You're correct in pointing out that whatever hardware you buy usually mandates an ecosystem to work within. It took me a long time to completely sever with the Apple ecosystem. Their 'planned obsolescence' model and 'walled garden' experience are really expensive when you consider the entire deal. Forcing people to retire perfectly good hardware by manipulating software with the solution being to purchase more of their hardware is insidious. Microsoft aren't much better these days, but their ecosystem has many other expensive ~~features~~ faults.
BlackPit
joined 1 year ago
Company disables AI after bot starts swearing at customer, calls itself the ‘worst delivery firm in the world’
Not looking for anything except an attempt to clarify the industry standard practice that System76 are not doing anything different to ALL other computer suppliers (OEM). They're all using ODM for manufacture. If the quality isn't great that's another topic, but trashing them in threads for the reason stated is ignorant and uninformed.
This article is disingenuous at best and either fueled by ignorance or malice. Another comment suggested it wasn't officially sponsored, but it still could've been bought. Having said, I have to agree with some of the sentiment. I've seen advertising on public TV from the likes of NordVPN that is downright fraudulent. Their claims are deceptive and unfounded. Then there's the recent acquisition of Express and PIA by an old school scammer/spammer. Additionally, many free VPNs are actually surveillance malware and SHOULD be avoided. Any encryption offered publicly by large corporate data-stealing privacy-abusing parasites should be avoided in any form.
For anyone reading this that is hesitant to using VPN because of the article, be encouraged that VPNs are extremely effective at securing your data during transit. They are NOT an outright privacy tool, but can be used as part of your privacy plan. VPNs do NOT make you anonymous! A truthful VPN service provider will say this openly. Like IVPN (Bottom of front page) and Mullvad , both of which attempt to educate customers .
If you're someone who finds it hard to trust any company whatsoever, then you can host VPN yourself. Admittedly a learning curve to hurdle, but regardless of which method you choose, if your provider is genuine then I see it as a necessity in the effort to keep loved ones safer.
Good points on clarifying the source of the criticism and the challenges this company face. We still need to explain why so many people trash System76 with this particular garbage. Other small suppliers face the same challenges, and we don't see this "just a rebranded ..." rant applied to them. Some examples would be Purism, Tuxedo and Star Labs. Why aren't people trashing these companies with the same rhetoric? If anything they do much less to the ODM machine than System76.