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I've used GrapheneOS on a Pixel 3a, 5, 8 and 10 Pro so far and it's worked really well. I couldn't imagine going back. The only things I'm missing (which don't

I've used GrapheneOS on a Pixel 3a, 5, 8 and 10 Pro so far and it's worked really well. I couldn't imagine going back. The only things I'm missing (which don't exist in other OS'es either): - Being able to configure contact scopes in such a way that the app in question only gets access to the phone numbers of the contacts belonging to the label I specified, e.g. "WhatsApp", nothing more. Yes, one can of course add contacts' phone numbers to the contact scopes "by hand" but 1) there is a limit on the number of contacts/phone numbers configured this way, and 2) AFAIK there is no way to back up that list. - Being able to install browser extensions in Vanadium. - Being able to configure multiple VPNs at once, e.g. for Tailscale, ad filtering, blocking HackerNews during times when I should be doing something more productive :) etc., especially since the Vanadium browser doesn't support extensions (see above). I was hoping that the Rethink app might implement something like this (https://github.com/celzero/rethink-app/issues/1047 https://github.com/celzero/rethink-app/issues/1047) but it doesn't look like it's coming and it'd probably be much better to do this at the OS level.

paul_h 8mo ago
Note to self: look for second hand unlocked Pixel 10 pro!
blahaj 8mo ago
You can use labels for contact scope.
- codethief 8mo ago
  You might want to read my comment again. :) If you use labels, the app will have full access to the associated contacts, not just to their names & phone numbers.
  - rkagerer 8mo ago
    I'm annoyed at everyone who shares my name, phone number and any other details with Meta. I never consented to it. The behavior of their app slurping up your contacts database is despicable. This doesn't answer your question, but in case it helps for others out there: it's possible to use WhatsApp with no access whatsoever to your contacts and I used it that way for years. Connecting with people is slightly jankier but it still works.
    - codethief 8mo ago
      > it's possible to use WhatsApp with no access whatsoever to your contacts and I used it that way for years. Yeah, that's what I do right now. > Connecting with people is slightly jankier but it still works. Without GrapheneOS's contact scopes, how exactly do you do that? Doesn't the other person have to message you first?
  - blahaj 8mo ago
    So it's not about labels, but you want the ability to restrict the fields an app has access to rather than an all or nothing – full access to a contact or none at all?
    - codethief 8mo ago
      Precisely!
haskman 8mo ago
> Being able to install browser extensions in Vanadium. You can use IronFox - available in Accrescent store that comes with GrapheneOS, and install firefox extensions
- codethief 8mo ago
  So uh… why not just use Firefox directly? Yes, I already do that but: - Vanadium is said to be safer. - The reality is that websites often don't work in Firefox anymore. - I want to be able to block social media at certain times. (Today I often circumvent such blocking in FF by just opening Vanadium…)
  - haskman 8mo ago
    IronFox is Firefox with different settings. IronFox is security focused and hardens gecko preferences - https://ironfoxoss.org/docs/features/ https://ironfoxoss.org/docs/features/ Using a Chrome based browser (i.e. Vanadium) is not an option for me because I need my extensions and generally prefer using firefox everywhere.
privacyking 8mo ago
You can have a second or third VPN active if you use a work profile and private space
the_pwner224 8mo ago
> Being able to configure multiple VPNs at once, e.g. for Tailscale, ad filtering, blocking HackerNews during times when I should be doing something more productive AdAway (in F-Droid) can block with /etc/hosts (no VPN involved) if you have root. The hosts blocking still works even when connected to a VPN. Aside from loading ad domain lists into /etc/hosts, it also allows you to specify custom domains to block - I personally have Reddit and HN in there :)
- codethief 8mo ago
  > AdAway (in F-Droid) can block with /etc/hosts (no VPN involved) lifts head > if you have root Sigh. :) Sure, on LineageOS back in the day I used to edit /etc/hosts by hand. On GrapheneOS I no longer have root, though (unless I compile it myself), which generally I think is a good idea, weren't it for Linux's absolutely abysmal access control system that requires you to be root for almost everything.

paul_h 8mo ago

Note to self: look for second hand unlocked Pixel 10 pro!

blahaj 8mo ago

You can use labels for contact scope.

codethief 8mo ago
You might want to read my comment again. :) If you use labels, the app will have full access to the associated contacts, not just to their names & phone numbers.
- rkagerer 8mo ago
  I'm annoyed at everyone who shares my name, phone number and any other details with Meta. I never consented to it. The behavior of their app slurping up your contacts database is despicable. This doesn't answer your question, but in case it helps for others out there: it's possible to use WhatsApp with no access whatsoever to your contacts and I used it that way for years. Connecting with people is slightly jankier but it still works.
  - codethief 8mo ago
    > it's possible to use WhatsApp with no access whatsoever to your contacts and I used it that way for years. Yeah, that's what I do right now. > Connecting with people is slightly jankier but it still works. Without GrapheneOS's contact scopes, how exactly do you do that? Doesn't the other person have to message you first?
- blahaj 8mo ago
  So it's not about labels, but you want the ability to restrict the fields an app has access to rather than an all or nothing – full access to a contact or none at all?
  - codethief 8mo ago
    Precisely!

haskman 8mo ago

> Being able to install browser extensions in Vanadium. You can use IronFox - available in Accrescent store that comes with GrapheneOS, and install firefox extensions

codethief 8mo ago
So uh… why not just use Firefox directly? Yes, I already do that but: - Vanadium is said to be safer. - The reality is that websites often don't work in Firefox anymore. - I want to be able to block social media at certain times. (Today I often circumvent such blocking in FF by just opening Vanadium…)
- haskman 8mo ago
  IronFox is Firefox with different settings. IronFox is security focused and hardens gecko preferences - https://ironfoxoss.org/docs/features/ https://ironfoxoss.org/docs/features/ Using a Chrome based browser (i.e. Vanadium) is not an option for me because I need my extensions and generally prefer using firefox everywhere.

privacyking 8mo ago

You can have a second or third VPN active if you use a work profile and private space

the_pwner224 8mo ago

> Being able to configure multiple VPNs at once, e.g. for Tailscale, ad filtering, blocking HackerNews during times when I should be doing something more productive AdAway (in F-Droid) can block with /etc/hosts (no VPN involved) if you have root. The hosts blocking still works even when connected to a VPN. Aside from loading ad domain lists into /etc/hosts, it also allows you to specify custom domains to block - I personally have Reddit and HN in there :)

codethief 8mo ago
> AdAway (in F-Droid) can block with /etc/hosts (no VPN involved) lifts head > if you have root Sigh. :) Sure, on LineageOS back in the day I used to edit /etc/hosts by hand. On GrapheneOS I no longer have root, though (unless I compile it myself), which generally I think is a good idea, weren't it for Linux's absolutely abysmal access control system that requires you to be root for almost everything.