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> Practically, Librephone aims to close the last gaps between existing distributions of the Android operating system and software freedom. The FSF has hired exp

> Practically, Librephone aims to close the last gaps between existing distributions of the Android operating system and software freedom. The FSF has hired experienced developer Rob Savoye (DejaGNU, Gnash, OpenStreetMap, and more) to lead the technical project. He is currently investigating the state of device firmware and binary blobs in other mobile phone freedom projects, prioritizing the free software work done by the not entirely free software mobile phone operating system LineageOS. The time is right for this project I hope they succeed.

monero-xmr 1y ago
If rich techies on this website want to support something worthwhile, here you go
- lostmsu 1y ago
  Not rich but is there a way to contribute specifically to this project? The donate button on the website does not work.
  - tjr 1y ago
    I would have expected an online means to contribute specifically to Librephone, but indeed, seems like nothing yet. Hopefully it is forthcoming. Otherwise, their website suggests you can specify a particular project via the memo line of a check: https://www.fsf.org/about/ways-to-donate/ https://www.fsf.org/about/ways-to-donate/
  - r283492 1y ago
    As the first project FSF has launched in years with a current budget of one developer I expect they will be happy to spend new donations on further funding for it. However, it is very uncommon for a nonprofit to have a separate fund for a project that is part of the organization itself, rather than a project which makes semi-independent decisions and is fiscally sponsored by a related nonprofit. The exception is usually when some very large donor which insists on that arrangement.
    - trenchpilgrim 1y ago
      I was talking to someone who is involved in a nature conservation nonprofit recently - small donations go into the general pot of money for the organization to choose how to spend it. If you want to influence what the money is used for you have to donate a significantly higher sum. They said they like having many small donors because they can fund things that don't necessarily make a big splash in a press release but are important precursors to impact (e.g. researching what projects would have the most impact vs actually implementing a project).
  - wltr 1y ago
    Upon commenting, I removed the snarky part of the website being visually… well, bad. After all, FSF isn’t about design and aesthetics, right? But donate button not working demonstrates the whole seriousness of the effort.
frogperson 1y ago
Indeed, this is the right time. I really want to daily drive a linux phone, but i dont want to buy a used phone. I hope this brings more hardware support for newer phones. I'm willing to suffer a rough beta or alpha experience, but let me use modern hardware of my choice.
- BLKNSLVR 1y ago
  Why not used? I'm kinda the opposite, I don't want to buy new any more. Currently rocking a 2nd hand Pixel 7a running GrapheneOS and loving it. If battery life is the issue, that's fair enough. I've bought a couple of wireless charging docks that I spread around the places I frequently spend my time, so if it needs a boost I can charge her up just by plonking it on the dock. Most of the time, though, she makes it through the day from (maximum charge for battery longevity reasons) 80% down to 30%, maybe 25% or 20% if there's lots of interesting news in a day. But I'm not a particularly heavy user and I don't game on it.
criddell 1y ago
The time is right, but I still don’t think this project can accomplish much because people are generally happy with their phones. That said, the phone market is huge. They could sell enough devices to fund future development which might be good enough even if it doesn’t slow down Apple or Google. At least then there will be a device for those of us who are not happy with the state of things.
- jMyles 1y ago
  > The time is right, but I still don’t think this project can accomplish much because people are generally happy with their phones. Is there survey data available on this? Anecdotally, everybody I know hates their phones. In fact, I think if you asked, "what's the biggest pain point in your life right now?" I think most people will point to their phones.
  - deleted 1y ago
    [deleted]
  - scuff3d 1y ago
    Maybe, but that pain point isn't something free software is going to fix. Obviously not everyone has the same problems with their phone, but largely I think they fall into a few categories: notification overload, apps designed to keep you scrolling for every last minute of the day, and dark patterns or other design choices aimed at separating users from as much of their money as possible. Every single one of these is fixable on any modern phone. Stop using social media, take a hatchet to what apps can send you notifications and when, and be more mindful of what tricks are commonly deployed to steal your attention, time, and money. But people can't even manage that. They don't even have to do anything, they just have to stop doing certain things, but they can't or won't. Those same people aren't going to go through the effort to switch, and even if they did they would end up re-creating the same thing that makes them miserable currently.
  - mike_d 1y ago
    You might need to expand your social circle a bit. If you asked normal average people "what's the biggest pain point in your life right now?" they would point to financial, societal, or health issues. The vast majority of people when asked specifically about their phones probably wish that they were a newer model or had a longer battery life. As long as it communicates with people, lets them access banking and social media, and has a few of their niche hobby/entertainment apps nobody actually cares about the licensing of the modem firmware or the fact you can't install TempleOS on it.
beefnugs 1y ago
The time is right: the building is burning down around us, time to buy a fire extinguisher

