Do people of reasonable technical ability store their private data on the Internet (if so, for what gain?)

In article , Arlen Holder
wrote:

Gmail doesn't like me so much

nobody does.

On 30-12-2019 17:10, nospam wrote:
In article , Arlen Holder
wrote:

Gmail doesn't like me so much

nobody does.

Private data stored on the Internet? Of course! Backblaze and Restic
(client side encryption before uploading the data). Encrypting the data
yourself before uploading is wise.

--
Cohen, a 400-year-old AI which manifests itself by 'shunting'
through people. It is featured in the novels Spin State and Spin Control
by Chris Moriarty (2005).

On Mon, 30 Dec 2019 17:15:49 +0100, Cohen wrote:

Gmail doesn't like me [using VPN] so much

nobody does.

Private data stored on the Internet? Of course! Backblaze and Restic
(client side encryption before uploading the data). Encrypting the data
yourself before uploading is wise.

Hi Cohen,

Thank you Cohen, not only for ignoring nospam's always childish remarks,
but also for your purposefully helpful adult on-topic technical suggestion
of considering "Restic & Backblaze" for backup/storage where I agree with
you that backing up personal data to the cloud and storing private data on
the cloud should be done with careful thought (e.g., multiple levels of
encryption).

In the past, for data that must be stored in a cloud account, I've posted
TrueCrypt/Veracrypt advice for storing data inside of (multiply) encrypted
file containers (e.g., *.tc or *.vc files); and for data that doesn't need
to be on the net, I've posted advice for syncing your passwords over your
local LAN using Keepass (kdbx) databases, and syncing calendars over your
local LAN using ics files - all without _ever_ needing an "account" of any
sort (which all my solutions require to be general purpose solutions).

And I've posted advice for syncing contacts vcard (*.vcf) files across your
local lan, where I consider it rude to store other people's contact
information on the cloud.
o What are some key common databases you often SHARE between your desktop & mobile devices?
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/misc.phone.mobile.iphone/ovnHGVriYsI/0frYPkC3AQAJ

As most here are aware, I advise general purpose solutions which are always
free, where of the five common consumer platforms, only iOS lacks freeware
for privacy-based standard platform-independent solutions.

For example, every platform other than iOS has freeware for standard *.tc
portable encrypted file containers, where, for example, you can store
private data (e.g., tax records, family photos, identification documents,
etc.) in singly or doubly encrypted file containers which work just fine on
any of the five common consumer platforms.
o Best [iOS] freeware for portable encrypted file containers
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/misc.phone.mobile.iphone/8GGgFKaW-70/WCXEXfVYBAAJ
o Best [Android] freeware for portable encrypted file containers
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/cas1QJ_j2uI/4Uut0HGrBgAJ

Likewise, every platform other than iOS has freeware for local calendar ics
file import (as far as anyone has posted to the Apple newsgroups anyway),
so that you don't need to put your private calendar on the Internet.
o Does a free offline non-Internet calendar app exist for iOS that imports/exports ICS text files?
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/misc.phone.mobile.iphone/OzUOmgJLmZs/Xzx9DMxnFAAJ
o Has anyone here ever set up a CalDAV server on Windows for use with Android CalDAV clients?
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/52iSsFUQinE/AflgVrHVEAAJ

Luckily, all five common consumer platforms have freeware to store
passwords in the standard mutually compatible encrypted kdbx format:
o Which free iOS KeePass kdbx-compatible password database manager do you recommend?
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/misc.phone.mobile.iphone/4bMe2LnPvPA/5h0THhXzDAAJ

We're even beginning to document the Android/iOS free encryption keyboards!
o If not the default, what free Android keyboard are you using & why do you like it?
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/CmZAI0OsXDs/fy-hAKwrBgAJ

Having documented those privacy-based portable general-purpose freeware
solutions for all five common consumer platforms, I readily admit I was
unaware of Backblaze & Restic, so I appreciate this helpful additional
technical advice which hasn't come up in my queries in the past.

Hence, I thank you on my behalf and for the others on this public potluck
who benefit from the adult technical conversation - for *adding value* to
the technical conversation with your purposefully helpful suggestions.

Upon initial inspection, Backblaze appears to be a payware cloud solution
for something like $6 USD per month, so I won't delve deeper (unless that
first-pass skim assessment is incorrect):
o Backblaze Personal Backup (payware)
https://www.backblaze.com/cloud-backup.html

However, Restic appears to be a more general solution in that it's free.

o Restic freeware
https://restic.net/
"restic is a program that does backups right"
"restic is a backup program that is fast, efficient and secure.
It supports the three major operating systems (Linux, macOS, Windows)
and a few smaller ones (FreeBSD, OpenBSD)."
o Restic documentation
https://restic.readthedocs.io/en/latest/
o Restic source & binaries:
https://github.com/restic/restic/releases/tag/v0.9.6

*Restic appears to be a keeper as a general purpose backup solution!*
o The resulting files can basically be stored anywhere you like
(including on the Google Cloud, according to the documentation)
--
Usenet is a wonderful public potluck where adults share topics of value.

