As a security and privacy minded person im glad i CAN keep automatic updates enabled on GrapheneOS without having to worry about some crappy forced features being added.
I see windows users have to disable them too, its so crazy to me that people tollerate this stuff instead of just switching… Like yeah automatic updates that break things are annoying but “linux is too complicated”, so instead of learning to adapt to a new system, you adapt to just accepting that you dont fully get to control your devices a they will get progressively worse until eventually you have to get a whole new device. SMH
I switched to Linux and it is “too complicated.” Imo. There are a lot of compromises you have to make when you switch. I couldn’t even get my first couple distros to work because they don’t play nice with Nvidia.
I switched to bazzite because it would actually work graphically and I mostly only use steam anyway, but it isn’t all rainbows. I feel like I’m always switching Proton versions to get a game to load. I use Proton db, but idk I still have issues. GoG I use heroic and have the same problems. Also, installing software is a pain. It’s not that hard to use CLI but I get sick of it when I just want my shit to work with 2 clicks. Ive tried to run windows apps wlbut just gave that up. Also getting used to the folder structure and placements take time.
Plus, I can’t seem to Google (or whatever) my problems. The help you get in Linux forums is usually " just switch to insert distro".
I’ve worked IT jobs for about 10 years so I feel like I have some knowledge, but Linux has stumped me a couple times already. How is an non-tech person supposed to just switch?
I’ll never go back to Windows but you can’t expect people to leave something that works for something that they have to fumble with to get working.
Proton is a hack to run Windows game on Linux. Of course it’s not dead simple
Non-tech people who don’t game would be fine with something like Ubuntu or Mint.
Gaming is complicated because 98% of games are built for windows and then use Proton to try to translate (which is currently just built into Steam and then unofficial launchers like Heroic)
When using bazzite you can use fedora instead as that’s the basis. It should help with hitting more results.
What exactly are you installing through the CLI? They have an app store where you can find ( most? Probably? ) of the stuff you’re looking for.
You can use the CLI to find flatpacks and install them. And as a power user, sure why not. But if you’re not comfortable with it, why not use the GUI?
What games are you playing that are causing you issues? I don’t think I’ve had any game issues using the latest proton version , but most of the games I’ve played recently arent very old.
Yup. I usually search fedora when I’m looking stuff up. Usually, that helps but only so much.
I was installing mullvad. I didn’t see it listed in any store repo I had so I used cli. It’s not hard to do, but it was annoying getting the syntax correct because the instructions were for fedora but they didn’t completely translate to bazzite. Probably because bazzite is half locked down or something.
Games causing me issues were Elden Ring, Resident evil 4 Remake, and Black Mesa (I thought this would work right out the box, but it didn’t). They would usually launch then just close immediately. Eventually, I got the right Proton version that seems to work, but then I had issues downloading my cloud saves.
I see a lot of people are still giving me the “it just works out the box” talk, so idk. Maybe I shouldn’t have reformatted my ntfs drive and just got a new one, but I didn’t want to give up a 1tb ssd for no reason.
Eeeeh. I’m glad it’s working out of the box for all those people then. But that doesn’t really help you out.
Unfortunately I don’t own any of these games so I can’t test it to see if I could help out. Bizarre that you’re running into issues considering the games I checked are steam deck verified. Black Mesa people mention using the proton rather than the native ( Linux ) version.
If mullvad is wireguard based you can always import the wireguard config in your network manager and connect that way. It’s what I did for my VPN. Downside is that you won’t be able to use any features the app would offer you ( besides the VPN connection ).
I think setting up linux as a gaming machine is more advanced than most people would be able to handle right now, but I was referring more to just general computer usage. I was able to install PopOS on a 13 year old MacBook the other day and the most difficult part was getting the iso setup as a bootable USB drive - and even that wasn’t too hard. Although, to be fair, I think anyone who has problems doing an install of linux would also have a problem doing an install of Windows.
I feel Windows 10 and 11, which I am forced to use on various work computers, represent a new era of impossible to predict UI behavior. Like, hats off if that was intended, they succeeded. I can’t make heads or tails of anything anymore, and the things I want are several options deep now.
