I am perfectly able to make comments without “actual evidence” if based on design, specs, professional reviews, user comments, and product history and make-up. The same way I can have a discussion about a Lamborghini Countach without buying it first.
The term “actual evidence”??? - no such thing. “evidence” by itself is the “actual” in itself, or it’s not evidence.
Odd tho that I should review my “notifications” here and find your retort because I just emailed a friend explaining and promoting the finer parts of L5s. Forgive me (enter supreme being here), for having sinned. I don’t have L5 experience, nor the product in hand, and made personal comments promoting it. So help feed a hungry lawyer and sue me. 
Please don’t take it personally reC - I man no disrespect. I just don’t feel comfortable being out-of-context. I note you make comments about the Internet, and don’t own one.
Sort of explains me, when out-of-context is at hand. But I will still continue to promote the L5 as being the most privacy oriented device that I know of, and will recommend my friends and relatives investigate it before they purchase a leash.
Be bad reC, I hear it’s more fun,
~s~
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Appleaholics probably think we are conspiracy nutcases
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This is the internet. Noone needs evidence anyway. 
In reality, it is easy to come up with points that could be discussed without having a Librem 5 to play with and it is easy to come up with points that can’t meaningfully be discussed without actually having one.
A Police Officer came to my house and asked me where I was between 5 & 6. He seemed irritated when I answered: “Kindergarten”
LMAO.
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just voted-with-my-currency on the fund-your-app-page … what more do you want ?
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“our numbers are growing”
okay but only quantity is NOT enough we need quality as well …
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All votes are of equal quality - and politicians tend to take notice of votes (well, and dollars).
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Mark Twain once said that " If voting made a difference, they wouldn’t let us do it. "
that being said … if you want to make a difference as a voter you must first embark on a journey of self-discovery and truth-finding for no other reason than feeding your appetite 
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