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crymimefireworks

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 19, 2014
314
369
Simple answer, no — though I’ve never though anything was perfectly private.
Curious what you mean by "perfectly private". The way you're using the term privacy may risk people confusing privacy and secrecy.

Privacy is necessary for an open society in the electronic age. Privacy is not secrecy. A private matter is something one doesn't want the whole world to know, but a secret matter is something one doesn't want anybody to know. Privacy is the power to selectively reveal oneself to the world.
From the seminal A Cypherpunk's Manifesto
 
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crymimefireworks

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 19, 2014
314
369
Appreciate your honesty. The different ways amateurs and experts use terms is an important area to be rigorous about. You might like the excellent 1940's classic "How to Read a Book" (funny title) which covers this in the chapter titled "Coming to Terms with the Author". Here's a writeup reviewing the section: https://sunestauromai.wordpress.com/2008/06/11/how-to-read-a-book-analytical-reading-pt-2/

Here, Eric Hughes the author of the manifesto is an expert using the terms privacy and secrecy. To dismiss the difference as splitting hairs comes across as amateurish. Trying to think of examples here, the difference between an amateur saying that champagne is "bubbly wine" vs an expert that identifies it as wine from a particular region of France. More than splitting hairs, they're talking about completely different things and classification systems. What does Hughes mean by privacy? What does Hughes mean by secrecy?
 
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crymimefireworks

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 19, 2014
314
369
One reason I'm glad that Linux has not gone mainstream is that when OSs or devices start targeting the masses (the idiots, usually) the whole thing gets dumbed down and you can't even disable updates in the end, and it then starts looking like a damn cartoon (flat UI design)

I love Linux. I love de-googled Android. I love Fire OS. I love Open source. I love to learn! I never stopped learning. I don't fear the terminal!
Haha I wish I was you. But I'm a Mac user of a decade+, I bought into all the "it just works stuff". A computer is a tool for me, I need it for work. I just spent all afternoon trying to get a basic bluetooth peripheral working. And never figured it out. I'm spent. Even thinking about returning my new System76 laptop. I want to believe.....!!
 

crymimefireworks

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 19, 2014
314
369
Once it is used maliciously it is too late.
I like this response. I'm not really sure how to respond to this idea that "Oh when this is used maliciously, I'll be the FIRST in line to fight". Right, okay boss. It just comes off as a weird excuse to me, people should just admit they don't care and get it over with.
 
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CasualFanboy

macrumors 6502
Jun 26, 2020
382
679
Why not just go all in, what you really want to say is that anyone switching has CSAM on their device right?
In a weird way, that really may as well be the implication. I know most people don't truly think it, but that does become the overarching frame of any argument on this subject.

Pretty soon, Apple evangelists will think of themselves as so virtuous because of this. I can just see the marketing slogans now.

The Certified anti-CSAM System™
The Community Taking the Strongest Stand Against CSAM©
The Child Advocate Platform®
 
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maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,682
43,740
if you're switching, you have something to hide.
That's usually the argument used by police and people wishing to impugne on one's freedoms. Just because they don't want big brother scanning their devices, means they have something to hide.

For me, it means that a company that proudly defended its customers right to privacy is now cherry picking when they choose to defend a fundamental human right (their words)

1630494005434.png
 

CasualFanboy

macrumors 6502
Jun 26, 2020
382
679
I'm so glad this is happening. Because nothing has really changed at all, it's just that something is being exposed.

Many of us already knew this, to varying degrees.

The "beliefs and values" of any huge corporation are always ephemeral, insincere, contextual, unprincipled, and sometimes simply dishonest and deceptive.

If that wasn't true, they wouldn't be huge multinational corporations, and they wouldn't be publicly traded. Multinationals owe nothing to a country/people/culture. A public company holds no allegiances beyond who can buy the largest share.
 

CasualFanboy

macrumors 6502
Jun 26, 2020
382
679
It's going to be much harder than I thought. Apple really does have us boxed in.
That's a perception that has been cultivated by the very same platform from which you're trying to reclaim your autonomy. Don't get discouraged and don't change your mind.

As a side benefit, you will learn a lot in the process.

