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diff --git a/content/entry/article-you-should-be-using-an-old-computer.md b/content/entry/article-you-should-be-using-an-old-computer.md index 89e906b..5368d5e 100644 --- a/content/entry/article-you-should-be-using-an-old-computer.md +++ b/content/entry/article-you-should-be-using-an-old-computer.md @@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ draft: false --- I was going to write my own post about this subject until I discovered Luke Smith, a GNU/Linux technology Youtuber, already wrote an article about it: -[Luke Smith's Article](https://lukesmith.xyz/articles/only-use-old-computers) +[Luke Smith's Article](https://lukesmith.xyz/articles/only-use-old-computers/) His reasons for recommending an old computer (specifically Thinkpads) are: @@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ The potential backdoor is really the crux of the ethical problem. Even if you do Maybe you're above nothing to hide though. You understand privacy is a human right. But, you reason, the Intel ME isn't a big deal because an interested government could find out what they wanted to know some other way. Besides even without ME there's other embedded software that, however unlikely it is, could possibly also have backdoors. All that's beyond your "threat model" anyway. This goes back to a previous post I made. By using the least potentially backdoored computer possible, you [raise the bar on privacy](/2020/11/14/raising-the-bar-on-privacy/) (and freedom!). That's a cause we all need to be fighting for irrespective of threat models. # RetroFreedom -The next most obvious question is "Where do I buy a computer without a backdoor?". I recommend [RetroFreedom](https://retrofreedom.com/) (formerly Minifree). [Leah Rowe](https://vimuser.org/) operates the site. She maintains the [Libreboot](https://libreboot.org/) project, a free as in freedom alternative BIOS that ships with the old Thinkpads she sells. You can purchase products with cryptocurrency and several addons and upgrades are offered. I don't mind the markup in price since I know it goes toward an important free software project. I can personally attest to the quality of the laptops from RetroFreedom. I've bought several laptops from there running exclusively free software and I'm very satisfied. +The next most obvious question is "Where do I buy a computer without a backdoor?". I recommend [RetroFreedom](https://web.archive.org/web/20210125210309if_/https://retrofreedom.com/) (formerly Minifree). [Leah Rowe](https://vimuser.org/) operates the site. She maintains the [Libreboot](https://libreboot.org/) project, a free as in freedom alternative BIOS that ships with the old Thinkpads she sells. You can purchase products with cryptocurrency and several addons and upgrades are offered. I don't mind the markup in price since I know it goes toward an important free software project. I can personally attest to the quality of the laptops from RetroFreedom. I've bought several laptops from there running exclusively free software and I'm very satisfied. # Free Software I would never again use a nonfree laptop to do my everyday personal computing. I've given up video games since all the popular titles are nonfree requiring me to run the Winblows operating system. [I quit my job to avoid promoting proprietary software](/2020/07/02/why-i-left-its/). [I dropped out of college so I didn't have to use invasive proprietary malware](/2020/03/30/the-tipping-point-rejecting-windows-zoom-lockdown-browser-and-the-lockdown-monitor/). Too many people have told me I'm too extreme. I care too much about free software. Life is just too short to be so picky. But to them I would say this: |