On 12/30/2019 08:06 AM, Arlen Holder wrote:
On Sun, 29 Dec 2019 22:19:25 -0800, The Real Bev wrote:

Google allows unlimited photo storage as long as the
greater dimension of each photo is 1600 pixels

Hi The Real Bev,
I was unaware that Google allows unlimited (smallish) photos!
o Thanks for letting me (us) know (info is where Usenet is useful!)

I edit with Picasa, which is also good at finding my photos based on
WORDS -- flowers, snow, people, etc.

That's exactly whey I don't put my private data (incl. photos) on the net!

I don't really worry about more-or-less public information. Anyone who
thinks they can profit from it is badly mistaken, a GOOD thing!

I've never tagged myself, so as far as I can tell I'm just another thing
recognized as a person by image recognition functions. Sometimes the
wrong guesses are funny.


I have iCloud accounts that you _must_ have with each iOS device (AFAIK);
where, intelligent people will note that only Apple _requires_ an account
for mobile devices.

There are two different types of links -- one for apple people and one
for guests. Sometimes the invitations come with only the apple-people
thing. I don't know how easy it is to specify visibility by heathens.
Daughter is impatient with technology.

I have several gmail accounts, so I figure I have pretty much unlimited
free storage.

Understood. Gmail doesn't like me so much 'cuz I use random VPN servers
where Gmail hates people who log in one second from Texas, the next minute
from Kansas, and five minutes later from the UK or Germany or whatever.

No ****. They get upset about new devices too. Whenever I use one I
get a flurry of messages on several accounts warning me of a possible
intrusion.

I wish I could set some sort of default for gmail. My grandson has a
couple of accounts that I logged in to to fix something, and now HIS
account comes up when I just type gmail.com -- which is easier than
finding the bookmark :-( It's especially annoying with youtube.

Since consumer electronics (except highly marketed devices) constantly get
better, faster, and cheaper over time, that $150 64GB/4GB RAM dual-SIM will
soon be in your hands (I think all the European Moto G7s, for example, are
dual SIM.

Still happy with my Moto G5+, which is now 2 years old.

Since we both _love_ our phones, you should post why you love it he
o *I truly LOVE my current personal phone - do you love yours?*
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/RrF_gkWRU_g/scVpzf-uBwAJ

I don't actually love it, but I like it a lot. What I HATE about it
(and I'm sure it's not Motorola/Lenovo's fault) is the constant nag
(which now happens only once a week) to upgrade to 8 (or maybe 9, who
knows or cares?) from 7. NOT going to do it, and I'd really like to
eliminate the nag -- I'm desperately afraid I will click the "don't ask
again, just DO it" button instead of 'Saturday' and 'Done' due to simple
clumsiness.

It was relatively cheap; the only non-removable crapware installed was
directly from google, not other entities; I've used less than half of
the available memory, which gives me a nice warm safe feeling; it works OK.

I'd like a better camera and/or a more camera-like interface, but I got
tired of trying camera apps and finding them wanting. The original
'camera' app was just fine, and updates made it less easy to use.

My phones are so beloved, I only replace them when something happens.

I like the way Motorola/Lenovo Moto G works. Newer versions don't seem
to offer anything I want, though. The cameras are generally rated
toward the bottom, and that's the only thing that really bothers me.

What amazes me is that Apple owners, traditionally, seem to wait on long
lines outside the Apple store simply because they can't wait to ditch their
old phones every couple of years (they traditionally have that little
regard for what they previously bought only a couple of years prior).

Daughter swaps hers when it seems advantageous in some way, but wouldn't
dream of standing in a long line. I really don't want to know the
details :-)

--
Cheers, Bev
"I don't mind you peeing in the shower as long as you're actually
taking a shower." -- Marge Simpson

On Mon, 30 Dec 2019 10:13:23 -0800, The Real Bev wrote:

I don't really worry about more-or-less public information. Anyone who
thinks they can profit from it is badly mistaken, a GOOD thing!

Bear in mind that you should assume every site on the net will be hacked,
where the _less_ information you make available, in general, the better.

For example, the photos you upload can be traced to the EXACT camera it was
taken from, which could be used to link social media accounts you may not
wish to be linked (as just one example of many).
o *Photos can be traced to individual smartphones*
https://techxplore.com/news/2017-12-smartphone-cybercrime.html

Of course, with a few seconds of purposeful editing of those photos (which
you can do with a batch problem such as Irfanview freeware), you can make
that cross correlation of all your photos to your exact camera much harder
(but not necessarily impossible).
o *A Survey on Digital Camera Image Forensic Methods*
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/4266573_A_Survey_on_Digital_Camera_Image_Forensic_ Methods

I've never tagged myself, so as far as I can tell I'm just another thing
recognized as a person by image recognition functions. Sometimes the
wrong guesses are funny.

See above where the photo itself can fingerprint to your exact camera.
o *Digital Cameras Have Unique Fingerprints*
https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2006/04/digital_cameras.html

o *Digital Camera Identification from Sensor Pattern Noise*
http://www.ws.binghamton.edu/fridrich/Research/double.pdf

I have iCloud accounts that you _must_ have with each iOS device (AFAIK);
where, intelligent people will note that only Apple _requires_ an account
for mobile devices.