Now, if you simply don't like the laptop you bought, that's another thing entirely. Simply return it and find something else you want, either from the same company or a different one altogether.

In the rare case where you truly can't do something with anything other than Apple, ask yourself how important it really is. Then obviously you can decide whether sticking with Apple is ultimately the best thing for you. It's not the worst thing you could do. It's just a question of how strongly you want to stand against this type of thing.
 

keeper

macrumors 6502a
Apr 23, 2008
520
303
if you're switching, you have something to hide.
Not true, I've not got or look at a single piece of porn never mind anything relating to children.
My NAS now controls pictures, document, contacts and calendar.

Apple is about privacy and now they view me as guilty until software proves me innocent , even my wife is against it.
Its not going to happen, I'm keeping my Apple products but I now own my data.
 
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LeeW

macrumors 601
Feb 5, 2017
4,341
9,442
Over here
As @maflynn has already noted, Apple said it best (at one time).

"Privacy is a fundamental human right. At Apple, it’s also one of our core values. Your devices are important to so many parts of your life. What you share from those experiences, and whom you share it with, should be up to you. We design Apple products to protect your privacy and give you control over your information. It’s not always easy. But that’s the kind of innovation we believe in."
 

ikir

macrumors 68020
Sep 26, 2007
2,174
2,355
Not true, I've not got or look at a single piece of porn never mind anything relating to children.
My NAS now controls pictures, document, contacts and calendar.

Apple is about privacy and now they view me as guilty until software proves me innocent , even my wife is against it.
Its not going to happen, I'm keeping my Apple products but I now own my data.
You are not considered guilty, simply protecting children involves stopping CSAM for circulating and stopping criminals too. Errors are quite impossible with this system, and you need 30 photos from CSAM DB, so photos of children being abused, this not works with legal porn, your kid taking a bath or something similar. Other big tech scan photos, Apple wants to guarantee privacy and created a method with instead of scanning, match hash. It is a complex system without human interaction, from a DB out of control by a single organisation or government . If you worried by Apple you should worried by all other big techs. Apple announced this because it is quite a complex feature, but many others done this since years without guarantee you privacy or indirect government control. You are free to store your data where you want but most of users didn't even read FAQ or how the system works and they they will stick to a platform where humans manually reviews their content.
 

crymimefireworks

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 19, 2014
314
369
That's a perception that has been cultivated by the very same platform from which you're trying to reclaim your autonomy. Don't get discouraged and don't change your mind.

As a side benefit, you will learn a lot in the process.

Now, if you simply don't like the laptop you bought, that's another thing entirely. Simply return it and find something else you want, either from the same company or a different one altogether.

In the rare case where you truly can't do something with anything other than Apple, ask yourself how important it really is. Then obviously you can decide whether sticking with Apple is ultimately the best thing for you. It's not the worst thing you could do. It's just a question of how strongly you want to stand against this type of thing.

Appreciate the encouragement! Yes, I need to ask myself how important a bluetooth microphone is to me. I only recently upgraded from wired headphones. Is that really important enough to stay on Apple's platform? Having a game plan for transitioning seems good, being able to weigh and consider. In this case, the desire to change away from centralized developers vs the use of wireless headphones. The headphone drivers may change - Apple cannot.
 

CasualFanboy

macrumors 6502
Jun 26, 2020
382
679
Appreciate the encouragement! Yes, I need to ask myself how important a bluetooth microphone is to me. I only recently upgraded from wired headphones. Is that really important enough to stay on Apple's platform? Having a game plan for transitioning seems good, being able to weigh and consider. In this case, the desire to change away from centralized developers vs the use of wireless headphones. The headphone drivers may change - Apple cannot.
If you can afford to do this, in my opinion the safest thing to do is keep your current MacBook no matter what.

I seriously doubt you would get what it's truly worth if you sell it. A reseller will want to low-ball you so they can make more money when they sell it. If you ask for anything too close to real value, most individuals will just decide to buy a new one or one from Apple's certified refurbished stock.

The exception is if you have a person in mind that you would really like to "gift" the MacBook to for a lower-than-market price.

