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So... when I jail-broke my iPhone 3G S years and years ago, I remember using an SSH prompt natively with all the fixings, including native BitTorrent over compa

So... when I jail-broke my iPhone 3G S years and years ago, I remember using an SSH prompt natively with all the fixings, including native BitTorrent over comparatively slow 3G speeds. These days, though, there are apps and websites to do everything under the sun. If you need the power, why do the heavy lifting locally? Just use these cloud-friendly devices to connect to an SSH server via Panic’s Prompt app, or use the Shortcuts app to run Pythonista or an SSH-executed command via Siri or at a certain time (prompted). If you need something more advanced than Pythonista can support, perhaps for push notifications, you’ll probably have to use a third party app, or write your own with a Mac to set it up, but iOS is really more extensible with each new release.

scarface74 7y ago
This exactly. I have complete access to any resource I could imagine for my job by spinning up what I need in our dev AWS account or at home with my personal hobby AWS account (which admittedly I hardly ever use). I have unlimited data and tethering (albeit slow 512Kbps. I’ve even used AWS Workspace app in a pinch with my iPad.
dredmorbius 7y ago
Flexibility, power, maturity, lack of distractions, data control, offline continuity, tool continuity, and 30+ years' experience and proficiency with the toolset. For starters. The apps often aren't all that, and search costs alone in trying to find one exceed time to complete of a typical task. With no additional overhead for bugs, incompleteness, ToU, privacy policy, or EoL / business continuity concerns.
- lstamour 7y ago
  Sooo... offline continuity is the only example I can think of that wouldn’t work with a remote SSH session. Everything else is a simple configuration setting away, whether it’s disabling apps and distractions or continuing where you left off (which is enhanced by SSH sessions, I would think...) And while iSH is one attempt at a local shell, and jail-breaking another, I’d say it’s only a matter of time before Apple suggests running the occasional Mac app using a pen on an iPad Pro, via some virtualization APIs. Those same APIs could make it trivial to simply pick and instal your own Linux OS of choice, or maybe even Windows on an iPad, natively. Sure, it’s not there yet, but OS-as-app (or WSL) doesn’t seem that crazy in hindsight.
  - dredmorbius 7y ago
    End-user audio and video experience for mpv on AWS is generally poor. As is direct interaction with your own device via CLI environment. Sometimes being there is the best way to be there.
    - lstamour 7y ago
      Assuming you wouldn’t use a local SSH server hooked up to a TV instead... If you want mpv on a Mac, use https://iina.io/ https://iina.io/ and for iOS, libmpv is available and someone’s compiled it and wrapped it in a UI at https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/outplayer/id1449923287 https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/outplayer/id1449923287 or use Plex which is less integrated with the iOS Files app but is multi-platform: https://www.reddit.com/r/appletv/comments/9zd9p5/plex_beta_introduces_mpv_as_video_player_allows/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app https://www.reddit.com/r/appletv/comments/9zd9p5/plex_beta_i... You can interact with your device with multiple accessibility mechanisms including voice control, software buttons, voiceover, Siri shortcuts, Pythonista, and wirelessly or remotely, including Safari automation. If the only problem you have is you have to use the Files app with your fingers and a GUI instead of typing “ls” and using a non-touch-optimized UI, well... maybe a phone with a touchscreen isn’t the right device for you. Perhaps the original android concept with a keyboard (like BlackBerry) would be preferable?
      - dredmorbius 7y ago
        Or, you know, a shell environment rather than app one-offs for everything. The tablet has a display and speakers. Or I can plug in -- yes, it has a jack, iOS fans -- headphones. Why not just use those? Because that's what I want. Rather more practicable than lugging around a a TV and generator. And yes, the tablet's got Bluetooth and can stream to other devices. Or from an DLNA server. It's not as if Termux suddenly breaks that. You and a few others keep suggesting apps and variations on remote hardware or servers. What such responses fail to acknowledge is that those are specifically the requirements that Termux allows me to avoid. Those are massive disutilities. Becuse that's what I don't want. Standard, simple, text-interfaced, local, consistent, and diverse tools, with a single (or small set of) install and update mechanism, and high levels of interoperability. That's the winm that's the goal, and any set of app, hardware, and/or remote-cloud-system solution rapidly destroys the very benefits and characteristics which make Termux so goddamned insanely great. And that's what I want. Louis Armstrong's comment fits very well here, I suspect.