There are two different types of links -- one for apple people and one
for guests. Sometimes the invitations come with only the apple-people
thing. I don't know how easy it is to specify visibility by heathens.
Daughter is impatient with technology.

This is a good question for the Apple-specific newsgroups...
o http://tinyurl.com/misc-phone-mobile-iphone
o http://tinyurl.com/comp-mobile-ipad

Understood. Gmail doesn't like me so much 'cuz I use random VPN servers
where Gmail hates people who log in one second from Texas, the next minute
from Kansas, and five minutes later from the UK or Germany or whatever.

No ****. They get upset about new devices too. Whenever I use one I
get a flurry of messages on several accounts warning me of a possible
intrusion.

Yup. We agree. Gmail _hates_ VPN. Proxies too.

Luckily, protonmail doesn't seem to care about coming in from VPN but the
free version is limited to 150 messages per day.

One trick is to forward your Gmail to protonmail, so that you can obtain
the spam protection (which is one thing Google does reasonably well, if a
bit Draconian at times).

I wish I could set some sort of default for gmail. My grandson has a
couple of accounts that I logged in to to fix something, and now HIS
account comes up when I just type gmail.com -- which is easier than
finding the bookmark :-( It's especially annoying with youtube.

Yes. Those defaults can be set within the browser.
Given there are many browsers but each browser can be fingerprinted:
o http://panopticlick.eff.org
What I do is set up any given browser for one and only one purpose.

For example, if it's "gmail", then that one browser is set up for Gmail and
for nothing else. I don't use that browser for any other purpose.

Luckily, there are so many browsers out there that it's pretty easy to set
up each browser specifically for one purpose, where I've authored a few
threads on that topic in the past so I won't belabor the tactic here.
o *Discussion of two different privacy-related browser philosophies*
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.comp.freeware/H4694--5znY/LOOCa11RBgAJ

Since all my suggestions are intended to be actionable, (and most have
step-by-step tutorials where, interestingly, the iOS users count words as
"their" key indicator of what they consider to be 'complexity'), in the
future it might be nice to create a thread listing all the browsers, with
easy to click on download URLs, along with the instructions on how to
install the browser where it belongs on your file system.
o *Tutorial: How to install the free Brave privacy-based tor-enabled web browser where YOU want it to install*
(and how to save a full offline installer in the process)
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.comp.freeware/bog50yqc_As/igWDXCO4AwAJ

I don't actually love it, but I like it a lot.

Bummer. I _loved_ my old $130 LG Stylo 3 Plus, and I love my brand new $100
Moto G7, which I only bought because I gave my LG Stylo 3 Plus to someone
who broke theirs.

It has almost everything I'd want for $100, including 64GB of storage and
4GB of RAM in 8 cores, where I always find it interesting that people play
that much for the California sales tax alone, on far less functional
phones.

What I HATE about it
(and I'm sure it's not Motorola/Lenovo's fault) is the constant nag
(which now happens only once a week) to upgrade to 8 (or maybe 9, who
knows or cares?) from 7. NOT going to do it, and I'd really like to
eliminate the nag -- I'm desperately afraid I will click the "don't ask
again, just DO it" button instead of 'Saturday' and 'Done' due to simple
clumsiness.

Hmmmm.... my $100 Moto G7 is on Android 9 (and I'm happy with that,
particularly with the way Android Pie does screenshots & the fantastic ease
of keyboard switching (particularly useful for encryption keyboards):
o *If not the default, what free Android keyboard are you using & why do you like it?*
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/CmZAI0OsXDs

I also love Android Pie for the simple fact that the world class Google
Pixel apps are ported to the latest Android operating systems, e.g., Gcam:
o Hint: Changing the camera app can remarkably improve your photo quality of results (but why?)
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.photo.digital/LtY49dG01mc

And, most recently, as of this week, the Google offline dictation port:
o *Offline speech-to-text recorder/transcription unofficial Google Recorder*
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/_Amn35T16NA
Which, to my knowledge, is yet more privacy not available on iOS (AFAIK):
o *How do you run speech to text transcription offline on iOS?*
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/misc.phone.mobile.iphone/V-piSLZ_I3w

But, to your point, even when I was on Nougat on the $130 LG Stylo 3 Plus,
it never nagged me to update the OS (it was all done automatically, as
explained in this thread):
o *What "Android security patch level" is your Android phone currently at?*
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/WKsE8UROGOA/ZrwWceTPAQAJ
Where I always find it hilarious iOS users are so swayed by Marketing
messages that they think iOS is safer even as Google proved iOS is
essentially untested software that simply releases garbage as frequently as
a bad case of iOS 13.x diarrhea releases untested crap.
o *When apologists claim iOS is "safer" than Android simply because of the "frequency" of release...*
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/voFbGKpUoBo/Bfejm_I9EAAJ

It was relatively cheap; the only non-removable crapware installed was
directly from google, not other entities; I've used less than half of
the available memory, which gives me a nice warm safe feeling; it works OK.