Anyway, if you keep it, you'll always have it for the particular things it does that no other product can do. It probably has another decade of good life in it, if not more, when used for a narrow purpose. If you want to have meetings or listen to music on bluetooth headphones (which is admittedly really nice), use it for those things.
 

GrumpyCoder

macrumors 68020
Nov 15, 2016
2,124
2,706
if you're switching, you have something to hide.
Of course I have something to hide. It took me so long to come up with a plan to take over the world, wipe out all anti-vaxxers with a virus I created and rightfully take my place as world leader. I can't let that fall into the hands of Apple....

Your's sincerely,
P. & B.

PS: Here's a selfie while working on that plan
T-Shirts-Pinky-und-der-Brain-Animaniacs---Pinky-and-Brain-To-Do-List-T-Shirt-l.jpg
 

CasualFanboy

macrumors 6502
Jun 26, 2020
382
679
Of course I have something to hide. It took me so long to come up with a plan to take over the world, wipe out all anti-vaxxers with a virus I created and rightfully take my place as world leader. I can't let that fall into the hands of Apple....
Is this going to turn into a Klaus Schwab AMA?
 

crymimefireworks

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 19, 2014
314
369
If you can afford to do this, in my opinion the safest thing to do is keep your current MacBook no matter what.

I seriously doubt you would get what it's truly worth if you sell it. A reseller will want to low-ball you so they can make more money when they sell it. If you ask for anything too close to real value, most individuals will just decide to buy a new one or one from Apple's certified refurbished stock.

The exception is if you have a person in mind that you would really like to "gift" the MacBook to for a lower-than-market price.

Anyway, if you keep it, you'll always have it for the particular things it does that no other product can do. It probably has another decade of good life in it, if not more, when used for a narrow purpose. If you want to have meetings or listen to music on bluetooth headphones (which is admittedly really nice), use it for those things.
Yeah fair point. Good to have a backup to ease any Linux speed bumps. On the other hand, maybe if I committed fully to Linux I would just work through speed bumps. "Burn the boats" as the Vikings say.

I'm giving myself a few months to transition. The goal is to leave Apple forever and I understand that may take time.
 

crymimefireworks

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 19, 2014
314
369
I'm curious about a new community for Mac switchers. I'm sure ppl are reading what I'm saying and are like "why are they here?". I get it. Why am I here? Well, I don't have anywhere else to go. I'm a Mac user - I want things to just work. I want privacy as a human right. I want polish. Unfortunately even Apple doesn't deliver those things anymore. Which means Linux is the only other option...it's not great today, but it could be.
 

Jason2000

macrumors 6502
Jul 19, 2019
373
793
Planet Earth
You are not considered guilty, simply protecting children involves stopping CSAM for circulating and stopping criminals too. Errors are quite impossible with this system, and you need 30 photos from CSAM DB, so photos of children being abused, this not works with legal porn, your kid taking a bath or something similar. Other big tech scan photos, Apple wants to guarantee privacy and created a method with instead of scanning, match hash. It is a complex system without human interaction, from a DB out of control by a single organisation or government . If you worried by Apple you should worried by all other big techs. Apple announced this because it is quite a complex feature, but many others done this since years without guarantee you privacy or indirect government control. You are free to store your data where you want but most of users didn't even read FAQ or how the system works and they they will stick to a platform where humans manually reviews their content.
This is exactly what all the anti-Apple people do not get. Google, FB, Dropbox...etc have all been doing this to files stored in the cloud. But I guess thats ok. If they think their files are any safer with another company they have all been duped...lol. Gotta love the anti-Apple crowd...lol.
 

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,682
43,740
what all the anti-Apple people do not get. Google, FB, Dropbox.
I'm not anti-apple and I think that's the wrong way to categorize people who wish to protect their rights.

Also the major difference between Apple, and the others you list is that Apple has publicly stated that privacy is a basic human right. Where as Google, and FB literally sell your data to make a profit. I think you would need to be living under a rock to think that Google and FB wasn't looking at your pictures, scanning what you wrote and using your documents for their profits. I can't speak for dropbox, simply because I don't use them and I have no idea of their policies.
 
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