You know you’re on the right track when you click something, and suddenly the Fisher-Price interface goes away and it opens a dialog box that hasn’t changed since Windows 2000.
I’ve been writing software synthesizers for Windows since the Windows 95 era. The low-level audio API for that (sometimes called “waveOutX” and “waveInX” was a pain in the ass to deal with programmatically but once you figured it out it worked very well and totally reliable. I’ve been continuously amazed (and secretly happy) that for the last 30 fucking years they’ve just kept bringing that same exact API forward. Even Windows CE/Windows Mobile had that shit in it in the early '00s, which let me get my code working on PDAs and the earliest smartphones. Every attempt Microsoft has made to replace this API has somehow managed to be much more difficult to work with and simultaneously buggy as hell.
I think MS actually used to have some capable engineers (one of them who helped develop the waveOutX API I actually know by name, Larry Osterman) but they all fucked off with their tens of millions of dollars in stock options decades ago and what’s left is a disasterclass.
I’ve been an IT professional for nearly 30 years and it seems like every new version of Windows they do everything they can to make me feel like an idiot who has never used a computer before. Simple things like turning off the computer isn’t intuitive. I only use Windows at work now, my personal computers are all either linux or MacOS… and I just installed linux on my old 2012 Macbook and ‘it just (mostly) works’.
Simple things like turning off the computer isn’t intuitive.
Lol like that’s even possible in Windows. I can’t remember the last version I had where the “Power Off” option actually worked. I still just hold down the physical power button until I hear that click.
It used to be that if you disabled hibernate or something, it would actually shut down completely then start back up fresh when powered on, instead of that hybrid startup thing.
If there’s some new, worse version then I have no idea, lol.
The post was about someone losing root access via an auto-update which they disabled because it might remove their root access.
Your post was about GrapheneOS. If you rooted it, for whatever reason (maybe you need it to have privileged access to the apps on the hardware that you own), you will lose root access when you update it.
How does that not make sense?
I would rather think your post doesn’t make so much sense, because GOS doesn’t solve the root access issue when auto-updating, but it might honor the disablement of updates, I guess.
I am using GOS as well, but I wouldn’t suggest it to someone needing root access for whatever reason.
If i wanted root i wouldnt be using GOS, but its been years since root was needed for much other than than debloating devices without custom roms. There are custom roms that have root if its really what you want.
Granted I used and I am still using a phone that is rooted next to my GOS phone. Rooting makes it easier to backup app data, cleanup the device, customize battery charge settings, patch apps, edit app memory, and, debloat, I guess, but I never have done that. I just wasn’t assuming that the person rooting their android did it just to debloat, they might have more/other use-cases. But it is their device, they should have the freedom to do with it, whatever they want in all cases. How much security and against which kind of attacks and which attacker one might want to defend more or less and to what cost of personal freedom is a personal question, that cannot (and should not) be answered by some outside entity for an individum, if breaches only affect them.
Was it IRobot where the intelligence decided that in order to keep every human save, they are all placed under house arrest? Security has its cost, that shouldn’t be ignored.
If someone wants root access, the reason doesn’t matter, it is their device, they should get it. Asking that is like asking why someone want to leave their house, and were they want to go before letting them or trying to convince them that they don’t actually need to leave because it isn’t save for them and that they should be happy with what they have.
Rooting modern android essentially breaks the security model on a system wide level. Im not disagreeing with your sentiment, if someone wants to do that, they should be able to, but its not something needed on modern android for backups or anything else.
5+ years ago it was a different situation, apps like titanium backup back in the day would require root but in 2025 this is no longer the case with modern android versions.
The important feature is bootloader unlocking, if you have access to that then you have root access. Just as you wouldnt stay logged in as root on a PC its also not what you should be doing on a phone.
As a security and privacy minded person im glad i CAN keep automatic updates enabled on GrapheneOS without having to worry about some crappy forced features being added.