monero-xmr 1y ago

If rich techies on this website want to support something worthwhile, here you go

lostmsu 1y ago
Not rich but is there a way to contribute specifically to this project? The donate button on the website does not work.
- tjr 1y ago
  I would have expected an online means to contribute specifically to Librephone, but indeed, seems like nothing yet. Hopefully it is forthcoming. Otherwise, their website suggests you can specify a particular project via the memo line of a check: https://www.fsf.org/about/ways-to-donate/ https://www.fsf.org/about/ways-to-donate/
- r283492 1y ago
  As the first project FSF has launched in years with a current budget of one developer I expect they will be happy to spend new donations on further funding for it. However, it is very uncommon for a nonprofit to have a separate fund for a project that is part of the organization itself, rather than a project which makes semi-independent decisions and is fiscally sponsored by a related nonprofit. The exception is usually when some very large donor which insists on that arrangement.
  - trenchpilgrim 1y ago
    I was talking to someone who is involved in a nature conservation nonprofit recently - small donations go into the general pot of money for the organization to choose how to spend it. If you want to influence what the money is used for you have to donate a significantly higher sum. They said they like having many small donors because they can fund things that don't necessarily make a big splash in a press release but are important precursors to impact (e.g. researching what projects would have the most impact vs actually implementing a project).
- wltr 1y ago
  Upon commenting, I removed the snarky part of the website being visually… well, bad. After all, FSF isn’t about design and aesthetics, right? But donate button not working demonstrates the whole seriousness of the effort.

frogperson 1y ago

Indeed, this is the right time. I really want to daily drive a linux phone, but i dont want to buy a used phone. I hope this brings more hardware support for newer phones. I'm willing to suffer a rough beta or alpha experience, but let me use modern hardware of my choice.

BLKNSLVR 1y ago
Why not used? I'm kinda the opposite, I don't want to buy new any more. Currently rocking a 2nd hand Pixel 7a running GrapheneOS and loving it. If battery life is the issue, that's fair enough. I've bought a couple of wireless charging docks that I spread around the places I frequently spend my time, so if it needs a boost I can charge her up just by plonking it on the dock. Most of the time, though, she makes it through the day from (maximum charge for battery longevity reasons) 80% down to 30%, maybe 25% or 20% if there's lots of interesting news in a day. But I'm not a particularly heavy user and I don't game on it.

criddell 1y ago

The time is right, but I still don’t think this project can accomplish much because people are generally happy with their phones. That said, the phone market is huge. They could sell enough devices to fund future development which might be good enough even if it doesn’t slow down Apple or Google. At least then there will be a device for those of us who are not happy with the state of things.

jMyles 1y ago
> The time is right, but I still don’t think this project can accomplish much because people are generally happy with their phones. Is there survey data available on this? Anecdotally, everybody I know hates their phones. In fact, I think if you asked, "what's the biggest pain point in your life right now?" I think most people will point to their phones.
- deleted 1y ago
  [deleted]
- scuff3d 1y ago
  Maybe, but that pain point isn't something free software is going to fix. Obviously not everyone has the same problems with their phone, but largely I think they fall into a few categories: notification overload, apps designed to keep you scrolling for every last minute of the day, and dark patterns or other design choices aimed at separating users from as much of their money as possible. Every single one of these is fixable on any modern phone. Stop using social media, take a hatchet to what apps can send you notifications and when, and be more mindful of what tricks are commonly deployed to steal your attention, time, and money. But people can't even manage that. They don't even have to do anything, they just have to stop doing certain things, but they can't or won't. Those same people aren't going to go through the effort to switch, and even if they did they would end up re-creating the same thing that makes them miserable currently.
- mike_d 1y ago
  You might need to expand your social circle a bit. If you asked normal average people "what's the biggest pain point in your life right now?" they would point to financial, societal, or health issues. The vast majority of people when asked specifically about their phones probably wish that they were a newer model or had a longer battery life. As long as it communicates with people, lets them access banking and social media, and has a few of their niche hobby/entertainment apps nobody actually cares about the licensing of the modem firmware or the fact you can't install TempleOS on it.

beefnugs 1y ago

The time is right: the building is burning down around us, time to buy a fire extinguisher