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I personally hate the idea of face ID, but this project is exactly the kind of stuff we need if we want (and forgive the meme,) the year of the linux laptop. -

I personally hate the idea of face ID, but this project is exactly the kind of stuff we need if we want (and forgive the meme,) the year of the linux laptop. - Implements a popular feature other OS's have - A cute knock off name, making it self-explanatory (this is actually fairly important for adoption!) - Integrates well with cli junky workflows > Using the central authentication system (PAM), this works everywhere you would otherwise need your password: Login, lock screen, sudo, su, etc. - A nearly perfect readme in the repo. 2 sentence summary of the project, concise instructions for building/installation, where the error log lives, etc. without being too long. There are a lot of repos I've seen with horrible readmes that don't even have a sentence of what the purpose of it is. Which is reasonable if the repo is just for development, but most of the time a link to the repo is the main download link/project landing page. The added friction leads to less adoption and usage of something otherwise useful. If you're making a project simmilair to this, I recommend taking notes :^)

Spivak 5y ago
> I personally hate the idea of face ID I can kind of get why "Windows Hello" camera-based face id isn't exactly great but do you also think the same of Apple's "actually modeling your face" style? Because I was really apprehensive about it compared to a fingerprint reader but I've pretty much flipped 180.
- nicce 5y ago
  As long as you think face or fingerprint as an username and not as password, they are kinda fine. You should be able to change your password, so there are not good. They are also public information. For now, they work as they are still hard to fake, but that might change over time in the future.
  - spicybright 5y ago
    Yup, just gotta model your threats. I use finger print scanners at home because it's less keystrokes. But not on my phone. Both because my (trusted) friends sometimes need to borrow a phone, and also for the very rare chance police detain me and try to break into my phone without a warrant. Legally, you don't have to tell a cop your password, but they can physically force you to use your finger/face to unlock your phone.
- jeroenhd 5y ago
  Windows Hello is more than just a webcam, the IR spectrum is a lot harder to fake (compared to, say, facial recognition in many Android phones). You'll need a picture taken with an IR camera, programmed into fake webcam hardware, to bypass it. Still far from perfect, but not as trivial to bypass as people seem to think. That said, the traditional fingerprint readers are more secure and just as easy to use. I don't understand why Apple shifted focus for mobile security onto facial recognition, especially with the development of under-screen fingerprint scanners in smartphones.
  - whoopdedo 5y ago
    Gloves?
    - ChuckNorris89 5y ago
      Facemasks?
    - spicybright 5y ago
      I've never worn a glove that feels comfortable using a touchscreen in. Even medical latex-type gloves make keyboard typing near impossible for me (granted that might be because I'm right between sm and md size gloves so I have to wear slightly baggy mediums...)
  - jodrellblank 5y ago
    John Gruber / Daring Fireball has written several posts about FaceID, including: > "(Quoting Stratechery) TouchID made it far easier to have effective security for the vast majority of situations, and FaceID makes it invisible. [...] the first time I saw notifications be hidden and then revealed (as in the GIF above) through simply a glance produced the sort of surprise-and-delight that has traditionally characterized Apple’s best products" - https://daringfireball.net/linked/2017/11/08/apple-at-its-best https://daringfireball.net/linked/2017/11/08/apple-at-its-be... > "(Quoting Tom's Guide) I’ve been using Face ID on the iPhone X for more than 24 hours, and I don’t need a stopwatch to tell you that it unlocks my phone slower than when I was using Touch ID on my older iPhone 7 Plus". This is not a “workaround”. This is how you’re supposed to unlock iPhone X. Starting with a tap of the side button is not how you’re supposed to do it — you’re creating a two-step process where you only need one. [...] The best way to use Face ID is to pretend it isn’t even there, and just swipe up from the home indicator." - https://daringfireball.net/linked/2017/11/01/face-id-extra-step https://daringfireball.net/linked/2017/11/01/face-id-extra-s... > "(Quoting Michael Tsai) However, Face ID also has advantages. It works with gloves on, with wet fingers, and with dry/cracked skin. It’s more convenient when the phone is in a dock or car mount where it would be hard to get my hand under it to put my thumb on the sensor." - https://daringfireball.net/linked/2019/03/01/tsai-iphone-se-to-xr https://daringfireball.net/linked/2019/03/01/tsai-iphone-se-...
- spicybright 5y ago
  Mind sharing what made you flip? Apple's face modeling is miles better than a webcam for sure, and I'll admit I've never used a system like that before.
- pabs3 5y ago
  There is no way to indicate login consent with biometric authentication; when you are asleep, your finger/face can be used without your consent. Really it should be called biometric identification, not authentication.
  - scoopertrooper 5y ago
    While biometrics are imperfect (because you can't change or even hide the key), it's not quite as bad as you make out. On iOS at least, it gains affirmative consent by you double clicking a button on the side. It also refuses to recognise your face if your eyes are closed.
    - pabs3 5y ago
      The attacker could be pressing the button, or even opening your eyes for you :)
      - n8cpdx 5y ago
        It’s pretty strict and won’t authenticate if I look too tired, so I think you’d have to be pretty careful about how you tape the unconscious victim’s eyes (a conscious victim would just look away from the screen) to fool it. And if someone has full physical control over you such that they can open your eyes without consent, do you really care if they can unlock your phone? Your life is in their hands at that point anyway. You have to assume a persistent attacker with physical access will be able to crack the device regardless.
        pabs3 5y ago
        I'm thinking children or spouses, you may be able to trust them not to murder you in your sleep, but accessing your device while you sleep to be able to play some games or read your texts is something they would probably do.
        scoopertrooper 5y ago
kretaceous 5y ago
Absolutely. I don't use Howdy but I came here to say the same. I remember being impressed by the quality and honesty of the project and began my search for similar projects for fingerprint authentication. I sadly couldn't find anything that works. I use LM 20.3 on an ASUS Vivobook and apparently PAM doesn't support my in-built fingerprint scanner.

