6 ms·

I'm always mildly annoyed that "Unlocked" can mean three different things with phones: * Able to be used on any carrier (i.e. no SIM lock) * Able to be rooted

by aftbit 2y ago

I'm always mildly annoyed that "Unlocked" can mean three different things with phones: * Able to be used on any carrier (i.e. no SIM lock) * Able to be rooted/jailbroken (i.e. no bootloader root of trust lock) * Able to be accessed (i.e. no screen lock) This article is talking about the first one. There isn't much confusion possible in the title, especially with the dissenting carrier names highlighted.

JumpCrisscross 2y ago
Is there a term for this sort of linguistic conversion? On one hand, it's part of what makes natural languages so powerful--we can use the word language to mean English, Haskell and pheromones. On the other hand, it leads to confusion when we're overly parsimonious with fun words, e.g. plasma.
- mhb 2y ago
  The term is laziness. Instead of creating or searching for a more precise word, an ambiguous word is used. As another example, see the renaissance of the gender neutral pronoun "they".
  - cto_of_antifa 2y ago
    [dead]
  - JumpCrisscross 2y ago
    > Instead of creating or searching for a more precise word This doesn’t work, though it seems to be a common misconception among engineers. Put simply, people will nickname neologisms. Creating a new term or pulling one from obscurity virtually begs for someone else to come up with a name people will actually use for you.
- Kerrick 2y ago
  Perhaps semantic overload? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semantic_overload https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semantic_overload
notjulianjaynes 2y ago
This confusion is especially annoying when trying to purchase a bootloader unlocked phone on secondary market. I'm not even sure it's possible if you buy through a dealer. By unlocked they exclusively mean carrier unlocked.
- lazide 2y ago
  That term would be ‘jailbroken’ right?
  - bubblethink 2y ago
    No, jailbroken means that you make the device do something that manufacturer prohibits (breaking out of a jail). Unlocking the bootloader where the manufacturer supports unlocking the bootloader is using it as designed. The correct term is "unlockable bootloader", not unlocked. No one ships a production device with an unlocked bootloader.
    - rocqua 2y ago
      Googles pixel phones have an unlocked bootloader I believe.
      - dcomp 2y ago
        there's a setting in the developer options called OEM unlock which allows the bootloader to be unlocked It is still shipped locked. Unlocking wipes the device. It also doesn't work if your device is carrier locked.
        polski-g 2y ago
        Correct. And you still have to connect the Pixel to the internet before you can unlock the bootloader.
  - agsnu 2y ago
    I've only ever heard "jailbroken" as using exploits to take control of a device that is intended by the vendor to be locked down - hence, breaking out of jail. I've only ever really heard of it being a term on iOS devices - on Android it's known as "rooting". Bootloader unlocked generally means that the vendor permits the execution of arbitrary operating system code, ie there is no jail to break out of.
bmitc 2y ago
I've never heard of this disambiguation. An unlocked cellphone has always meant (1). A rooted or jailbroken phone means (2). For three, why would it make sense for manufactures to advertise a phone with/without a lock screen? It doesn't make sense.
- Izkata 2y ago
  Android lets you turn off all the lock screen security. Also before smartphones this wasn't even a thing, flip phones didn't even have a lock screen. Don't know if that's changed nowadays.
  - folmar 2y ago
    Sure they had, it was just not in frequent use. See page 75 of manual for SE T68i (2002) for example https://archive.org/details/manualsbase-id-62423/page/74/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/manualsbase-id-62423/page/74/mod...
    - Izkata 2y ago
      Neither of those sound like screen locks, they both mention it only happens when turning on your phone.
  - philipwhiuk 2y ago
    The Nokia 3210 had a screen lock although that was designed to stop accidental button presses.
- hun3 2y ago
  I assume the top reply was referring to "OEM unlocked bootloader/fastboot"
- whs 2y ago
  The FBI famously wanted an iPhone unlocked in the third way.
- circuit10 2y ago
apatheticonion 2y ago
I was hoping for unlocked bootloaders - but nope

by aftbit 2y ago

JumpCrisscross 2y ago

Is there a term for this sort of linguistic conversion? On one hand, it's part of what makes natural languages so powerful--we can use the word language to mean English, Haskell and pheromones. On the other hand, it leads to confusion when we're overly parsimonious with fun words, e.g. plasma.

mhb 2y ago
The term is laziness. Instead of creating or searching for a more precise word, an ambiguous word is used. As another example, see the renaissance of the gender neutral pronoun "they".
- cto_of_antifa 2y ago
  [dead]
- JumpCrisscross 2y ago
  > Instead of creating or searching for a more precise word This doesn’t work, though it seems to be a common misconception among engineers. Put simply, people will nickname neologisms. Creating a new term or pulling one from obscurity virtually begs for someone else to come up with a name people will actually use for you.
Kerrick 2y ago
Perhaps semantic overload? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semantic_overload https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semantic_overload

notjulianjaynes 2y ago

This confusion is especially annoying when trying to purchase a bootloader unlocked phone on secondary market. I'm not even sure it's possible if you buy through a dealer. By unlocked they exclusively mean carrier unlocked.

lazide 2y ago
That term would be ‘jailbroken’ right?
- bubblethink 2y ago
  No, jailbroken means that you make the device do something that manufacturer prohibits (breaking out of a jail). Unlocking the bootloader where the manufacturer supports unlocking the bootloader is using it as designed. The correct term is "unlockable bootloader", not unlocked. No one ships a production device with an unlocked bootloader.
  - rocqua 2y ago
    Googles pixel phones have an unlocked bootloader I believe.
    - dcomp 2y ago
      there's a setting in the developer options called OEM unlock which allows the bootloader to be unlocked It is still shipped locked. Unlocking wipes the device. It also doesn't work if your device is carrier locked.
      - polski-g 2y ago
        Correct. And you still have to connect the Pixel to the internet before you can unlock the bootloader.
- agsnu 2y ago
  I've only ever heard "jailbroken" as using exploits to take control of a device that is intended by the vendor to be locked down - hence, breaking out of jail. I've only ever really heard of it being a term on iOS devices - on Android it's known as "rooting". Bootloader unlocked generally means that the vendor permits the execution of arbitrary operating system code, ie there is no jail to break out of.

bmitc 2y ago

I've never heard of this disambiguation. An unlocked cellphone has always meant (1). A rooted or jailbroken phone means (2). For three, why would it make sense for manufactures to advertise a phone with/without a lock screen? It doesn't make sense.

Izkata 2y ago
Android lets you turn off all the lock screen security. Also before smartphones this wasn't even a thing, flip phones didn't even have a lock screen. Don't know if that's changed nowadays.
- folmar 2y ago
  Sure they had, it was just not in frequent use. See page 75 of manual for SE T68i (2002) for example https://archive.org/details/manualsbase-id-62423/page/74/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/manualsbase-id-62423/page/74/mod...
  - Izkata 2y ago
    Neither of those sound like screen locks, they both mention it only happens when turning on your phone.
- philipwhiuk 2y ago
  The Nokia 3210 had a screen lock although that was designed to stop accidental button presses.
hun3 2y ago
I assume the top reply was referring to "OEM unlocked bootloader/fastboot"
whs 2y ago
The FBI famously wanted an iPhone unlocked in the third way.
circuit10 2y ago

apatheticonion 2y ago

I was hoping for unlocked bootloaders - but nope