Yes. Motorola (aka Lenovo) keeps the operating system "almost stock".

Mine only seems to have Motorola-specific "movements" such as the "chop
chop" motion to turn on and off the LED flashlight, for example.

I'd like a better camera and/or a more camera-like interface, but I got
tired of trying camera apps and finding them wanting. The original
'camera' app was just fine, and updates made it less easy to use.

I think you had tried the Google Gcam port, which is "said" to be one of
the best camera apps for overall quality of results, you weren't able to
install it on your older Android OS, as I recall... which is too bad
because I _love_ the Google Gcam APK port that I got working on my new Moto
G7.

Another camera app I love is the fantastic "timer" capability of this app.
o *What is a good TIMER photo app for Android?*
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/9GPU430iHUg/QvBBYk9FCAAJ

My phones are so beloved, I only replace them when something happens.

I like the way Motorola/Lenovo Moto G works. Newer versions don't seem
to offer anything I want, though. The cameras are generally rated
toward the bottom, and that's the only thing that really bothers me.

I understand the camera issue - but for the amount of money you'd spend
"just" to get a "better" camera, you could spend on a decent SLR, don't you
think?

Remember, the cost of our phones is about as much as the California sales
_tax_ people pay on the more expensive phones, which they then line up
outside the store on opening day to ditch, only a couple of years later, to
then again pay _another_ sales tax - just to get the latest colors (or
whatever they "think" they get that Marketing has sold them on).

It's one reason why those iPhones enjoy one of the most horrendous overall
cost of ownership possible for common consumer mobile devices.

Daughter swaps hers when it seems advantageous in some way, but wouldn't
dream of standing in a long line. I really don't want to know the
details :-)

The facts show that most of those people waiting in those long lines are
loyal to Apple for sure, but amazingly, they're not in the least loyal to
their current phones - which is a classic mark of their brains falling for
(admittedly brilliant) marketing tactics.
o *What is the most brilliant marketing move Apple ever made?*
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/misc.phone.mobile.iphone/wW-fu0jsvAU/s6gu-hj2BwAJ

--
Usenet is a public potluck where purposefully helpful adults share ideas.

On 30/12/2019 07.19, The Real Bev wrote:
On 12/29/2019 12:50 PM, Arlen Holder wrote:
On Sun, 29 Dec 2019 10:18:01 -0800, The Real Bev wrote:

I put photos that I want to share on google photos, previously
the Picasa website which I liked a lot better. I put files that
I want to share that are too big to go in email on dropbox.
Anything else seems like way too much trouble as well as having
the who-do-you-trust? problem.

Hi The Real Bev,

You and I go way back where I thank you for helping me understand
your use of the cloud that you just posted, which seems reasonable,
and which makes complete sense to use the cloud for things too big
for email that you wish to share with others who are far away.

For example, pointing people to your photos that are too large to
email seems to be a perfect use of the cloud, where the main
problem is that you want to use the "free" cloud as much as
possible (knowing you and me), so it's likely only 'temporary'
photos are what you use the cloud for.

Actually, no. Google allows unlimited photo storage as long as the
greater dimension of each photo is 1600 pixels, so I edit them to
that size and post them in nice organized albums. Filenames are the
filedates. I keep my originals in one subdirectory and the edited
photos in a different one. I've organized them nicely in albums, so
I can find what I want easier there than on my own machine!

Here, what I read on Google was unlimited storage if you allow google to
adjust the compression/size of the photos. Which I do allow.

On the other hand, I uploaded some videos directly from the camera,
meaning way too big; a day later I downloaded to a directory, and indeed
they were smaller.

-rw-r--r-- 1 cer users 52M Dec 27 22:19 DSC_0535.MOV
-rw-r--r-- 1 cer users 42M Dec 27 22:19 DSC_0536.MOV
-rw-r--r-- 1 cer users 40M Dec 27 22:19 DSC_0538.MOV
-rw-r--r-- 1 cer users 37M Dec 27 22:19 DSC_0539.MOV
-rw-r--r-- 1 cer users 14M Dec 27 22:19 DSC_0540.MOV
-rw-r--r-- 1 cer users 24M Dec 27 22:19 DSC_0541.MOV
-rw-r--r-- 1 cer users 37M Dec 27 22:19 DSC_0542.MOV
-rw-r--r-- 1 cer users 8,9M Dec 27 22:19 DSC_0543.MOV
-rw-r--r-- 1 cer users 19M Dec 27 22:19 DSC_0544.MOV
-rw-r--r-- 1 cer users 44M Dec 27 22:19 DSC_0545.MOV
-rw-r--r-- 1 cer users 291M Dec 27 22:41 SAM_5721.AVI
-rw-r--r-- 1 cer users 554M Dec 27 22:42 SAM_5724.AVI

changed to:

