On 13 August 2015 at 08:32, D. Hugh Redelmeier <hugh@mimosa.com> wrote:
| From: Giles Orr <gilesorr@gmail.com>
| I use Google Calendar, which is brilliant AND co-ordinates with my | phone. It also gives my entire life schedule to Google, totally | compromising my privacy. I suspect you're being more reasonable and | avoiding this route: more power to you. Sadly, all calendars in my | life are now measured by the great - but privacy destroying - Google | Calendar, and all others have failed. <sigh>
"You have zero privacy anyway. Get over it." Scott McNealy 1999
"The future is already here -- it's just not very evenly distributed" William Gibson 1993
I dispair of privacy but am fighting a rear-guard action. iOS and Android leak stuff like crazy, but what's the mobile alternative?
Now desktops are copying this. And not just browsers. Windows 10 appears as bad as Android and iOS. Simple example: Microsoft gets information about all the programs you run and that cannot be turned off (it could be firewalled surely). Your OS as an Advanced Persistent Threat.
Many, but not all, of these leaks come with advantages to the user. For example, Cortana, Siri, and Google Now(?) may be fun but they are always listening to you and sending something home. Google (and other) search have to send the queries upstream.
If I remember correctly, on a recent update, I had to give Google Slides general permission to use the microphone. Huh?
Our legal system doesn't provide tools and norms to limit the damage. We need mandated and enforce limitations on information flows within organizations as well as between organizations. This is going to be hard since Big Data is such a thing. And specifict consent should be required.
I really don't like it that our desktops are becoming treacherous devices, following our smartphones.
Ubuntu phone, now available outside Europe: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/08/11/ubuntu_phone_global_sales/ Note that while you can buy it, connectivity in the U.S. (which probably means Canada too) may be spotty. The larger 5" model is 200 euros, which currently translates to $290 Canadian - although that doesn't include tax or shipping. I'll be watching this closely: I have an intense aversion to Android and Google's snooping habits, and the idea of a Linux phone is very appealing. I'm not good at reading the standards and I don't care much about data plans (in fact I don't use them on my phone, only voice and Wifi). How well would this behave in Canada? -- Giles http://www.gilesorr.com/ gilesorr@gmail.com