scarface74 7y ago

This exactly. I have complete access to any resource I could imagine for my job by spinning up what I need in our dev AWS account or at home with my personal hobby AWS account (which admittedly I hardly ever use). I have unlimited data and tethering (albeit slow 512Kbps. I’ve even used AWS Workspace app in a pinch with my iPad.

dredmorbius 7y ago

Flexibility, power, maturity, lack of distractions, data control, offline continuity, tool continuity, and 30+ years' experience and proficiency with the toolset. For starters. The apps often aren't all that, and search costs alone in trying to find one exceed time to complete of a typical task. With no additional overhead for bugs, incompleteness, ToU, privacy policy, or EoL / business continuity concerns.

lstamour 7y ago
Sooo... offline continuity is the only example I can think of that wouldn’t work with a remote SSH session. Everything else is a simple configuration setting away, whether it’s disabling apps and distractions or continuing where you left off (which is enhanced by SSH sessions, I would think...) And while iSH is one attempt at a local shell, and jail-breaking another, I’d say it’s only a matter of time before Apple suggests running the occasional Mac app using a pen on an iPad Pro, via some virtualization APIs. Those same APIs could make it trivial to simply pick and instal your own Linux OS of choice, or maybe even Windows on an iPad, natively. Sure, it’s not there yet, but OS-as-app (or WSL) doesn’t seem that crazy in hindsight.
- dredmorbius 7y ago
  End-user audio and video experience for mpv on AWS is generally poor. As is direct interaction with your own device via CLI environment. Sometimes being there is the best way to be there.
  - lstamour 7y ago
    Assuming you wouldn’t use a local SSH server hooked up to a TV instead... If you want mpv on a Mac, use https://iina.io/ https://iina.io/ and for iOS, libmpv is available and someone’s compiled it and wrapped it in a UI at https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/outplayer/id1449923287 https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/outplayer/id1449923287 or use Plex which is less integrated with the iOS Files app but is multi-platform: https://www.reddit.com/r/appletv/comments/9zd9p5/plex_beta_introduces_mpv_as_video_player_allows/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app https://www.reddit.com/r/appletv/comments/9zd9p5/plex_beta_i... You can interact with your device with multiple accessibility mechanisms including voice control, software buttons, voiceover, Siri shortcuts, Pythonista, and wirelessly or remotely, including Safari automation. If the only problem you have is you have to use the Files app with your fingers and a GUI instead of typing “ls” and using a non-touch-optimized UI, well... maybe a phone with a touchscreen isn’t the right device for you. Perhaps the original android concept with a keyboard (like BlackBerry) would be preferable?
    - dredmorbius 7y ago
      Or, you know, a shell environment rather than app one-offs for everything. The tablet has a display and speakers. Or I can plug in -- yes, it has a jack, iOS fans -- headphones. Why not just use those? Because that's what I want. Rather more practicable than lugging around a a TV and generator. And yes, the tablet's got Bluetooth and can stream to other devices. Or from an DLNA server. It's not as if Termux suddenly breaks that. You and a few others keep suggesting apps and variations on remote hardware or servers. What such responses fail to acknowledge is that those are specifically the requirements that Termux allows me to avoid. Those are massive disutilities. Becuse that's what I don't want. Standard, simple, text-interfaced, local, consistent, and diverse tools, with a single (or small set of) install and update mechanism, and high levels of interoperability. That's the winm that's the goal, and any set of app, hardware, and/or remote-cloud-system solution rapidly destroys the very benefits and characteristics which make Termux so goddamned insanely great. And that's what I want. Louis Armstrong's comment fits very well here, I suspect.