I did my first fedora atomic install yesterday. I’m doing my part!

I set up Mint for a non-techy relative on their old desktop.

• Their use-case is almost entirely web browser, so there was no need to cover installing programs. Click the same browser icon and it should behave basically the same way.
• No need to explain the terminal beyond “this is where you can type advanced commands, you don’t need to worry about it”.
• If there’s an error message, read it and try to understand what it’s actually saying rather than just dismissing it. Do a web search if you’re feeling confident, send me a photo of the screen if you’re not.
• Explain how to install updates (or just configure automatic backups and updates for them).
• Explain when and why the computer will ask for a password (e.g. login and updates) and how that password is for the computer, not for their email or whatever.
• Explain the basics of folders. This is your home directory, here’s where downloads go, here’s how to create a folder and drag your files into it.
• Tell them not to panic. I’ve seen a lot of older people terrified of pressing the wrong button, make sure they know how to understand what they’re doing and undo their mistakes.
• Be patient!

That’s cool, could be useful if you wanted to limit your usage or something like that. Instead of constantly opening an app and scrolling to see what’s new just set the RSS reader to poll every 24 hours and only look at what it presents you with.

Ooo interesting, I use this for specific communities but I hadn’t thought about using it for a whole feed. How does it fare for something like Top Day, does it just update once a day? And how does it even know about what I’m subscribed to?

Not even based on, it is Android

Android, so you’ve got a backup when you’re unexpectedly in a situation where Linux can’t handle some niche situation off the golden path?

It says “alternative app store”, not “alternative iOS app store”, “alternative to Apple’s App Store” or even “alternative App Store”. The term “app store” is used pretty generally nowadays, there’s no implication in the title that it’s even talking about mobile apps!

This article vaguely hints but doesn’t actually say anywhere that this is for iOS apps

Whose legs does Linus have on his desk? They definitely don’t look to be attached to his body…

There’s !linuxphones@lemmy.ca / !linuxphones@lemmy.ml which often have some interesting chats about projects like PostMarketOS. I’ve not seen anything that is a viable replacement for a “daily driver” smartphone yet, but if you’re keen to tinker then there’s probably some cool stuff to try out.

I think this has fixed it! You’re a wizard!

No games seem to work

FYI there’s !linuxphones@lemmy.ml and !linuxphones@lemmy.ca if you’re looking for more enthusiasts

I was in a similar situation and asked Lemmy a couple of years ago, the TLDR is that I got a cheap (and confusingly-named) “Chromecast with Google TV” which you can install custom apps like SmartTube on and keep casting

Is it? I’m no security expert but doesn’t that go against things like the principle of least privilege? Even obsessive security people like GrapheneOS say root access breaks the Android security model.

A rooted phone is as secure as you make it, because you are in control of your device’s security.

I agree in theory, but you’re never completely in control of what’s running on Android because there are still proprietary bits (like device firmware) that we can’t replace, right?

Because unfortunately rooting makes the device significantly less secure. It was fine back in the day when a smartphone was a cool new thing to tinker with but now it’s got all my personal information and more on it I value security a little more.

They are apparently looking to partner with an OEM to build them their own devices, I wonder if that would mean they can hire a full time media person who can do all the public communications so the security guys can focus on what they do best.

As a GrapheneOS user that’s my take too. The paranoid security-obsessed developer who is focused on making the best software to the point of being rude and isolationist is not the kind of person I’d want to hang out with but kind of is the person I want doing security work for the device I have all my personal info on. Sure it would be nicer if they weren’t so abrasive but I’d rather they channel an angry Linus Torvalds than some slick weasel-wordy Steve Jobs.

Wow, a plan with no possible drawbacks! Even in a world with perfect cybersecurity I love it when my car key battery runs out and I can’t get home.