Vadim_Kovalskiy's recent activity
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Comment on Consequences of advertising and enshittification on the Internet in ~tech
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Comment on Consequences of advertising and enshittification on the Internet in ~tech
Vadim_Kovalskiy Link ParentI run GrapheneOS and I must say it is a boring experience in the best of ways. Functions the way you wish Android should. Was easy to setup and if you use Google Play Services, you really don't...I run GrapheneOS and I must say it is a boring experience in the best of ways. Functions the way you wish Android should. Was easy to setup and if you use Google Play Services, you really don't lose much functionality. I still use Google Maps just fine. Only features I noticably gave up was tap to pay and Banking apps (but web apps work just fine).
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Comment on Consequences of advertising and enshittification on the Internet in ~tech
Vadim_Kovalskiy Link ParentThanks for the tips. I will have to give adguard a shot. Cheers!Thanks for the tips. I will have to give adguard a shot. Cheers!
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Comment on Consequences of advertising and enshittification on the Internet in ~tech
Vadim_Kovalskiy Link ParentI am right there with you (except ya'har due to strict internal regulations where I live). I have Ublock and pi-hole which does a great job at home. It is out in town I get frustrated with things....I am right there with you (except ya'har due to strict internal regulations where I live). I have Ublock and pi-hole which does a great job at home. It is out in town I get frustrated with things. Thanks for sharing!
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Comment on Consequences of advertising and enshittification on the Internet in ~tech
Vadim_Kovalskiy Link ParentValid approach. I see myself deletong majority of mine and sticking with artists and such behind the paywall so I can support them and not have ads. Unfortunately I don't have the opportunity to...Valid approach. I see myself deletong majority of mine and sticking with artists and such behind the paywall so I can support them and not have ads. Unfortunately I don't have the opportunity to travel as much as I would like for local events, but the time savings not seeing ads or having to sift through slop would be great.
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Comment on Thoughts on graphene OS? in ~tech
Vadim_Kovalskiy LinkBeen running GrapheneOS on a Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro for about a year now. The experience is quite straightforward once you have it installed. I still use Google Play Services (Google Maps is...Been running GrapheneOS on a Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro for about a year now. The experience is quite straightforward once you have it installed. I still use Google Play Services (Google Maps is required for me, although Magic Earth feels like it is getting there) and have had minimal issues troubleshooting things.
If I had to troubleshoot an issue, it was usually because of an app not having the correct permissions or the function just not being there (ie. Google Wallet or banking apps).
I switched over to web apps or just logging in on the sites for banking. Google Wallet is a nice feature, but I was okay letting it go when I switched over.
Secondary review is from my partner. She has been a Motorola user since the original Razer and has been increasingly frustrated with the Google Stock UI and AI contantly being shoved in her face. I switched her over to GrapheneOS and she noticed her battery lasts a lot longer and likes the interface better. She is not the most tech savvy of individuals, but she is happy using GrapheneOS to host her social media services and play YouTube in the backround throughout the day.
Wish you best of luck on the journey and take it one step at a time if you switch to GrapheneOS. I find many people try to do too many things at once and get frustrated by it. When I first switched over, I kept all my same workflows and ways I operated on stock, just without the bloat. From there I tweaked it further and farther away from Google's Suite. Cheers.
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Comment on Consequences of advertising and enshittification on the Internet in ~tech
Vadim_Kovalskiy Link ParentThank you for this. Added to the reading list and looks quite interesting based on the back cover.Thank you for this. Added to the reading list and looks quite interesting based on the back cover.
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Comment on Consequences of advertising and enshittification on the Internet in ~tech
Vadim_Kovalskiy LinkPreface: I wanted to write out some thoughts and elaborate on my feelings. Yesterday I was met with 5 promoted advertisements out of 10 posts in my social media feed and it really got me thinking...- Exemplary
Preface: I wanted to write out some thoughts and elaborate on my feelings. Yesterday I was met with 5 promoted advertisements out of 10 posts in my social media feed and it really got me thinking about how out of hand advertisements and the premium models have become. Apologies in advance if this comes off as more of a rant.
Facebook, X, Reddit, Insta, Pinterest, etc. have all become increasingly flooded with paid advertisements and promoted content. Paired with the rise of artificially generated content, we have come to a point where the user experience and community on the internet is degrading at a rapid rate.
Many have talked about how X or Reddit is mostly bots talking to bots or how regrettable it is to pay with a Premium plan for a product which was once free simply to get rid of the advertisement overload of the current product. I find increased frustration with these two and feel saddened for those who are not in such a priviledged financial position as myself to pay for Premium plans. Why are feeds flooded with advertisements deemed acceptable in society today? Why aren't we as a community acting en masse to protest artificially generated content which is clogging up conversations and pushing agendas which are disingenuous to the greater community?
