Linux-based postmarketOS v24.06 supports over 250 devices, taking on Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS
Dannie van der Merwe
Dannie van der Merwe
Linux-based postmarketOS v24.06 supports over 250 devices, taking on Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS
The appeal of running Linux on personal devices lies in the freedom it offers. postmarketOS does not require account setups, does not push cloud storage, avoids pre-installed bloatware, and does not follow privacy-invasive AI trends. Instead, it focuses on free software, user control, and extending device usability beyond the original vendor's support.
This release includes many device ports previously accessible only in the bleeding-edge version, now available in the stable release. While some devices may only boot Linux, they offer unique use cases, such as running a web server on an old phone powered by a portable solar charger.
Many supported devices are still in test, but they include many "ancient" phones as well as many Chromebook devices. It appears to have a choice between GNOME or KDE.
The only challenge I foresee, really, is going to be app support. Most users are used to millions of available Android or iOS apps to access gaming, banking, media streaming, etc. Whilst most of this will probably work fine, I foresee some challenges with some banks which still insist that you use their banking app on a non-rooted phone. For example, one of my banks will insist that I use biometric authentication on their Android app even if I want to log in with my desktop browser. Also, if you're a smartwatch user who wants to track their exercising say with the Strava app, this may not be for you.
But there are very many users who may not have these requirements where this OS could work really well, especially from a privacy perspective, and providing support for older phones that no longer get any app updates.
postmarketOS is based on Alpine Linux, which is so tiny (less than 10 MB in size) that development of pmOS can be done quickly on any Linux distribution. Writing packages is easy, by the way: as long as you know how to write shell scripts, you are good to go.
The linked article brought this OS to my attention, and they do also provide a link to the OS' main website.
A forest of evergreen notes
Jon M Sterling, a computer scientist at Cambridge University, has created his own ‘mathematical Zettelkasten’, which he also calls ‘a forest of evergreen notes’.
He maintains a very interesting website, built using a tool he created, named, appropriately enough, Forester.
The implementation of his ideas raises all sorts of ideas and questions for me, almost all enthusiastic. Here are a few in no order at all:
Andy Matuschak coined the term ‘evergreen notes’, which Jon Sterling has further developed with great elegance.
Before seeing Jon Sterling’s site, I had held a simple distinction between the Zettlekasten and the Wiki. I don’t really wish to re-open an old argument, but just want to make a small observation. For me, a Wiki is a public- or semi-public facing product in its own right, a kind of publication, whereas a Zettelkasten is a method or process to produce public-facing artifacts, but it isn’t one of these artifacts itself. But now I wonder whether you can’t do both back-stage and front-stage at the same time. In other words, it looks to me like Jon Sterling is creating a Zettelkasten by my definition (it’s a process to produce public-facing artifacts such as articles and presentations), but he’s working with the garage door open (it’s a kind-of product in its own right). This is an interesting thing to watch, and it’s always fun to experience the mystique of the studio.
https://www.jonmsterling.com/index.xmlJon Sterling
This website is a “forest” created using the Forester tool. I organize my thoughts here on a variety of topics at a granular level; sometimes these thoughts are self-contained, and at times I may organize them into larger notebooks or lecture notes. My nascent ideas about the design of tools for scientific thought are here. I welcome collaboration on any of the topics represented in my forest.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/may/22/international-criminal-court-seeks-arrests-israel-hamas-gaza
by Owen Jones
by Owen Jones
The deaths, the atrocities – all were predicted. Those who ignored all the warnings should be held responsible too
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/feb/22/disappearing-tongues-the-endangered-language-crisis
Linguistic diversity on Earth is far more profound and fundamental than previously imagined. But it’s also crumbling fast
https://solar.lowtechmagazine.com/2023/02/can-we-make-bicycles-sustainable-again/
Cycling is the most sustainable form of transportation, but the bicycle is becoming increasingly damaging to the environment. The energy and material used for its production go up while its life expectancy decreases.
https://zeteo.com/p/israel-gaza-quadcopter-drone-warfare?publication_id=2325511&utm_campaign=email-post-title&r=1j871&utm_medium=email
"Israel is pioneering yet another deadly innovation in drone warfare. What happens in Gaza won't stay there."
"Israel is pioneering yet another deadly innovation in drone warfare. What happens in Gaza won't stay there."
https://www.citationneeded.news/ai-isnt-useless/
Like block-chain, it is hugely expensive and unsuited for some of the purposes that it is used for. Like many technological innovations it is over-hyped and may fail to deliver on what it promises. There are moral considerations, such as employing thousands of low-wage people in grueling tasks while depriving others of their jobs. But finally it comes down to the fact that it is likely to develop rapidly because it will make a few people rich and is seen as lucrative by big companies.
Like block-chain, it is hugely expensive and unsuited for some of the purposes that it is used for. Like many technological innovations it is over-hyped and may fail to deliver on what it promises. There are moral considerations, such as employing thousands of low-wage people in grueling tasks while depriving others of their jobs. But finally it comes down to the fact that it is likely to develop rapidly because it will make a few people rich and is seen as lucrative by big companies.
https://membersfirst.coop/phantom-load-calculator
"Phantom Energy: Do Appliances Use Electricity When Plugged in but Turned Off?"
Also:
https://www.mirror.co.uk/money/leaving-your-phone-charger-plugged-18991558
"Phantom Energy: Do Appliances Use Electricity When Plugged in but Turned Off?"
The short answer is yes! A variety of different electronic devices and appliances, including televisions, toasters, lamps, and more, when plugged in, can consume electricity even when they’re turned off.
This phenomenon is commonly referred to as a “phantom load” or “vampire energy.” A phantom load is any electronic device or appliance that consumes electricity when turned off but still plugged into an outlet. These appliances and electronic devices provide the modern-day conveniences we rely on, but they also waste energy and cost money. The U.S. Department of Energy says on average, 75 percent of the electricity used to power home electronics and appliances is consumed while the products are turned off.
Also:
https://www.mirror.co.uk/money/leaving-your-phone-charger-plugged-18991558