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tmpod

@ tmpod @lemmy.pt

Posts
22
Comments
152
Joined
4 yr. ago

Estudante de Engenharia Informática apaixonado pela área; algures em Portugal.

Administrador da instância lemmy.pt.

Computer Science student, passionate about the field; somewhere in Portugal.

lemmy.pt instance administrator.

https://tmpod.dev/

  • Do you use both a personal desktop and laptop?

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  • I've been a laptop-only guy for over 10 years, here's my take:

    At first, I wanted a powerful and colorful desktop computer, so I could play all the games I wanted, maybe touch on some 3D software, and overall have a cool setup. However, I couldn't afford it at all (though times during and after the 2009 crisis, in Portugal), so I ended up just sticking with the handful of years old, 17 inch and 4Kg laptop my older brother had given me.The years passed and I never bought a desktop. The mobility and versatility of laptops was too good to give up, and having poured many hours into configuring my system (first years of laptop-only coincided with first years of Linux, pretty much) I didn't want to have to manage and sync two different computers. I wasn't aware of Nix and similar OSs, but even that doesn't solve the sync issue. Now my work requires me to take a computer with me, so I must have a laptop. I also work from home quite a lot, but I like to work outside, in the porch/garden.

    Nowadays you can get really good and mobile (gaming) laptops, like the ones from XMG (and their sister brands) or even the newer Frameworks (which are also great for other obvious reasons). Even XMG laptops are quite reparable, outside of CPU/GPU failures, and DIY is supported by the seller. I'm currently rocking their XMG Fusion 15 L19 (late 2019), and am incredibly happy with my purchase, it's still in pristine shape!

    Of course, this doesn't apply to everyone, but I think a laptop is generally a safer bet, if you know where to buy.Happy to discuss this further! :)

    Edit: Just wanted to drop an very nice laptop-focused channel: Bob Of All Trades. It seems they haven't been very active as of late, but they were very informative and had good guides some years ago, when I was looking for a new laptop.

  • Probably a stupid question, but what can I do to 'degoogle' a Google Pixel 8?

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  • That is interesting to hear, why do you think so?

  • What are your favourite moments in videogames?

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  • The Mass Effect trilogy is full of favorite moments for me, but perhaps the most memorable one is when you romance Tali and get(h) to the final push on Earth, in ME3.It's beautiful.

  • Probably a stupid question, but what can I do to 'degoogle' a Google Pixel 8?

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  • While others have mentioned the great GrapheneOS, I will throw two other options:

    • CalyxOS — privacy oriented Android OS. While Graphene focus on security pretty much above all else, Calyx focus on privacy (and usability) more. Both essentially only target Pixel phones and are great choices.
    • LineageOS + MicroG — AOSP fork, continuation of the old CyanogenMod, with an open implementatinon of Google Services. This is perhaps the most "normal" OS, seeing as Lineage's core is user freedom and not exactly privacy; however, with MicroG, you get a pretty private system with very few to none of the side effects of deviating a lot from standard Android.

    Graphene is a great project, but I think it may be a bit too much for someone that is just entering the privacy world, hence why I'm suggesting these two options as alternatives that are less strict and "cumbersome" to use, so to speak, while not really sacrificing privacy.

    In the end, as all things privacy, it depends a lot on your threat model, your tech proficiency and willingness to make "sacrifices" and adapt.

  • Probably a stupid question, but what can I do to 'degoogle' a Google Pixel 8?

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  • Yes, it is a hard step, but it is perhaps the most relevant one, hence why it's important to get started with it, unless some external factor prevents the change. If you still have other Google apps (including Google Services), then uninstalling Gmail really does very little to nothing.

  • Probably a stupid question, but what can I do to 'degoogle' a Google Pixel 8?

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  • I meant alternative apps to Google's in general, not to GMail specifically. Ditching GMail is an important step, as you block a relevant source of personal information, but using alternative apps, like MajorHavoc recommended, is another great step. NewPipe is one of such apps (I disagree Tubular is a better pick, but that's something for another post).

    K-9 and FairMail aren't a good alternative to GMail. Not alone, that is. GMail is both an e-mail provider and a client, but I'd argue the first point is the most relevant. If you use a FOSS e-mail client with your Google account, nothing is really changing, they will still read all your mail. You have to change providers as well, which isn't trivial for most people.E-mail is an insecure means of communication, so you shouldn't even use it for sensitive things, depending on your threat model, as usual. I personally use Migadu as my provider, for all the customisability and "vanilla" e-mail infrastructure they have, but Proton and Tuta are good alternatives as well, if you don't mind or don't care about the non-standard extensions.

  • Probably a stupid question, but what can I do to 'degoogle' a Google Pixel 8?

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  • These are some good suggestions! The most crucial one is perhaps a ditching Gmail, but using alternative apps, such as newpipe and stuff, also go a long way. Unfortunately, the system is fighting against you and you'll have to really use a freer operating system to properly get away from Google. Still, these are good steps to take.

  • Using Discord in a private way?

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  • Interesting, my Discord profile is also very hardened, and while it prompts me for confirmation, it's always doable in a moment

  • Using Discord in a private way?

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  • If you're on Tor, that's the very unfortunate reality atm. If you're on a VPN, you may try switching providers or servers inside the same provider. I can recommend Mullvad, which works very well, even if you get some CAPTCHAs.

  • How much time do you spend on Lemmy?

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  • Not a lot, I don't think long usage of social media is beneficial to anyone in the long run, even though I've been running a (small) instance for quite a while now.I have integrated checking social media feeds (just Lemmy and HackerNews nowadays) into my daily routine, usually only happening in the morning and evening. Because of my admin and mod duties, I end up opening Lemmy more than twice a day, but only to check on reports, applications, etc.

  • Using Discord in a private way?

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  • Yeah, they have upped their "paranoia" quite a bit in the past couple of years. A while back, I discovered smspool.net while trying to register for Claude (wanted to give it a shot, was disappointed) and was so satisfied by their interface and prices I've used it again in 3 other occasions. There may be other similar services out there, you should give one a try next time Discord prompts you for a number.

  • Using Discord in a private way?

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  • Depends a lot on your threat model, of course, but here's what I do:

    • use a temporary (but recoverable) email
    • use smspool or similar to verify my phone for less than a dollar
    • run Discord in a hardened Firefox profile (hardened browser settings + uBlock)
    • turn everything relevant off in Discord settings just in case
    • don't share PII in conversation
    • use a VPN (or Tor)

    Using a hardened browser and not giving them your real phone are likely the most effective steps, everything else is either less relevant or overkill. As I said, depends a lot on your threat model and on your requirements (some things may be unachievable if you're forced to use Discord by your employer, for example).

  • Brace Yourselves

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  • We'll be fiiiiine 🥲 starts hyperventilating