-rw-r--r-- 1 cer users 6,1M Dec 28 13:29 DSC_0535.MOV
-rw-r--r-- 1 cer users 4,5M Dec 28 13:29 DSC_0536.MOV
-rw-r--r-- 1 cer users 4,7M Dec 28 13:28 DSC_0538.MOV
-rw-r--r-- 1 cer users 8,5M Dec 28 13:29 DSC_0539.MOV
-rw-r--r-- 1 cer users 1,9M Dec 28 13:30 DSC_0540.MOV
-rw-r--r-- 1 cer users 5,2M Dec 28 13:30 DSC_0541.MOV
-rw-r--r-- 1 cer users 5,1M Dec 28 13:30 DSC_0542.MOV
-rw-r--r-- 1 cer users 880K Dec 28 13:31 DSC_0543.MOV
-rw-r--r-- 1 cer users 4,3M Dec 28 13:31 DSC_0544.MOV
-rw-r--r-- 1 cer users 16M Dec 28 13:31 DSC_0545.MOV
-rw-r--r-- 1 cer users 23M Dec 28 13:28 SAM_5721.AVI
-rw-r--r-- 1 cer users 554M Dec 28 13:29 SAM_5724.AVI =


Funny the last one not being reduced. Maybe if I try now it is reduced.

[...]

Yep, they did:

-rw-r--r-- 1 cer users 31M Dec 30 21:28 SAM_5724(1).AVI


So, why bother to do myself the work? :-D

--
Cheers, Carlos.

On 12/30/2019 11:46 AM, Arlen Holder wrote:
On Mon, 30 Dec 2019 10:13:23 -0800, The Real Bev wrote:

I don't really worry about more-or-less public information. Anyone who
thinks they can profit from it is badly mistaken, a GOOD thing!

Bear in mind that you should assume every site on the net will be hacked,
where the _less_ information you make available, in general, the better.

True, but I don't think there's anything known about me that could cause
me trouble. Put together everything I've ever posted/uploaded/whatever
and it's still not really useful to anyone.


This is a good question for the Apple-specific newsgroups...
o http://tinyurl.com/misc-phone-mobile-iphone
o http://tinyurl.com/comp-mobile-ipad

Sorry, I don't want to deal with Apple people. My daughter is entirely
sufficient!

One trick is to forward your Gmail to protonmail, so that you can obtain
the spam protection (which is one thing Google does reasonably well, if a
bit Draconian at times).

I generally just access it with an old version of Thunderbird, but all
google's products get linked together and seem to default to my
grandson's account. Easy enough to change to my account, but annoying
that I have to do it.

Yes. Those defaults can be set within the browser.
Given there are many browsers but each browser can be fingerprinted:
o http://panopticlick.eff.org
What I do is set up any given browser for one and only one purpose.

I like Firefox, which I've used since it was Netscape .9 and even
Mosaic! I use Chrome for stuff that Firefox can't handle, but it makes
me feel dirty. I've tried Opera and Seamonkey and something else, but
it's too much trouble. Maybe I should just get rid of all my google
cookies. Gotta think about that...

It was relatively cheap; the only non-removable crapware installed was
directly from google, not other entities; I've used less than half of
the available memory, which gives me a nice warm safe feeling; it works OK.

Yes. Motorola (aka Lenovo) keeps the operating system "almost stock".

Mine only seems to have Motorola-specific "movements" such as the "chop
chop" motion to turn on and off the LED flashlight, for example.

I had a 'shake to turn on the camera' option, but that seems to have
disappeared with one of the recent updates. Every month or so I update
everything that wants to be updated and I pay no attention to what's
happening.

I'd like a better camera and/or a more camera-like interface, but I got
tired of trying camera apps and finding them wanting. The original
'camera' app was just fine, and updates made it less easy to use.

I think you had tried the Google Gcam port, which is "said" to be one of
the best camera apps for overall quality of results, you weren't able to
install it on your older Android OS, as I recall... which is too bad
because I _love_ the Google Gcam APK port that I got working on my new Moto
G7.

I went to the site you suggested in a previous post, but the link to the
app for MY camera was dead.

I like the way Motorola/Lenovo Moto G works. Newer versions don't seem
to offer anything I want, though. The cameras are generally rated
toward the bottom, and that's the only thing that really bothers me.

I understand the camera issue - but for the amount of money you'd spend
"just" to get a "better" camera, you could spend on a decent SLR, don't you
think?

I've got a Canon A720IS (bought in 2008) which I chose because it has
real camera functions. It turns out I set the 'program' for something
generically useful and then leave it alone for the most part. I fell
while holding it in my hand making a skiing movie (the last words were
OH **** and then everything went black), which fall kept the lens cover
from closing completely. Aside from that, it still works fine. I'd
like more sharpness, but not enough to buy a Nikon equivalent, which
would have to be used anyway -- I like a viewfinder much better than a
screen. Mainly, though, it's just easier to carry a phone -- and I can
tuck it into my bra while I'm skiing!

Remember, the cost of our phones is about as much as the California sales
_tax_ people pay on the more expensive phones, which they then line up
outside the store on opening day to ditch, only a couple of years later, to
then again pay _another_ sales tax - just to get the latest colors (or
whatever they "think" they get that Marketing has sold them on).

