Normie girlfriend lacks enthusiasm and daughter bombarded with ads
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Hello Kindly Nerds,
Trying to get my gf to adopt alt tech. Got her a Google Pixel 3A XL and stuck Ubuntu Touch on it. All works great but it's a bit hit and miss when she tries to log in to online banking. It worked a couple of times but mostly she enters her passcode to login and nothing happens. It's the same with the other browsers in the app store. Haven't tried with the onion browser. If there is anything that can be done, I would love to know about it. I've got all the boxes ticked: good camera, she's using telegram to message, good battery life but this being able to login to her bank is a bit of a deal breaker.
Also, I found a tablet (something like 'BQ Aquaris') which came with UT installed on it for my 3 year old to watch some kid's stuff on YouTube. I don't suppose the Morph browser can block the insufferable ads somehow?
As always any advice appreciated.
Best Wishes
Matt
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@matt73
All browser on the openstore are forks from Morph, the default one from UT.
So what doesn't work in morph has little chances to work on others.Morph is based on Chromium and QTWebengine if i'm not mistaken, maybe a futur update could solve her issues.
I have no problem with my banksite logging... For now, but who knows... I have some issue with some sites that use i don't know what standards...
Maybe you could try with experimental waydroid project and use an android browser like firefox or so.
For a better help, wait for better skilled people than me anyway
For your BQ, try uAdblocks (consider donation if you like it).
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@keneda said in Normie girlfriend lacks enthusiasm and daughter bombarded with ads:
For your BQ, try uAdblocks (consider donation if you like it).
https://open-store.io/app/uadblock.mariogripWow, so its actually blocking even on YouTube?
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@dizzy i don't know as i don't use it anymore (fun fact : because it was preventing me to log on... My bank site lol, and i didn't want to spend hours to tweak blocking list to find the culprit), and rarely go on youtube so adds from there are not a problem for me.
Adds are not a problem for me in general when not intrusive, tracking cookies are, but now i just don't go anymore on sites that don't allow to "reject all".
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You have a "normie girlfriend" and one who puts up with your tech nerdiness! She's a keeper..
Internet banking is a pain when it comes to something outside of the norm - i.e. not using Windows, MacOS, iOS or a later version of Android. Tried it on Midori browser a few times and that was very hit and miss. Unfortunately this is one reason I still have an Android phone (and an iPhone SE), there are just some things UT cannot do yet and normal people (ha-ha, whats normal) expect me to contact and use apps in a "normal" way. And also unfortunately, I need a Google account for various reasons...... -
@keneda Hey there. Thanks for the advice. I will look into Waydroid. And I will try out the uAdblocks. Hopefully they will come out with a new version of UT soon which will address some of these issues.
Best
Matt
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@mrt10001 Well, she just expects it all to work perfectly out of the box and she doesn't share my excitement and enthusiasm for the linux project and privacy. I think she will get used to it. I have that there will be some teething problems for which I'll have to find workarounds. Thanks for your advice.
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@matt73 said in Normie girlfriend lacks enthusiasm and daughter bombarded with ads:
she doesn't share my excitement and enthusiasm for the linux project and privacy.
Not to rain on your parade, but...
So what is her motivation for using UT? Or doesn't she have one and all the motivation is on your end? Honestly if that is the case, I don't think that she'll 'get used to it' and frankly she shouldn't.
People should not use UT just because others tell them to. She needs a reason that is hers and hers alone, not just because I (you) say so. If she doesn't have one, she will never stick with it or she will never be a happy UT user.How about LineageOS + MicroG? Would that be a better fit?
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Agree with @Moem
When it boils down to open source and privacy respecting devices in general never ever assume your partner or children will go along. Any hickup or non-interoperable app that makes a partner non inclusive from their peers will be noted and feed aversy. This will not be spoken out publicly but meanwhile be stacked up on the pile of arguments and will lead to a burst you did not see coming regardless your best efforts and how hard you tried to make it work for your partner.Better buy your partner a phone that fits her needs out of the box, have it work on a dedicated wifi access point and install the obvious apps that should protect her from the brutal world. And just let go, do not persist. Remember the best way is not the easiest way even when you know and it is your believe there's a way now.
There will come a time when your partner will be stuck with that mainstream device she wanted 'to work without hassle like the ones of the peers' to then look over your shoulder and voluntarily be interested in how you manage to keep your devices running safe and secure after many years without re-investing every 3 years whilst being able to boot any application. Then your partner will be all ears. This is the only way to not be that 'stuborn' guy and it will save your partnership/marriage.