I see windows users have to disable them too, its so crazy to me that people tollerate this stuff instead of just switching… Like yeah automatic updates that break things are annoying but “linux is too complicated”, so instead of learning to adapt to a new system, you adapt to just accepting that you dont fully get to control your devices a they will get progressively worse until eventually you have to get a whole new device. SMH
The worst part of this is that it’s no longer true. Windows is WAY more complicated than Linux (can be) at this point.
I switched to Linux and it is “too complicated.” Imo. There are a lot of compromises you have to make when you switch. I couldn’t even get my first couple distros to work because they don’t play nice with Nvidia.
I switched to bazzite because it would actually work graphically and I mostly only use steam anyway, but it isn’t all rainbows. I feel like I’m always switching Proton versions to get a game to load. I use Proton db, but idk I still have issues. GoG I use heroic and have the same problems. Also, installing software is a pain. It’s not that hard to use CLI but I get sick of it when I just want my shit to work with 2 clicks. Ive tried to run windows apps wlbut just gave that up. Also getting used to the folder structure and placements take time.
Plus, I can’t seem to Google (or whatever) my problems. The help you get in Linux forums is usually " just switch to insert distro".
I’ve worked IT jobs for about 10 years so I feel like I have some knowledge, but Linux has stumped me a couple times already. How is an non-tech person supposed to just switch?
I’ll never go back to Windows but you can’t expect people to leave something that works for something that they have to fumble with to get working.
Bro, Linux has GUI software installers.
Proton is a hack to run Windows game on Linux. Of course it’s not dead simple
Non-tech people who don’t game would be fine with something like Ubuntu or Mint.
Gaming is complicated because 98% of games are built for windows and then use Proton to try to translate (which is currently just built into Steam and then unofficial launchers like Heroic)
When using bazzite you can use fedora instead as that’s the basis. It should help with hitting more results.
What exactly are you installing through the CLI? They have an app store where you can find ( most? Probably? ) of the stuff you’re looking for.
You can use the CLI to find flatpacks and install them. And as a power user, sure why not. But if you’re not comfortable with it, why not use the GUI?
What games are you playing that are causing you issues? I don’t think I’ve had any game issues using the latest proton version , but most of the games I’ve played recently arent very old.
Yup. I usually search fedora when I’m looking stuff up. Usually, that helps but only so much.
I was installing mullvad. I didn’t see it listed in any store repo I had so I used cli. It’s not hard to do, but it was annoying getting the syntax correct because the instructions were for fedora but they didn’t completely translate to bazzite. Probably because bazzite is half locked down or something.
Games causing me issues were Elden Ring, Resident evil 4 Remake, and Black Mesa (I thought this would work right out the box, but it didn’t). They would usually launch then just close immediately. Eventually, I got the right Proton version that seems to work, but then I had issues downloading my cloud saves.
I see a lot of people are still giving me the “it just works out the box” talk, so idk. Maybe I shouldn’t have reformatted my ntfs drive and just got a new one, but I didn’t want to give up a 1tb ssd for no reason.
Eeeeh. I’m glad it’s working out of the box for all those people then. But that doesn’t really help you out.
Unfortunately I don’t own any of these games so I can’t test it to see if I could help out. Bizarre that you’re running into issues considering the games I checked are steam deck verified. Black Mesa people mention using the proton rather than the native ( Linux ) version.
If mullvad is wireguard based you can always import the wireguard config in your network manager and connect that way. It’s what I did for my VPN. Downside is that you won’t be able to use any features the app would offer you ( besides the VPN connection ).
Sorry I can’t be of more help. :(
I think setting up linux as a gaming machine is more advanced than most people would be able to handle right now, but I was referring more to just general computer usage. I was able to install PopOS on a 13 year old MacBook the other day and the most difficult part was getting the iso setup as a bootable USB drive - and even that wasn’t too hard. Although, to be fair, I think anyone who has problems doing an install of linux would also have a problem doing an install of Windows.
I feel Windows 10 and 11, which I am forced to use on various work computers, represent a new era of impossible to predict UI behavior. Like, hats off if that was intended, they succeeded. I can’t make heads or tails of anything anymore, and the things I want are several options deep now.