Don't get me started about our sales tax :-(

Daughter swaps hers when it seems advantageous in some way, but wouldn't
dream of standing in a long line. I really don't want to know the
details :-)

The facts show that most of those people waiting in those long lines are
loyal to Apple for sure, but amazingly, they're not in the least loyal to
their current phones - which is a classic mark of their brains falling for
(admittedly brilliant) marketing tactics.

I think she just doesn't want to get stuck learning a new system under
pressure. She's a tour director and wears her phone around her neck
because she has to be available to solve problems pretty much all the
time, and generally with her phone. If she's happy, I'm happy.

o *What is the most brilliant marketing move Apple ever made?*
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/misc.phone.mobile.iphone/wW-fu0jsvAU/s6gu-hj2BwAJ

No idea what that means. Dead woman? Huh?


--
Cheers, Bev
When your only tool is a hammer, everything looks like a thumb.

On Mon, 30 Dec 2019 21:32:54 +0100, Carlos E.R. wrote:

Here, what I read on Google was unlimited storage if you allow google to
adjust the compression/size of the photos. Which I do allow.

On the other hand, I uploaded some videos directly from the camera,
meaning way too big; a day later I downloaded to a directory, and indeed
they were smaller.

Thanks Carlos for adding value to the topic, which I, for one, was unaware
of (since I store my private data locally) - and which is purposefully
helpful useful information for those who do store their data in the 15GB of
free storage Google allots to each Google Account by default.

I wonder if the iCloud storage also compresses to keep things under the
rather puny 5GB free storage initially allotted to each iOS device owner
(with tricks to get more).

--
Usenet brings the best out of helpful adults when sharing technical value.

On Mon, 30 Dec 2019 21:09:24 -0800, The Real Bev wrote:

True, but I don't think there's anything known about me that could cause
me trouble. Put together everything I've ever posted/uploaded/whatever
and it's still not really useful to anyone.

Hi The Real Bev,

I understand your sentiment, where, for example, I don't lock my outside
doors at night, nor do I lock the cars parked outside, nor the shed, etc.,
nor even my phone, since the protection needed is based on the perceived
threat.

Still, _some_ people on this newsgroup _need_ protection we speak of; so
it's good that we discuss why people who _need_ protection would store
their private data on the net (particularly sans strong encryption).

Sorry, I don't want to deal with Apple people. My daughter is entirely
sufficient!

Hehheh,... I deal aplenty with "Apple people". For the most part, they're
intuitive (IMHO) instead of factual - which is why - I posit anyway - which
is why they fall for the marketing hype.

I do admit Apple is brilliant at providing imaginary functionalty through
rather brilliant marketing - for example - Apple makes users _feel_ safe -
even when the facts clearly show iOS users are not any more (or less) safe
than Android users).
o *What is the factual truth about PRIVACY differences or similarities between the Android & iOS mobile phone ecosystems?*
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/FCKRA_3i9CY/Bm40liKdEQAJ

Almost to a person, these marketing-induced people think privacy is a
single link that Apple highly and loudly promotes (e.g., full-device
encryption), whereas intelligent people realize privacy is a chain of
links, every one of which (e.g., iOS 13 is so full of holes you could drive
a freight train through it) needs to be eliminated to have privacy (where
Google proved iOS is essentially untested software when shipped).

In fact, I ask EVERY person with an iPhone "why" they have it, and the
answers I get are almost 100% what Marketing fed them to believe (just as
what happens when I ask at the gas pump why people put Premium in a Honda
Civic).

There are two kinds of people: those who believe marketing; and adults.

I like Firefox, which I've used since it was Netscape .9 and even
Mosaic!

Yup. We all stated with mosaic, and then netscape, and then a bunch until
Firefox came about - and then it exploded to the point that we can now set
up a browser for each task - which allows us to optimize the settings for
that task (i.e., no adblock needed, for example).
o Discussion of two different privacy-related browser philosophies
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt.os.linux/55Yx7RtTzEI/cD55MlgjAQAJ

Since I love to improve our knowledge, working together, I just authored a
new thread asking to improve my list of all known free browsers over he
o *Do we have (yet) an actionable list of all free Windows & Linux web browsers*
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.comp.freeware/krNaXA-YEbw

I use Chrome for stuff that Firefox can't handle, but it makes
me feel dirty.

I know what you mean on Chrome, where, at least you might consider SRWare
Iron, which is 'supposedly' a less-intrusive version of Chromium.

You can also use Epic or Opera, which are supposedly privacy-aware versions
of Chromium.

I've tried Opera and Seamonkey and something else, but
it's too much trouble. Maybe I should just get rid of all my google
cookies. Gotta think about that...

I use them both, where Opera has advantages in being an autoproxy.

