Closed Software

I’ve come to a logical but painful decision.

I’m not going to use software under Windows or Mac OSX any more. And I don’t really want to use Android, either.

After trying to get Windows 7 running in a virtual machine in Linux, I discovered that Microsoft now cripples the activation process for OS’s that aren’t OE supplied.

If I can’t get it to run in Linux in some form, then I pretty much don’t want to use it.

Here’s my dilemma: I actually have software that won’t run in Linux, that I use on a semi-regular basis (hence the reason I was trying to get Windows running in a virtual machine). In particular, I use HPTuners software (for tuning my car) and SoundTower’s Adrenalinn 3 editor. Neither one of them is particularly well written (they won’t run in an emulation layer because of weird UI glitches), but they cover a need that nothing else does.

I’ve been looking at other software as well- games mostly- that won’t run in Linux. Not even if I run Steam in Wine (which is a whole other dumpster fire).

But really, the kicker for me is music production software. There’s millions of useful programs I could buy for Windows or OSX, but that requires me also dealing with the horrific privacy and security mess that goes with each of those options.

I don’t really want to compromise my future security or privacy for the convenience of a nifty tool that I may or possibly may not use.

Ableton Live is probably one of the biggest ones I’m looking at, and Zen Audio’s ALK2 is a close second. But I’m not going to build a new computer just so I can use these. I’m not going to subject myself to Apple or Microsoft’s horrible EULAs just to be able to use them. I won’t move backwards, now that I’ve happily been using Linux for around 15 years.

If at all possible, I’m going to use open-source software, or I’ll get it running in Linux, or I’m going to use hardware.

Once the Librem 5 open-source phone becomes a reality, I will entertain the option of going that route as well- because I can’t stand the idea of Google knowing every single thing I do and using that information to manipulate me. Another option would be to get a regular Android phone and root it, to be able to remove everything Google-related on it. That’s a lot of work, though…. it would be much easier to find one that’s already done. I’ve already begun my transition away from Google in general.

As an alternative, I could get a specific model phone that will run Ubuntu Touch, which would be fine for a regular use phone- and I could always get a rooted, non-connected 7″ tablet for specific apps.

In Conclusion

Which is more important to me?

Privacy, or convenience? Companies like Microsoft, Google, Facebook, and Apple make their living off of misusing and abusing people’s privacy in exchange for convenience. I like convenience, but at some point, I need to protect what privacy I have left.

More than likely, this will mean completely transitioning away from large closed software gradually over the next year or two. I’m not going to rush out and buy a new phone just for this reason, but when the time comes to replace mine, I will need to consider this.

As for the computer software front, that’s something I’ve already begun working on, and will continue to do. I’ve replaced Google Keep/Drive, Dropbox, and Evernote with ownCloud. I don’t use any Apple products, and I haven’t paid for a Microsoft license in 15+ years. There are more to come, but those are for another day.