You know you’re on the right track when you click something, and suddenly the Fisher-Price interface goes away and it opens a dialog box that hasn’t changed since Windows 2000.
I’ve been writing software synthesizers for Windows since the Windows 95 era. The low-level audio API for that (sometimes called “waveOutX” and “waveInX” was a pain in the ass to deal with programmatically but once you figured it out it worked very well and totally reliable. I’ve been continuously amazed (and secretly happy) that for the last 30 fucking years they’ve just kept bringing that same exact API forward. Even Windows CE/Windows Mobile had that shit in it in the early '00s, which let me get my code working on PDAs and the earliest smartphones. Every attempt Microsoft has made to replace this API has somehow managed to be much more difficult to work with and simultaneously buggy as hell.
I think MS actually used to have some capable engineers (one of them who helped develop the waveOutX API I actually know by name, Larry Osterman) but they all fucked off with their tens of millions of dollars in stock options decades ago and what’s left is a disasterclass.
I’ve been an IT professional for nearly 30 years and it seems like every new version of Windows they do everything they can to make me feel like an idiot who has never used a computer before. Simple things like turning off the computer isn’t intuitive. I only use Windows at work now, my personal computers are all either linux or MacOS… and I just installed linux on my old 2012 Macbook and ‘it just (mostly) works’.
Lol like that’s even possible in Windows. I can’t remember the last version I had where the “Power Off” option actually worked. I still just hold down the physical power button until I hear that click.
It used to be that if you disabled hibernate or something, it would actually shut down completely then start back up fresh when powered on, instead of that hybrid startup thing.
If there’s some new, worse version then I have no idea, lol.
Good luck keeping root access with your GrapheneOS auto-update.
Your comment doesnt make any sense, i wouldnt want root access from GrapheneOS, that would break pretty much all of the security benefits.
The point is to not need to use expliots and break security just to configure your device how you want in the first place.
The post was about someone losing root access via an auto-update which they disabled because it might remove their root access.
Your post was about GrapheneOS. If you rooted it, for whatever reason (maybe you need it to have privileged access to the apps on the hardware that you own), you will lose root access when you update it.
How does that not make sense?
I would rather think your post doesn’t make so much sense, because GOS doesn’t solve the root access issue when auto-updating, but it might honor the disablement of updates, I guess.
I am using GOS as well, but I wouldn’t suggest it to someone needing root access for whatever reason.
If i wanted root i wouldnt be using GOS, but its been years since root was needed for much other than than debloating devices without custom roms. There are custom roms that have root if its really what you want.
Me? Who is talking about me?
Granted I used and I am still using a phone that is rooted next to my GOS phone. Rooting makes it easier to backup app data, cleanup the device, customize battery charge settings, patch apps, edit app memory, and, debloat, I guess, but I never have done that. I just wasn’t assuming that the person rooting their android did it just to debloat, they might have more/other use-cases. But it is their device, they should have the freedom to do with it, whatever they want in all cases. How much security and against which kind of attacks and which attacker one might want to defend more or less and to what cost of personal freedom is a personal question, that cannot (and should not) be answered by some outside entity for an individum, if breaches only affect them.
Was it IRobot where the intelligence decided that in order to keep every human save, they are all placed under house arrest? Security has its cost, that shouldn’t be ignored.
If someone wants root access, the reason doesn’t matter, it is their device, they should get it. Asking that is like asking why someone want to leave their house, and were they want to go before letting them or trying to convince them that they don’t actually need to leave because it isn’t save for them and that they should be happy with what they have.
Rooting modern android essentially breaks the security model on a system wide level. Im not disagreeing with your sentiment, if someone wants to do that, they should be able to, but its not something needed on modern android for backups or anything else.
5+ years ago it was a different situation, apps like titanium backup back in the day would require root but in 2025 this is no longer the case with modern android versions.
The important feature is bootloader unlocking, if you have access to that then you have root access. Just as you wouldnt stay logged in as root on a PC its also not what you should be doing on a phone.