jcs

Edward Snowden did something very similar to this while working as a sysadmin in order to obtain access to many systems he otherwise would not have access to. It was internally dubbed the "password roundup."

~sad~ ~richmond~ ~noises~

I can add a little context and a few counterpoints:

Purism repeatedly delayed their phone for years

Many crowdfunded devices are delayed for years, many of which are never released. The global pandemic and chip shortage certainly did not help move things along any faster.

charged exorbitant amounts for it compared to their competitors

Purism also funded/developed phosh and many other libraries which allow mobile Linux to be where it is today. Competitors are mainly hardware vendors and rely heavily on community support, many of which never provide any financial support or direct contributions toward FOSS development.

changed their refund policy

Purism certainly could have done a better job at proactively constructing a more clear and comprehensive refund policy, clarifying crowdfunding vs pre-order (and what is meant by "pre-order"), etc. Purism also could have done a better job being transparent and communicative about its refund queue.

The Librem 5 is a scam

Despite the phone taking much longer to release than anticipated, it was eventually released. How is that a scam?

a few hours of battery life

This is not the common trend. Many software improvements have been developed since, and most users report much more than "a few hours" of battery life - especially with auto-suspend enabled.

a 720p IPS display

A higher resolution would consume more power, thus exacerbating your previous complaint.

no waterproofing

The Librem 5 uses removable WWAN and WLAN/BT modules, as well as a removable battery. Waterproofing would require a fully sealed system which would be much less user-serviceable.

i.MX8M CPU, 3 GB of RAM

Rockchip, Allwinner, and NXP chips have the best mainline Linux support for any FOSS-focused Linux device. 3 GB is the memory limit for this CPU, which is often used in commercial/industrial/automotive environments.

they apparently don’t know the abbreviation for megapixel is ‘MP’, not ‘Mpx’, which is kind of embarrassing

Purism also hires staff across the globe, and this abbreviation may differ within the author's country.

The PureOS subscription (at any tier) is an optional subscription to help fund PureOS and mobile Linux development. It is not a fee to use the OS. PureOS is still FOSS.

In the meantime, the Liberty phone seems to be the closest option for a US-made smartphone. While not entirely comprised of US-sourced components, the PCBs are manufactured in California, as well as device packaging and assembly.

April 10 update: Right on time, the author of the OP's linked article has now published an article on the Liberty phone.

Animals don't have the same moral framework as humans, and their actions are often driven by instinct or curiosity rather than a concept of morality. If we can somehow prove that dolphins have a concept of morality and decide to act upon what they consider immoral, then I suppose that some could be considered malicious/evil. Given their cerebral volume, I believe dolphins have the cognitive capacity for this, but I'm not aware of research that proves it. If anyone has any scientific journals on the topic, that would be an informative read.

If they do in fact have a moral compass, that leans into a wider topic: absolute versus relative morality.

I suffer from persistent depressive disorder with occasional major depressive episodes (aka "double depression"). These are just some notes in case anyone can relate. I also just find this kind of thing interesting...

• Bupropion (300mg qd for ~1-1.5 yrs): I felt no difference at all in my energy/interest levels, but also no noticeable negative effects.
• Diazepam (5-10mg prn): Barely perceptible effect at 5mg but felt slightly intoxicated at 10mg. Sometimes helpful to break out of dissociation during double-depressive episodes.
• Duloxetine (60-90mg qd for ~9 months): I felt no noticeable positive effects - only anorgasmia, insomnia, and restless leg syndrome the night of dosage adjustments.
• Escitalopram (10mg qd for 3-4 months): made me feel nauseous for ~30s every day without fail, and made me feel completely grey - no positive or negative feelings whatsoever.
• Trazedone (25mg prn): Effective for me as a sleep aid; no experience with chronic use as an antidepressant.

If anyone remembers the Mycroft Mark II Voice Assistant Kickstarter and was disappointed when development challenges and patent trolls caused the company's untimely demise, know that hope is not lost for a FOSS/OSHW voice assistant insulated from Big Tech..

FAQ: OVOS, Neon, and the Future of the Mycroft Voice Assistant

Disclaimer: I do not represent any of these organizations in any way; I just believe in their mission and wish them all the success in getting there by spreading the word.

There is nothing more permanent than a temporary solution that works.

MNT Reform spotted <3

Whether the weather is cold or whether the weather is hot, we'll weather the weather, whatever the weather, whether we like it or not.

The Librem 5 offers hardware killswitches on the side of the phone, and the Pinephone offers hardware killswitches in the rear of the device after removing the backplate.