Android ROM that looks interesting: /e/

h.EAR.t

somewhere between the lines, Sat, 09 Feb 2019 14:44:33 +0100

Some time ago @Yuki (雪亮) ?? ? posted about a new open source and privacy respecting Android ROM that looked interesting to me on first superficial look. Problem was: I had lost my note and did not find that original posting too.
I just found that ROM, it's by the original founder of Mandrake and developed as a non-profit organization. Last time I saw that it is available for my Oneplus One. Will have a closer look whether I will attempt the move from lineageOS to /e/. The alternative would be lineage without Google apps.
https://e.foundation/

Android ROM /e/

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Erik R

Sat, 09 Feb 2019 22:14:49 +0100

Let us know how it goes. After your last post on this topic I stumbled on /e/ and got very inspired. Any time soon I might give it a go on my FairPhone 2.

Olaf Wendt (Hz)

Sun, 10 Feb 2019 07:36:58 +0100

Ah, this one - finally you've found it :thumbsup:

h.EAR.t

Sun, 10 Feb 2019 12:53:07 +0100

I don't think I will flash it anytime soon, not before Easter. I will need to invest a little time I don't want to invest into my phone right now. I also want to create a dedicated partition for a Debian container etc - so there will be quite a few changes once I sit down to do it. As of now my Debian is residing just inside the system FS. But if I can give it it's own partition I think I will be able to use LUKS and / or have it boot automatically or ... We'll see.

Olaf Wendt (Hz)

Sun, 10 Feb 2019 20:40:03 +0100

That sounds like a plan - please keep us informed! I hope some kind person will add support for the nexus 5X some day because I reckon it won't work with their nexus 5 ROM in existence.

I've seen a bunch of Debian-related solutions on F-Droid lately, and counting. What are you using it for on your Oneplus One as of now? Is it just an addon, nice to have or does it provide crucial functionality?

h.EAR.t

Sun, 10 Feb 2019 21:44:32 +0100 last edited: Sun, 10 Feb 2019 21:54:06 +0100

I am using Linux Deploy.
For me an added Debian greatly extends what I can do. automated rsyncs, automated cleanup tasks (del files older than), automatically fetch files from storage, add pandoc and LaTeX, git, even a web server. Though as of now Mariadb fails to start, have not really investigated, don't care for now. LaTeX is by far the greatest plus. In addition, podget and more.
I want a Linux phone or tablet. That gets me nearer.

https://github.com/meefik/linuxdeploy/releases

Olaf Wendt (Hz)

Sun, 10 Feb 2019 22:03:42 +0100

Ah okay, pandoc and rsync really resonate with me, that makes a whole lotta sense. As for LaTeX I guess phablet+ size is the absolute minimum; I once tried #Vim on a 5" display but nearly broke my thumbs. I don't even want to imagine how LaTex markup might wreck my finger joints

h.EAR.t

Sun, 10 Feb 2019 22:10:42 +0100 last edited: Sun, 10 Feb 2019 22:12:42 +0100

You can use Android editors too. At least I can right now. The charm is to create the basic files on a laptop and sync via git.
But I am using pandoc more, LaTeX merely retreats to PDF creation from pandoc.
And I am getting better with typing on the phone. But I bought a phone stand and a bluetooth keyboard.
I am doing quite a lot from my phone because I am very short sighted and prefer that screen to the stationary laptop / workstation when I have got the choice.

Olaf Wendt (Hz)

Sun, 10 Feb 2019 22:20:55 +0100

But I bought a phone stand and a bluetooth keyboard.

I once felt tempted to do so but then decided such a 3 piece toolset would render the "mobile" in mobile cellphone kind of absurd. But this is only me, everyone has their own mode - hey, as long as it works...

h.EAR.t

Sun, 10 Feb 2019 22:35:30 +0100

Actually I can highly recommend a good stand! It took me years, too.

I don't need to hold the phone, which made ny hand ache after some really heavy use
It's useful to keep the phone in place to watch a movie, last used just a few days ago when I was ill
I can have the phone standing next to the laptop
As my stand is flexible I can adjust it to a lot of usecases, reading, working, watching and place it on my lap on the train or ...
The stand (and a waterproof shield) make it safe and convenient to use it in the bath
...

I don't want to miss it. And the keyboard is a valid addition for writing sessions or admin tasks. Everything is less luggage than the laptop and much more flexible.
That's my way.

Erik R

Tue, 12 Feb 2019 21:42:00 +0100

I have established a working sync using syncthing and keep 3 computers up to date. Syncthing is available both on Jolla and on Android. The software I build i centered around syncthing as wel as GIT; stuff shall be saved in textfiles that can be mirrored over the network - not databases. I have the note-editor (Neville) and a time tracker (timeqx).

For Neville I am researching encryption and are working on a concept editor with 3 different algorithms in parallel - all most be cracked to get the secret. That will do for my passwords :) Still each encrypted file shall be possible to distribute using syncthing or GIT or mercurial scm/hg. I spent a long buss-ride making a working concept and designing the triple encryption setup.

By the way, I will steal the LUKS-concept with slotted passwords - you and the wife can share encrypted secrets and still have a personal password beside a hidden envelope with a printed password that opens all doors in case of amnesia or old age.

Debian on the phone sounds similar to the Jolla. The Jolla is a more Linux-ish phone os than Android. One can ssh to the phone and sudo to root (real root) using the built in development tools. No cracking or rooting. No Jolla-version of syncthing - one uses the general linux arm version. That is how I like a phone :)

I am interested in a Linux based tablet than a linux based phone right now. Quite desperately I need to have a piece of mind on the tablet.

In Sweden we are now sadly made our self dependent on Android or iPhone for things like parking the car, identifying your self and sharing money between individuals. Sadly there are no open source alternatives what so ever. I have the ideas of some few applications that need to be developed and challenge the oligopoly but perhaps that is a lost battle. How do I get a bank to invest in a new and unproven solution when there already is an established one. Then there is also the matter of spare time.

It is also sad that I need to use an US-designed phone to get around in EU while the EU-developed one fails to work in reality and works better in Russia and China. I'd prefer the Finish Jolla to Andoid any day.

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