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My other half will only have Samsung Phones as she knows where stuff is. God forbid if they do a ROM update and swap things around. I don't argue as I made the mistake (ahem mistake in more ways than one) of getting her an iphone. That didn't go down too well....
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@3t_ed said in Normie girlfriend lacks enthusiasm and daughter bombarded with ads:
This is the only way to not be that 'stuborn' guy and it will save your partnership/marriage.
Agreed, but let's not make this a gendered issue. It doesn't have to be. My partner is male, he doesn't use UT, and that is fine. I'm plenty stubborn, but I'm not a guy. :smirking_face:
We choose our own OSses in this house and that's how we like it. -
@moem Definitely not a gendered issue, blokes are as bad.Most people just use what they know and if it changes they have a meltdown. Bit like supermarkets swapping food aisles to keep you on your toes when you do the weekly shop. Irritating, but an easy work through.
I got my lad using UT, but only phoning and texting, which worked for him. If he used Facebook, he went through Morph. -
Well the whole reason I wanted to get her a Linux phone was because I was sick of her iphone eavesdropping on us. Even when I went into privacy settings, and turned off mic access, I would still talk about something and then go in my room fire up my laptop and get a video about what I was talking about it in my recommended videos. This was noticeable because sometimes I would talk about something I hadn't mentioned in years and then a video would come up. It can't just be a coincidence. I just hate being bugged in my own home. It's just too creepy. I spoke to a guy that fixes Apple products for a living and he said that they still listen even when you tell them not to. Scandalous. So that's why I persuaded my gf to try this other phone. I've explained to her about how damaging facebook is but she likes to go on instagram. I don't want to force people into anything, I just don't want to be bugged at home when I'm chatting to my gf and kids.
So if anyone has any ideas on how she can use her iphone without it eavesdropping constantly then she can go back to it. Failing that, I thought that I could maybe get waydroid to work within UT so she can run some android apps on that. But God knows how you do that. Any pointers on how to get waydroid working on UT? Sorry for just taking here on this forum but I try to pay the kindness on in other ways.
Best Wishes
Matt
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@matt73 said in Normie girlfriend lacks enthusiasm and daughter bombarded with ads:
I just don't want to be bugged at home when I'm chatting to my gf and kids.
That's fair. Well, as suggested above, I would look into LineageOS + MicroG.
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@moem said in Normie girlfriend lacks enthusiasm and daughter bombarded with ads:
MicroG
Only if she needs apps that require this ^^
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My gf just moaned and moaned about this UT phone so in the end I gave her back her iphone. You guys are right, you can't force anyone to wake up and adopt alt-tech. Same with the mask wearers. I berated them for 2 years on the bus and all I got for my trouble was verbal abuse and even attempts at physical violence.
In the meantime, I'll continue to tinker with the UT phone. I need to figure out how to log into banking (but maybe the collapse of banks will take care of that ha ha), change the input language, how she can use the dreaded messenger and whatsapp (all her friends remain stubbornly on it) with video calls possible and a few other things. It's a challenge and a little side project.
Maybe she will come around in the future but by God it takes the masses a long time to catch on.
Anyway, thanks for all the advice here. I will figure out how to get waydroid working within UT.
Best Wishes
Matt
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@matt73 said in Normie girlfriend lacks enthusiasm and daughter bombarded with ads:
My gf just moaned and moaned about this UT phone so in the end I gave her back her iphone.
What do you mean by "gave it back to her"? That makes it sound as if you stole it from her.
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@cliffcoggin No, she gave it to me to sell but I just put it on a shelf.
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My wife has been using a Vollaphone with Ubuntu Touch since December 2020 following my persistent advice.
She continues to use her Iphone 8 in parallel.The first year she only used her Vollaphone when travelling or making phone calls. But since WayDroid became available and functional, she uses it more and more. (50% of the time now).
Now it can be easily installed through this application on the OpenStore:
https://open-store.io/app/waydroidhelper.aaronhaferAnd here are some tips on how to set it up properly:
https://forums.ubports.com/topic/5907/open-ubuntu-touch-to-all-android-applications/114It should be noted that this project is still experimental and may lead to the total malfunction of the device, although in the vast majority of cases everything goes well.f
The Pixel 3A XL should work fine on WayDroid, except for some issues with video playback. (possibly solved now)
