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I feel like a luddite sometimes. I want to limit as much as possible how many devices I own that have access to the internet. My computer(s), HTPC, phone, game

I feel like a luddite sometimes. I want to limit as much as possible how many devices I own that have access to the internet. My computer(s), HTPC, phone, game consoles, and that's it. There's no reason anything else ever needs internet access.

bozzcl 5y ago
You’re far from alone. I recently outright blocked all DNS traffic, including known DoH providers, on my network firewall for all my devices except my Pi-Hole. Then, I blocklisted all Google and Facebook domains on my Pi-Hole… except for YouTube’s content servers so I can use Invidious. In fact, I might follow your example and add an outbound allowlist to my firewall. Seems like the next logical step.
coldtea 5y ago
>I feel like a luddite sometimes. Luddites were right in their own way: their point was not against technology in abstract, but about the destruction it brought to their line of work with no alternative offered. But, Luddites aside, being enthusiastic for any application of technology is a sign of the idiot consumer or the naive futurist. The actual technologist knows that some tools are good for X and not for Y use cases, and also knows when to cut down technology (as opposed to add for the sake of it). (Same way we don't add features to our programs for the sake of it, and many features are put there by demand of the marketing team to get more money out of users, not to give them something better).
- glogla 5y ago
  Many of the Luddites were successful craftsmen. The way I would frame it is that the Luddites weren't against the technology and automation, they were against the how the gains from that increased productivity were share - with 100 % going to the owners and none going to the workers. The reason why people think of them as of "dumb people breaking the machines" is because history is written by the victors.
- cyanydeez 5y ago
  i have a darker assumption: people like using software to exploit problem X, but they dont like the idea that they are problem Y needing to be exploited.

bozzcl 5y ago

You’re far from alone. I recently outright blocked all DNS traffic, including known DoH providers, on my network firewall for all my devices except my Pi-Hole. Then, I blocklisted all Google and Facebook domains on my Pi-Hole… except for YouTube’s content servers so I can use Invidious. In fact, I might follow your example and add an outbound allowlist to my firewall. Seems like the next logical step.

coldtea 5y ago

>I feel like a luddite sometimes. Luddites were right in their own way: their point was not against technology in abstract, but about the destruction it brought to their line of work with no alternative offered. But, Luddites aside, being enthusiastic for any application of technology is a sign of the idiot consumer or the naive futurist. The actual technologist knows that some tools are good for X and not for Y use cases, and also knows when to cut down technology (as opposed to add for the sake of it). (Same way we don't add features to our programs for the sake of it, and many features are put there by demand of the marketing team to get more money out of users, not to give them something better).

glogla 5y ago
Many of the Luddites were successful craftsmen. The way I would frame it is that the Luddites weren't against the technology and automation, they were against the how the gains from that increased productivity were share - with 100 % going to the owners and none going to the workers. The reason why people think of them as of "dumb people breaking the machines" is because history is written by the victors.
cyanydeez 5y ago
i have a darker assumption: people like using software to exploit problem X, but they dont like the idea that they are problem Y needing to be exploited.