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- <header>
- <h1 class="p-name">Why you should give up Apple products and try these</h1>
- </header>
- <section data-field="subtitle" class="p-summary">
- Most computers we use, be it phones, notebooks or desktops are proprietary. That means the people/companies who
- developed them have…
- </section>
- <section data-field="description" class="p-summary">
- Give up proprietary computers
- </section>
- <section data-field="body" class="e-content">
- <section name="1412" class="section section--body section--first section--last">
- <div class="section-divider">
- <hr class="section-divider">
- </div>
- <div class="section-content">
- <div class="section-inner sectionLayout--insetColumn">
- <h3 name="ae3b" id="ae3b" class="graf graf--h3 graf--leading graf--title">Why you should give up Apple
- products and try these instead</h3>
- <p name="a828" id="a828" class="graf graf--p graf-after--h3">Most computers we use, be it phones, notebooks
- or desktops are <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proprietary_hardware"
- data-href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proprietary_hardware" class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor"
- rel="noopener" target="_blank">proprietary</a>. That means the people/companies who developed them have
- released only the product in the market for users to use and operate but are hesitant in giving out the
- specifications, datasheets and design documentation. They say that it is confidential and intellectual
- property of the company/individual. Building a computer is not rocket science. Every individual can build
- one for their personal use. All it takes is some enthusiasm and willingness to explore beyond the obvious.
- </p>
- <p name="2ddf" id="2ddf" class="graf graf--p graf-after--p">So, if one were to buy a computer from Apple
- (say a MacBook Air) then, one has to use what Apple provides. There are few or no alternatives to spare
- components, firmware or software. It is usually termed as a ‘jail’ wherein one is forced to follow the
- rules formulated by Apple developers. Tweaking or breaking any code be it hardware or software can
- potentially void the warranty and if one chooses to be magnanimous and shares it on internet then, one is
- bound to face legal action (depending on how much impact it creates). One has no idea what components were
- rigged on to the motherboard. If they fail (most often they do) then, the only option is to replace the
- complete motherboard with every component on it. Guess what? The cost of doing this can fetch you a new
- computer with similar config! The business model here (I’m guessing) is to build computers that could last
- for say a couple of years (or three years maximum, remember they sell you an extended warranty which burns
- a hole in the pocket!). Then, components fail and users are forced to buy new one. A classic example of
- promoting ‘use and throw’. No reuse or repair. If users had access to the specifications, BIOS firmware
- code, design of an Apple computer then, it would have been a much easier process to repair and reuse.
- Users would realize that the design of the components are not adhering to any de-facto or de-jure
- standards. All the glitter on the external vanishes when the Mac fails to power on and suddenly one
- realizes that Apple had sold them an illusion and not a computer.</p>
- <p name="c5d5" id="c5d5" class="graf graf--p graf-after--p">So, now the question is if we are not going to
- buy a computer from Apple or any other proprietary vendor (there are a lot of them but I won’t name them
- as it is an exercise in vanity) then, whom are we going to buy one from? Are we going to build ourselves
- one through elaborate research, procurement and assembly? Or choose a vendor who follows open processes
- and design which are available for study and inspection freely. There are few such groups or companies
- which do this with a motive to liberate the computing for humanity. They allow the user to control every
- component and firmware code in the hardware to operating system kernel and applications. Basically, you
- know in totality what your computer does and just does what you want it to and nothing less or more. A few
- of them such as <a href="https://libreboot.org/suppliers.html#ministry-of-freedom-minifree"
- data-href="https://libreboot.org/suppliers.html#ministry-of-freedom-minifree"
- class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Libreboot</a>, <a
- href="http://www.system76.com" data-href="http://www.system76.com"
- class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" rel="noopener" target="_blank">System76</a> and <a
- href="http://www.puri.sm" data-href="http://www.puri.sm" class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor"
- rel="noopener" target="_blank">Purism</a> build servers, desktops, notebooks and even smartphones which
- are open and more freedom respecting. If one were looking for an alternative to the ‘i’ products then
- perhaps they should consider the above ones, before getting swayed by the massive advertising (such
