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It works to some extent, but it depends. For example, you probably want to keep updating the OS of your computer, if the computer is at all connected to the in

It works to some extent, but it depends. For example, you probably want to keep updating the OS of your computer, if the computer is at all connected to the internet in any way. Which for most of us is the case because we want to browse the web etc. One day, after an OS update for your computer, the vendor software for using the scanner portion of your multifunction printer stops working because it’s not compatible with the latest version of the computer OS. So you are forced to update that too. And then when you try to use the new version of that software, it refuses to work unless you let it update the firmware of your multifunction printer. So you allow it to do that. And now they successfully locked you out from using 3rd party printer cartridges with your multifunction printer. If you are lucky / if you did research ahead of time before you bought the multifunction printer in the first place, maybe you bought one that doesn’t require any manually installed vendor provided software to work. And so at least you don’t have the exact situation above. But even then you’d have to do a lot of digging to know what happens in the background. If you are on macOS or Windows, does any of the parts of the OS that allows your multifunction printer to work without you manually installing anything extra do any kind of firmware updates for your printer automatically and silently in the background? I have no idea. Hell, even with Linux there are binary blob things involved in a lot of distros that I couldn’t know if they would eventually end up updating firmware for my printer. It seems to me that it is near impossible to truly be certain that any multifunction printer does not eventually somehow receive a firmware update even if you never manually install any vendor provided software related to the printer.

chii 2y ago
it is why i don't update my OS, and selectively only apply security patches (that should, in theory, not affect the compatibility of printer drivers). I do the same with my mobile phone. Only update when i know the need - aka, an app has a new feature that is worth the risk of an update. And only update that one app. The security threats from external sources are less than the "real" threat - the very companies trying to sell you the update.
- dlenski 2y ago
  I follow the same policy as you do with all non-open-source software. (With open source software, it's generally straightforward or at least possible to downgrade if something breaks… and I'm usually very confident that the software isn't being intentionally degraded on purpose.) But folks like you and me are few and far between, and vendors and IT departments tend to be incredibly hostile to this approach.
- piperswe 2y ago
  Sounds like you would be well served by Debian stable then!

chii 2y ago

it is why i don't update my OS, and selectively only apply security patches (that should, in theory, not affect the compatibility of printer drivers). I do the same with my mobile phone. Only update when i know the need - aka, an app has a new feature that is worth the risk of an update. And only update that one app. The security threats from external sources are less than the "real" threat - the very companies trying to sell you the update.

dlenski 2y ago
I follow the same policy as you do with all non-open-source software. (With open source software, it's generally straightforward or at least possible to downgrade if something breaks… and I'm usually very confident that the software isn't being intentionally degraded on purpose.) But folks like you and me are few and far between, and vendors and IT departments tend to be incredibly hostile to this approach.
piperswe 2y ago
Sounds like you would be well served by Debian stable then!