5 ms·

After all networked smartphones and computers were placed under control of the regime, resistance hackers relied on microcontrollers harvested from ordinary hou

by crmd 11mo ago

After all networked smartphones and computers were placed under control of the regime, resistance hackers relied on microcontrollers harvested from ordinary household devices like smart lamps and vape pens to slowly rebuild the covert but resilient mesh internetwork that became known as FreeNet.

lionkor 11mo ago
Maybe this is not such a bad side of history to be on after all.
PeaceTed 11mo ago
Congratulations, welcome to the dev team of Collapse OS. https://collapseos.org/ https://collapseos.org/ Now they are more focused on supply chain break down but your scenario would also be valid.
- Neywiny 11mo ago
  When I think of what's out there I think of cheapy ARMs, maybe STM32 knock offs. Honestly the F103C8T6 is so prolific that's probably a solid chunk of all processors in existence. And then things like ESP32s. So to not see ARM or Tenscillica on there is a bit weird. But maybe I'm reading too much into it and it's more of a thought experiment
  - jogu 11mo ago
    My first time seeing Collapse OS as well, but I'm guessing the decision is based in attempting to contain complexity. Seems like the author has a related projected Dusk OS that is more portable: https://duskos.org/ https://duskos.org/
  - CheeseFromLidl 11mo ago
    Looking at that list, collapse OS seems to cater to 8-bit only. It’s also aimes at “ built from scavenged parts” boards. I’ve often come across Hitachi h8, Blackfin, PIC, avr, the occasional ARM and other controllers in the wild. But they all have one thing in common: the flash is locked and inaccessible without some jtag tools. The only times you’ll see external flash (winbond & co) is with an fpga or a controller who’s had his otp memory configured with a bootloader. I often re-purpose scavenged board because of their useful layout, but only after swapping the controller for a programmable one. The notion of scavenging the controllers themselves… far less practical as you think.
    - Neywiny 11mo ago
      I mean there are countless examples of IoT devices getting hacked because they didn't do that but I guess
      - CheeseFromLidl 11mo ago
        The iot devices are hacked on the application layer. You have a controller running some linux distro and you work your way in over tty/telnet/eth. That’s an entirely different ballgame than repurposing 8-bit avr or 32-bit STM microcontrollers.
  - LargoLasskhyfv 11mo ago
    https://duskos.org/ https://duskos.org/
- sgt 11mo ago
  The future is Forth? We're... Forthed!
  - CaptWillard 11mo ago
    My dad used to write Forth ... for fun.
    - reactordev 11mo ago
      I find it ironic that post-apocalypse we must rely on a language that is post-apocalypse. Like monkeys gathering at the monolith…
xarope 11mo ago
Someone write a novel please. Not sure who will be more appropriate: Stross (more fun?), Stephenson (more of a slog through the first 600 pages, then an abrupt 180 and frenetic action in the last 100 with newly introduced, yet game-changing characters?).
- QuadrupleA 11mo ago
  Cory Doctorow perhaps? At first glance I thought the OP was quoting him.
  - trenchpilgrim 11mo ago
    This was literally a plot element in "Big Brother" - the protagonists use modded xboxes to create a mesh network to avoid government surveillance.
- protocolture 11mo ago
  Stross, because you get the added value of seeing him hate any new concepts he uses 10+ years later.
- jaredhallen 11mo ago
  Agreed on the ridiculous page counts, but I don't find Stephenson's pages a slog. Exhausting, maybe. There's a lot going on. But he makes me laugh. I'd like to meet that guy.
- ddalex 11mo ago
  I really love Stephenson's world building and detailed research, but I get the feeling he himself gets bored with the book at a certain point :) So I vote Stross
- johanvts 11mo ago
  Fits well with William Gibson. The Turing-police will visit anybody who consumes more than 5 yearly vapes.
  - 11mo ago
olirex99 11mo ago
The FreeNet is an amazing and wonderful solution to the current problem of a free network. At least for me :)

by crmd 11mo ago

lionkor 11mo ago

Maybe this is not such a bad side of history to be on after all.

PeaceTed 11mo ago

Congratulations, welcome to the dev team of Collapse OS. https://collapseos.org/ https://collapseos.org/ Now they are more focused on supply chain break down but your scenario would also be valid.

Neywiny 11mo ago
When I think of what's out there I think of cheapy ARMs, maybe STM32 knock offs. Honestly the F103C8T6 is so prolific that's probably a solid chunk of all processors in existence. And then things like ESP32s. So to not see ARM or Tenscillica on there is a bit weird. But maybe I'm reading too much into it and it's more of a thought experiment
- jogu 11mo ago
  My first time seeing Collapse OS as well, but I'm guessing the decision is based in attempting to contain complexity. Seems like the author has a related projected Dusk OS that is more portable: https://duskos.org/ https://duskos.org/
- CheeseFromLidl 11mo ago
  Looking at that list, collapse OS seems to cater to 8-bit only. It’s also aimes at “ built from scavenged parts” boards. I’ve often come across Hitachi h8, Blackfin, PIC, avr, the occasional ARM and other controllers in the wild. But they all have one thing in common: the flash is locked and inaccessible without some jtag tools. The only times you’ll see external flash (winbond & co) is with an fpga or a controller who’s had his otp memory configured with a bootloader. I often re-purpose scavenged board because of their useful layout, but only after swapping the controller for a programmable one. The notion of scavenging the controllers themselves… far less practical as you think.
  - Neywiny 11mo ago
    I mean there are countless examples of IoT devices getting hacked because they didn't do that but I guess
    - CheeseFromLidl 11mo ago
      The iot devices are hacked on the application layer. You have a controller running some linux distro and you work your way in over tty/telnet/eth. That’s an entirely different ballgame than repurposing 8-bit avr or 32-bit STM microcontrollers.
- LargoLasskhyfv 11mo ago
  https://duskos.org/ https://duskos.org/
sgt 11mo ago
The future is Forth? We're... Forthed!
- CaptWillard 11mo ago
  My dad used to write Forth ... for fun.
  - reactordev 11mo ago
    I find it ironic that post-apocalypse we must rely on a language that is post-apocalypse. Like monkeys gathering at the monolith…

xarope 11mo ago

Someone write a novel please. Not sure who will be more appropriate: Stross (more fun?), Stephenson (more of a slog through the first 600 pages, then an abrupt 180 and frenetic action in the last 100 with newly introduced, yet game-changing characters?).

QuadrupleA 11mo ago
Cory Doctorow perhaps? At first glance I thought the OP was quoting him.
- trenchpilgrim 11mo ago
  This was literally a plot element in "Big Brother" - the protagonists use modded xboxes to create a mesh network to avoid government surveillance.
protocolture 11mo ago
Stross, because you get the added value of seeing him hate any new concepts he uses 10+ years later.
jaredhallen 11mo ago
Agreed on the ridiculous page counts, but I don't find Stephenson's pages a slog. Exhausting, maybe. There's a lot going on. But he makes me laugh. I'd like to meet that guy.
ddalex 11mo ago
I really love Stephenson's world building and detailed research, but I get the feeling he himself gets bored with the book at a certain point :) So I vote Stross
johanvts 11mo ago
Fits well with William Gibson. The Turing-police will visit anybody who consumes more than 5 yearly vapes.
- 11mo ago

olirex99 11mo ago

The FreeNet is an amazing and wonderful solution to the current problem of a free network. At least for me :)