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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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which linux phone is the most promising? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I want to donate to a linux phone. I believe in linux and I want a linux phone. Maybe we can use one in very few years as a normal daily driver. It's getting closer and closer every month.

I want to donate that we get there sooner. But which project? I'm following postmarket but I'm not sure if they are the most promising. What's your stance on this? To which project would you give your money to accellerate it?

Edit: I don't want to buy a phone. I want to support the phone os devs. Sorry for the bad wording.

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 9 months ago (5 children)

If you want to support a Linux phone project, the PinePhone looks most promising. If you want an actual usable phone that runs open source software, offers great privacy and security, good (open source) app support and doesn't come with ads, trackers or any other bloatware, get a Google Pixel and install GrapheneOS and F-Droid.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 9 months ago (1 children)

If you dont feel too happy about owning a Pixel phone; I would also suggest a Fairphone with CalyxOS as an alternative.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 9 months ago (1 children)

The GrapheneOS team has already absolutely dismanteled the Fairphone on Mastodon:

Fairphone is an insecure device with substantially delayed privacy and security patches. It receives the Android Security Bulletin patches consistently 1 to 2 months late and receives the recommended patches years late. It has a broken, insecure verified boot implementation. They have also misled their users about support by claiming their devices will get 6 years of support when they can only provide 2-3 years of security patches. That is not a privacy first device at all.

https://grapheneos.social/@GrapheneOS/110272102808113949

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

The GrapheneOS team is security focused to the point where it is detrimental to the regular user experience. I.e. "Secure App Spawning" increases app startup time considerably on older devices like the Pixel 4a.

GrapheneOS is security focused and it's great that they point out security issues, but for most people security updates being late isn't an issue. Half the people I know have devices without security updates for months to even years.

Also, with the Fairphone 5 using an automotive SOC with 13 years of updates, the FP5 might actually be able to receive Android updates for 6 years. Iirc the FP3 still receives security updates, albeit not monthly and a bit late. Edit: The last security update for FP3 is from 2023-12-05. Edit 2: The FP3 got the 2024-02-05 security update on 2024-03-01.

Also, the GrapheneOS team has very high standards for security features supported by a phone. Basically no phone besides Pixel supports those features, which obviously isn't a big problem for most people (else we'd have a big problem).

Anyway, I'll keep recommending Pixel + GrapheneOS, but imo Fairphone is also a solid choice.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

The GrapheneOS team is security focused to the point where it is detrimental to the regular user experience. I.e. "Secure App Spawning" increases app startup time considerably on older devices like the Pixel 4a.

That's why Graphene allows you to disable the security features. Turning off secure app spawning won't make your device incredibly vulnerable, it will just be set back to normal AOSP security level.

Also, the GrapheneOS team has very high standards for security features supported by a phone. Basically no phone besides Pixel supports those features, which obviously isn't a big problem for most people (else we'd have a big problem).

You know which phone has basically all of those security features? The iPhone. GrapheneOS is not building something insane, they're just hardening Android to a point where it's actually comparable to iPhone security. Sure, usability might not be perfect because Google only releases base Android as open source software and keeps all their fancy apps proprietary, but it's not in a state where it's totally unusable either.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

Sure, usability might not be perfect because Google only releases base Android as open source software and keeps all their fancy apps proprietary, but it's not in a state where it's totally unusable either.

Agreed. GrapheneOS/AOSP feels a bit like desktop Linux, where the base OS is there but many components like screen time have to installed seperately (e.g. screen time/app usage). Compared to many phone manufacturers installing apps for ads or other unnecessary bloat.

That's why Graphene allows you to disable the security features.

That's what I did the second time I tried GrapheneOS. The worse ootb performance made me install CalyxOS again, until I found out Secure App Spawning can be disabled.

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