Since I like my suggestions to be 'actionable', here are some clicable urls
(not just for you, but for all people reading this thread to benefit from):
o SRWare Iron https://www.srware.net/iron/
o Opera https://www.opera.com/download
o Epic https://www.epicbrowser.com/
o Brave https://brave.com/download/
o Seamonkey https://www.seamonkey-project.org/

We should likely start a thread just on browsers, listing three things:
1. The download link
2. The claim to fame
3. The base (whether firefox, chromium, microsoft, or whatever)

Yes. Motorola (aka Lenovo) keeps the operating system "almost stock".

I too like that my Moto G7 is almost completely stock Android Pie.

Mine only seems to have Motorola-specific "movements" such as the "chop
chop" motion to turn on and off the LED flashlight, for example.

I had a 'shake to turn on the camera' option, but that seems to have
disappeared with one of the recent updates. Every month or so I update
everything that wants to be updated and I pay no attention to what's
happening.

Yeah. I have the shake to turn camera on also. The only one I use is the
chop chop though, since it's usually done in the dark and I don't have the
fingerprint turned on.

Interestingly, with the fingerprint reader turned off, my $130 LG Stylo 3
Plus works differently than my $100 Moto G7, where touching the back facing
fingerprint reader on the LG turned the screen on, while touching the same
back-facing fingerprint reader on the Moto G7 does nothing whatsoever.

At least it could turn the screen on.

As always, to continuosly improve our knowledge, I opened a thread on that:
o What happens when you touch the fingerprint reader on your Android phone?
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/AYjoxZBTW0k

I went to the site you suggested in a previous post, but the link to the
app for MY camera was dead.

Yeah. I saw your posts, as I recall, where Frank Slootweg was helping you
far better than I could. If it consoles you any, my first try with the
Google Gcam APK port failed, as did my first try with the Google Recorder
APK port - but the second attempt worked in both cases.

So not every APK that is said to work, actually works (which is fine).

Almost never do I fail at anything though (except on iOS, when you have to
"just give up" every single day doing what you do all the time on Android),
so I just kept trying, and now I have _both_ working beautifully on the G7!
o Google Gcam APK port (which only officially supports the Pixel)
o Google offline recorder & transcription port (also only for the Pixel)

Android is like Linux in that there's almost always, if not always, a way
to do whatever you want to do (e.g., remove the Google Account and still
have complete functionality - again privacy which isn't possible on iOS).

I fell
while holding it in my hand making a skiing movie (the last words were
OH **** and then everything went black), which fall kept the lens cover
from closing completely.

I have broken so many SLRs in my life that I will _never_ buy an SLR that
has a plastic ring holding the lens in place to the camera body.

Don't get me started about our sales tax :-(

What I find interesting is that our sales tax (roughly under 10% but it
varies by county in California) is the cost of my entire phone, for people
who buy phones that are ten times more expensive - and then they wait in
line two years later at their first opportunity to _ditch_ their phone!

And yet, my 10x _less_ expensive phone does _more_ than theirs can ever do!
o *What would a 10X more expensive phone buy me that matters?*
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/SfGKMN43_ss/KvnBasb3AQAJ

I think she just doesn't want to get stuck learning a new system under
pressure. She's a tour director and wears her phone around her neck
because she has to be available to solve problems pretty much all the
time, and generally with her phone. If she's happy, I'm happy.

Understood. People who buy iStuff tend to not be able to handle complexity,
where "sometimes" Apple brings out good simple stuff, like the first iPod
interface or the first iPhone interface, and maybe even their one-button
mouse, or their very few button iPads, etc.

The problem is that Apple simplicity tends to become primitive after a
decade of never progressing further (e.g., the primitive iOS launcher
compared to, oh, say, the modern Nova free launcher as one example).

Your daughter, for example, would likely be perfectly at home with an
iPhone that was a decade old, since the interface hasn't improved, whereas
her socks would be knocked off if she touched a modern Android interface of
today.

Still ... my grandkids... especially the youngest ones ... love the iPads!

o *What is the most brilliant marketing move Apple ever made?*
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/misc.phone.mobile.iphone/wW-fu0jsvAU/s6gu-hj2BwAJ

No idea what that means. Dead woman? Huh?

Hehhehheh... you have to _see_ things for what they really are.
o For example, Christy was punishing the local town mayor who didn't
support him; but what people were supposed to see was simply a traffic lane
closure.

In the case of Apple and the dead Chinese lady, what you're "supposed" to
see is that Apple "cares" about you so much that Apple is willing to let
you pay ten dollars for an Apple branded charger - but what was really
happening is that Apple sold a five dollar charger to you for ten dollars
all the while claiming the high ground (for a short time only mind you),
that they 'cared' that you didn't get electrocuted like the dead Chinese
lady did.

It was all a brilliant marketing gimmick designed to make you "think"
a. Apple cares about you so much that they'll discount their product
(For a short time only of course....)
b. And that only expensive Apple products won't electrocute you
(As if Apple owns Volts & Amps like nobody else can....)

The funny thing is that the Apple owners SUCKED THIS MARKETING MESSAGE UP.
o Which is why I never claim Apple marketing is not brilliant!

--
Apple Marketing is brilliant at making utter fools feel safe.

