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If you can't run any code you want, you don't own it. You are renting it.

Archive: https://archive.today/bZsU5

From the post:

>Sideloading has been a hot topic for the last decade. Most recently, Google has announced further restrictions on the practice in Android. Many hundreds of comment threads have discussed these changes over the years. One point in particular is always made: “I should be able to run whatever code I want on hardware I own”. I agree entirely with this point, but within the context of this discussion it’s moot.

If you can't run any code you want, you don't own it. You are renting it. Archive: https://archive.today/bZsU5 From the post: >>Sideloading has been a hot topic for the last decade. Most recently, Google has announced further restrictions on the practice in Android. Many hundreds of comment threads have discussed these changes over the years. One point in particular is always made: “I should be able to run whatever code I want on hardware I own”. I agree entirely with this point, but within the context of this discussion it’s moot.
[–] • 1 pt

I agree. Muh encryption. Muh encrypted boot loader.

Courts need to rule that if you erase this bullshit or unlock it, that’s fine. This is where cars are going, heated seats? Subscribe? Hack it? No can’t fuck with encryption. Install a fucking switch to turn on heated seat? Fuck you bypassed encryption. Go to jail.

[–] • 0 pt

I agree with the sentiment, but I approach it a bit differently. I treat my mobile device more like an appliance. For me, it's primarily a phone, an email client, and a web browser. I don’t rely on it for much beyond that—though I do run RemoteVNC on it occasionally.

This raises a deeper question: what does it actually mean to “own” something?

Take my analog watch, for example. I own it, but my expectations are simple—I just want it to keep time. If I wanted a mobile device that lets me install and run anything I want, I’d opt for a Linux-based device with a cellular modem. That kind of ownership comes with more freedom, but also more responsibility.

I’m not saying people are wrong to demand side-loading or open platforms. Manufacturers respond to market demand, and if enough people wanted fully open devices, we'd see more of them. But the reality is, most consumers prioritize convenience and ecosystem integration. If total openness were a top priority, Apple wouldn’t be as dominant as it is.