Spivak 5y ago

> I personally hate the idea of face ID I can kind of get why "Windows Hello" camera-based face id isn't exactly great but do you also think the same of Apple's "actually modeling your face" style? Because I was really apprehensive about it compared to a fingerprint reader but I've pretty much flipped 180.

nicce 5y ago
As long as you think face or fingerprint as an username and not as password, they are kinda fine. You should be able to change your password, so there are not good. They are also public information. For now, they work as they are still hard to fake, but that might change over time in the future.
- spicybright 5y ago
  Yup, just gotta model your threats. I use finger print scanners at home because it's less keystrokes. But not on my phone. Both because my (trusted) friends sometimes need to borrow a phone, and also for the very rare chance police detain me and try to break into my phone without a warrant. Legally, you don't have to tell a cop your password, but they can physically force you to use your finger/face to unlock your phone.
jeroenhd 5y ago
Windows Hello is more than just a webcam, the IR spectrum is a lot harder to fake (compared to, say, facial recognition in many Android phones). You'll need a picture taken with an IR camera, programmed into fake webcam hardware, to bypass it. Still far from perfect, but not as trivial to bypass as people seem to think. That said, the traditional fingerprint readers are more secure and just as easy to use. I don't understand why Apple shifted focus for mobile security onto facial recognition, especially with the development of under-screen fingerprint scanners in smartphones.
- whoopdedo 5y ago
  Gloves?
  - ChuckNorris89 5y ago
    Facemasks?
  - spicybright 5y ago
    I've never worn a glove that feels comfortable using a touchscreen in. Even medical latex-type gloves make keyboard typing near impossible for me (granted that might be because I'm right between sm and md size gloves so I have to wear slightly baggy mediums...)
- jodrellblank 5y ago
  John Gruber / Daring Fireball has written several posts about FaceID, including: > "(Quoting Stratechery) TouchID made it far easier to have effective security for the vast majority of situations, and FaceID makes it invisible. [...] the first time I saw notifications be hidden and then revealed (as in the GIF above) through simply a glance produced the sort of surprise-and-delight that has traditionally characterized Apple’s best products" - https://daringfireball.net/linked/2017/11/08/apple-at-its-best https://daringfireball.net/linked/2017/11/08/apple-at-its-be... > "(Quoting Tom's Guide) I’ve been using Face ID on the iPhone X for more than 24 hours, and I don’t need a stopwatch to tell you that it unlocks my phone slower than when I was using Touch ID on my older iPhone 7 Plus". This is not a “workaround”. This is how you’re supposed to unlock iPhone X. Starting with a tap of the side button is not how you’re supposed to do it — you’re creating a two-step process where you only need one. [...] The best way to use Face ID is to pretend it isn’t even there, and just swipe up from the home indicator." - https://daringfireball.net/linked/2017/11/01/face-id-extra-step https://daringfireball.net/linked/2017/11/01/face-id-extra-s... > "(Quoting Michael Tsai) However, Face ID also has advantages. It works with gloves on, with wet fingers, and with dry/cracked skin. It’s more convenient when the phone is in a dock or car mount where it would be hard to get my hand under it to put my thumb on the sensor." - https://daringfireball.net/linked/2019/03/01/tsai-iphone-se-to-xr https://daringfireball.net/linked/2019/03/01/tsai-iphone-se-...
spicybright 5y ago
Mind sharing what made you flip? Apple's face modeling is miles better than a webcam for sure, and I'll admit I've never used a system like that before.
pabs3 5y ago
There is no way to indicate login consent with biometric authentication; when you are asleep, your finger/face can be used without your consent. Really it should be called biometric identification, not authentication.
- scoopertrooper 5y ago
  While biometrics are imperfect (because you can't change or even hide the key), it's not quite as bad as you make out. On iOS at least, it gains affirmative consent by you double clicking a button on the side. It also refuses to recognise your face if your eyes are closed.
  - pabs3 5y ago
    The attacker could be pressing the button, or even opening your eyes for you :)
    - n8cpdx 5y ago
      It’s pretty strict and won’t authenticate if I look too tired, so I think you’d have to be pretty careful about how you tape the unconscious victim’s eyes (a conscious victim would just look away from the screen) to fool it. And if someone has full physical control over you such that they can open your eyes without consent, do you really care if they can unlock your phone? Your life is in their hands at that point anyway. You have to assume a persistent attacker with physical access will be able to crack the device regardless.
      - pabs3 5y ago
        I'm thinking children or spouses, you may be able to trust them not to murder you in your sleep, but accessing your device while you sleep to be able to play some games or read your texts is something they would probably do.
        scoopertrooper 5y ago

kretaceous 5y ago

Absolutely. I don't use Howdy but I came here to say the same. I remember being impressed by the quality and honesty of the project and began my search for similar projects for fingerprint authentication. I sadly couldn't find anything that works. I use LM 20.3 on an ASUS Vivobook and apparently PAM doesn't support my in-built fingerprint scanner.