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last time i tried to set up a new android phone. the built in phone app asked me permissions to use the built in contacts app. people complain if the apps don'

last time i tried to set up a new android phone. the built in phone app asked me permissions to use the built in contacts app. people complain if the apps don't all have fine grained permissions. and then complain when they have to agree to stuff all the time. and then complain they got "hacked". damned if you do, damned if you don't.

DangitBobby 1y ago
Implementation is the issue. They often forget your settings between updates. This is particularly bad on MacOS. MacOS updates and app updates both require me to re-grant permissions for the nth time! Then there's the separate issue of must-have apps requesting permissions they have no business asking for and refusing to function correctly without, and other must-have apps abusing their access for purposes not strictly limited to in-app functionality.
seec 1y ago
Yes, permissions are horrid in all systems. In my opinion they are just a failure to design proper security without completely delegating the problem to the user. The funny thing is that since people who are subject to security problems will allow them regardless, defeating the entire purpose of the measures. Computer security is just a people problem; you can't solve it by child proofing stuff. Imagine a car that would prevent you going over the speed limit or ask permission every time you want to do so... But in that case, that's just beyond stupid, there is no permission for you to act on. They could have a per-document setting or an app level setting to allow opening links in PDFs without requiring the user to agree EVERY SINGLE TIME. On a document that was generated on the computer reading it. It's just complete incompetence.
- johnisgood 1y ago
  I agree. I am a power user. I want to be a power user. The OS (Void Linux) and its current state reflects that. If I wanted "childproofing" crap, I would have made it so for myself.

DangitBobby 1y ago

Implementation is the issue. They often forget your settings between updates. This is particularly bad on MacOS. MacOS updates and app updates both require me to re-grant permissions for the nth time! Then there's the separate issue of must-have apps requesting permissions they have no business asking for and refusing to function correctly without, and other must-have apps abusing their access for purposes not strictly limited to in-app functionality.

seec 1y ago

Yes, permissions are horrid in all systems. In my opinion they are just a failure to design proper security without completely delegating the problem to the user. The funny thing is that since people who are subject to security problems will allow them regardless, defeating the entire purpose of the measures. Computer security is just a people problem; you can't solve it by child proofing stuff. Imagine a car that would prevent you going over the speed limit or ask permission every time you want to do so... But in that case, that's just beyond stupid, there is no permission for you to act on. They could have a per-document setting or an app level setting to allow opening links in PDFs without requiring the user to agree EVERY SINGLE TIME. On a document that was generated on the computer reading it. It's just complete incompetence.

johnisgood 1y ago
I agree. I am a power user. I want to be a power user. The OS (Void Linux) and its current state reflects that. If I wanted "childproofing" crap, I would have made it so for myself.