- as — you either have an iPhone or you don’t!) and peer pressure.</p>
- <figure name="15a0" id="15a0" class="graf graf--figure graf-after--p">
- <div class="aspectRatioPlaceholder is-locked" style="max-width: 700px; max-height: 394px;">
- <div class="aspectRatioPlaceholder-fill" style="padding-bottom: 56.2%;"></div><img class="graf-image"
- data-image-id="1*7t887ym0m2BDQH1xACyPFw.jpeg" data-width="900" data-height="506"
- data-is-featured="true" src="assets/img/gnome-purism-librem-5.jpeg">
- </div>
- <figcaption class="imageCaption"><a href="https://puri.sm/products/librem-5/"
- data-href="https://puri.sm/products/librem-5/" class="markup--anchor markup--figure-anchor"
- rel="noopener" target="_blank">Librem</a> smartphone by Purism. Photo courtesy — fossbytes.com
- </figcaption>
- </figure>
- <figure name="42e1" id="42e1" class="graf graf--figure graf-after--figure">
- <div class="aspectRatioPlaceholder is-locked" style="max-width: 700px; max-height: 426px;">
- <div class="aspectRatioPlaceholder-fill" style="padding-bottom: 60.8%;"></div><img class="graf-image"
- data-image-id="1*16EN0KwHGVgFq63EiH8ziA.jpeg" data-width="1000" data-height="608"
- src="assets/img/system_76_thelio.jpeg">
- </div>
- <figcaption class="imageCaption"><a href="https://system76.com/desktops"
- data-href="https://system76.com/desktops" class="markup--anchor markup--figure-anchor" rel="noopener"
- target="_blank">System76 desktops</a> with wood finishing. Photo courtesy — linuxgizmos.com
- </figcaption>
- </figure>
- <p name="7a54" id="7a54" class="graf graf--p graf-after--figure">Most processors (by Intel and AMD) come
- with Management Engines which are potential <a href="https://libreboot.org/faq.html#intelme"
- data-href="https://libreboot.org/faq.html#intelme" class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor"
- rel="noopener" target="_blank">back doors</a> to your computers. All it takes is to trigger a remote
- command from someone sitting at Intel or AMD to shut off your computer or inject malware into your system
- at a much more deeper level (much before you could boot an operating system or technically speaking — much
- before the BIOS could start). Libreboot and others make sure that the computers they sell are free from
- such hardware back doors. They also use free and open source operating system, BIOS (called Core boot and
- its fork the Libreboot) and applications in them. This allows anyone to inspect, validate, change and
- share the machine completely (both hardware and software).</p>
- <figure name="e1b6" id="e1b6" class="graf graf--figure graf-after--p">
- <div class="aspectRatioPlaceholder is-locked" style="max-width: 667px; max-height: 500px;">
- <div class="aspectRatioPlaceholder-fill" style="padding-bottom: 75%;"></div><img class="graf-image"
- data-image-id="1*vqxSRwqJff7uHE75W_r8RA.jpeg" data-width="667" data-height="500"
- src="assets/img/x200-tablet_02.jpeg">
- </div>
- <figcaption class="imageCaption"><a href="https://tehnoetic.com/tet-x200t"
- data-href="https://tehnoetic.com/tet-x200t" class="markup--anchor markup--figure-anchor"
- rel="noopener" target="_blank">Libreboot X200S tablet/notebook</a>. Photo courtesy — libreboot.org
- </figcaption>
- </figure>
- <p name="02a4" id="02a4" class="graf graf--p graf-after--figure graf--trailing">One might argue with a
- different analogy here. Let’s take the example of your favorite dish served at a restaurant. The chef and
- the restaurant management might say that the recipe is their trade secret and intellectual property.
- Giving it out means that there would be lesser foodies at their restaurant. Other restaurants might use it
- to bring up more competition. One chef or restaurant owner may also try to sue a person in court for
- having replicated the dish on their own. Well all of these are churlish, myopic and quick-on-the-buck
- strategies for hubris engulfed narcissists. What they are missing here is when they share the recipe, they
- are also sharing knowledge (Remember — <em class="markup--em markup--p-em">Sharing is caring</em>). To use
- that recipe to have the exact same taste and aroma is more of an art mastered by someone over years of
- practice. The recipe isn’t the only <em class="markup--em markup--p-em">raison d’etre</em> for a
- restaurant. Or its success or failure. It involves a lot of other factors such as pricing, service, hours
- of operation, delivery etc. Now, coming back to computer manufacturers, there are a lot of factors which
- affect their existence in market as well, much similar to a restaurant. In fact, one of the positives in
- making programs and hardware open is this that they are bound to attract more enthusiasts, developers and
- hobbyists who can contribute and promote these computers. Every user of the computer would now know how it
- <i>actually</i> works, repair them at their own convenience, add and remove hardware and software components, and
- in essence use it “just the way they like”. These computers would no longer be termed as ‘jails’ but
- instead ‘gateways’ for vibrant possibilities.</p>
- </div>
- </div>
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