I use this thing called FileApp:

https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/fileap...er/id297804694

It allows you to make your phone into an ftp server, then you can
transfer files across wifi to any other o.s. with an ftp client.

On Sun, 05 Jan 2020 13:35:48 +0000, Richmond wrote:

I use this thing called FileApp:

https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/fileap...er/id297804694

It allows you to make your phone into an ftp server, then you can
transfer files across wifi to any other o.s. with an ftp client.

Thanks for that pointer to the freeware "FileApp", which I presume is this?
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/fileapp-file-manager/id297804694

For _small_ files, FTP is fine; but for _large_ files, I wouldn't use FTP:
o *Simultaneously slide Windows Linux iOS Android files back and forth over USB*
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/WohhLOTCYKw/n_ytNizaCAAJ

For smaller files, or for when you want to use the local LAN, for Android,
"it just works" to mount the entire visible file system over WiFi as a
drive letter (on Windows). Although it would be nicer to use Samba/Cifs.
o *What's the best way to forward SMB TCP port 445 for Samba/CIFs on Windows*
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/3QQ8bAZeXNI/p7yqvwHrBQAJ

For iOS, since I slide files back and forth (both ways) between the iOS
device & Windows or Linux, I haven't tried "mounting" the iOS device as a
drive letter on Windows.
o *Do you have a working freeware automatic sync between Android & Windows?*
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/7aOWwoEwsZ0/3f5qTpwBAgAJ

For Android, there are plenty of threads on how to mount as a drive letter:
o *Tutorial to run any Windows command directly on Android over either USB or Wi-Fi*
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/JrWLPRYO-TU/2gn6KqccBwAJ

The salient question for experts is how to mount iOS as a drive letter on Windows.

New information from yesterday & today shows that they're scanning even
encrypted backups, and that there is even more reason to avoid uploading
personal data to the cloud, &, if you must, encrypt it separately first.

o *Apple has confirmed that it's automatically scanning images backed up to iCloud*
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.photo.digital/dQb5mX1vZ7Y

o *iCloud backups are _NOT_ encrypted*, by JF Mezei
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/misc.phone.mobile.iphone/-EA9TYUeVhk

Android:
o *Best freeware for portable encrypted file containers*
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/cas1QJ_j2uI/fCxcOVnxCAAJ
iOS
o *Best freeware for portable encrypted file containers*
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/misc.phone.mobile.iphone/8GGgFKaW-70/WCXEXfVYBAAJ

Apologies for the child-like progress on iOS newsgroups, where the EXACT
same OP (exact same words!) on an Android newsgroup is handled like adults
- but not on iOS newsgroups (which always appear to be filled to the brim
with children, sadly, due to the score of child-like Apple apologists).

Excerpt:
"*backed-up contact information and texts from*
*iMessage, WhatsApp and other encrypted services*
*remain available to Apple employees and authorities*"

--
Usenet allows purposefully helpful adults to share news items of value.

New information from yesterday & today shows that they're scanning even
encrypted backups, and that there is even more reason to avoid uploading
personal data to the cloud, &, if you must, encrypt it separately first.

o *Apple has confirmed that it's automatically scanning images backed up to iCloud*
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.photo.digital/dQb5mX1vZ7Y

o *iCloud backups are _NOT_ encrypted*, by JF Mezei
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/misc.phone.mobile.iphone/-EA9TYUeVhk

Android:
o *Best freeware for portable encrypted file containers*
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/cas1QJ_j2uI/fCxcOVnxCAAJ
iOS
o *Best freeware for portable encrypted file containers*
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/misc.phone.mobile.iphone/8GGgFKaW-70/WCXEXfVYBAAJ

Apologies for the child-like progress on iOS newsgroups, where the EXACT
same OP (exact same words!) on an Android newsgroup is handled like adults
- but not on iOS newsgroups (which always appear to be filled to the brim
with children, sadly, due to the score of child-like Apple apologists).

Excerpt:
"*backed-up contact information and texts from*
*iMessage, WhatsApp and other encrypted services*
*remain available to Apple employees and authorities*"

--
Usenet allows purposefully helpful adults to share news items of value.

Arlen Holder wrote:

New information from yesterday & today shows that they're scanning even
encrypted backups, and that there is even more reason to avoid uploading
personal data to the cloud, &, if you must, encrypt it separately first.

You must not. No matter how good your encryption is, putting your data
in someone else's hands gives them and (for all you know) EVERY SPOOK ON
THE PLANET copies of everything you hold dear, and all the time in the
world to decrypt it.

----snip----

On Wed, 5 Jun 2019 16:19:11 -0000 (UTC), Arlen G. Holder wrote:

Do people of reasonable technical ability store their private data on the
Internet (if so, for what gain over non-Internet methods?)

What type of person stores private data on the cloud?
o Technically astute people?
o Technically non-astute people?

For what gain?

Today, a classic case came up of using the cloud for contacts, which is not
only completley unnecessary, but downright rude.
o How to export Contacts from MOTO G4 Plus to e.g. a later MOTO G?
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/ZxEjJh-MD_U
--
It's downright rude to upload all your friend's contact info to the cloud.