This model has created a regressive, two-tiered system where wealthier users pay for ad-free privacy, while lower-income users are forced to consume a degraded, ad-heavy product. It reminds me of the concept of "shadow work" where people are paying and wasting their time on things which provide no real substance to their own lives, but benefit the bottom line of these tech companies. I understand how we as consumers expect free digital services since it was the norm in the earlier days of the internet, but the overwhelming dominance of major platforms makes it difficult for us to migrate to alternatives without abandoning established social networks. I have been struggling to get myself off of the big platforms because the creators I have come to enjoy can only make their business model work through remaining on those platforms and having the largest target audience see thier product. In many cases, I have asked why those people do not make their own site and the answer defaults to "I will end up losing a lot of my customer base by switching off of X and onto my own platform. There are just more people looking at my content here." Because platforms function as both a monopoly on the service and a monopsony on the audience, creators cannot afford the churn rate of moving to an independent site. They are functionally captive to the algorithm's demands and big tech's "Town Square" model.
Platforms run at a loss initially to capture users and creators, exploiting network effects where a platform's value increases solely because everyone else is already there. Once users and creators are locked in due to the exceptionally high social and financial costs of switching, platforms shift their focus from the user experience to extracting value for shareholders, resulting in a dramatic increase in ad load and artificial content. We have seen this time and time again and I find myself increasingly frustrated by the event. Research on the consequences of advertising shows when privacy regulations or premium models are introduced, platforms compensate by shifting heavier ad burdens onto lower-income consumers, effectively taxing their time while wealthier users buy their way out (see link provided for a more in-depth analysis on this which I found of interest).
The lack of protest seems to stem from a collective action problem. Platforms did not flood feeds with ads and bots overnight. The degradation was gradual. Society accepts this because the alternative requires coordinating a mass exodus. Artificially generated content acts as a filler that keeps engagement metrics artificially high for advertisers, masking the actual decline in human interaction. This creates an illusion of a thriving community while the digital town square is hollowed out. The monetization of digital spaces has effectively privatized what was once viewed as a public utility, leaving users to bear the psychological and literal costs of navigating todays internet.
I have been working to make it so I don't think so cynically and believe the AI bubble is going to eventually pop and the advertising model overall will change to something more sustainable long term. It feels like I need to pay for almost all of my products online these days in order not to waste my time on advertisements or content which provide no real benefit to me. Seeing the botnets flood discussion threads has really put a damper on my interests in hobbies and hearing what other people have to say. I don't know what the right answer is or how we as a society can work to fix this issue. Curious to hear what the rest of the Tildes community thinks about this and if anyone else has similar thoughts with the ongoings of our modern AI driven age.
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Consequences of advertising and enshittification on the Internet
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Comment on Rolls-Royce will build small nuclear power plants for Sweden in a major boost for the British engineering group's ambitions to lead the development of the nascent technology in Europe in ~enviro
Vadim_Kovalskiy LinkMirror for no paywall: http://archive.today/NapuaMirror for no paywall:
http://archive.today/Napua -
Comment on We must keep age verification from killing anonymity online in ~tech
Vadim_Kovalskiy Link ParentZero Knowledge would be the least worse option in theory. I don't believe a government or corporation would spend the necessary resources or have the desire to implement a zero knowledge system....Zero Knowledge would be the least worse option in theory. I don't believe a government or corporation would spend the necessary resources or have the desire to implement a zero knowledge system. As a person who personally advocates for zero trust systems in IT infrastructure (and personally implemented it over the years for several businesses), it should be the way, but often times the voice of reason / adult in the room advocating for IT infrastructure is often told things such as "not good enough", "we need it sooner and don't have time for zero trust", or "we took your recommendation into consideration and decided to go another way."
I agree if this was all for legitimate age proofs, it would be a different conversation. Unfortunately, I see this as a CIO / subject matter expert getting told to sit down and be quiet so the CEO or similar can bring in the profits.
Alas, my wording of the least worst option is meant for the pessimistic view personally held on how this may go. Unfortunately this movement seems to be malicious from the very start under the guise of "think of the children" despite age verification being a non-issue until now since the invention of the internet.
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Comment on We must keep age verification from killing anonymity online in ~tech
Vadim_Kovalskiy Link ParentThe Nederlands has something similar called DigiD. I agree the way you recommend if something must be implemented, then this is the least worst option. Honestly if any entity is going to resist...The Nederlands has something similar called DigiD. I agree the way you recommend if something must be implemented, then this is the least worst option. Honestly if any entity is going to resist the
briberylobbying of the effort, it will be the EU or countries within it which make it so. -
Comment on Which Linux distro do you use, and why? in ~tech
Vadim_Kovalskiy LinkCachyOS for my daily driver, Kubuntu for the family, and Ubuntu Server for my home lab and self hosts. I use Arch btw, but switched to CachyOS this year so I don't have to fuss over a lot of the...CachyOS for my daily driver, Kubuntu for the family, and Ubuntu Server for my home lab and self hosts. I use Arch btw, but switched to CachyOS this year so I don't have to fuss over a lot of the odds and ends.
I think it is a nice middle ground between the standard ironman old-school Arch install and adding in some smart optimizations/QoL features Arch just doesn't have baked in from the start. I know many love it or hate it, but I have grown to enjoy it on my desktop. It has successfully taken over to be my gaming machine so I could sundown using Win 11 which was a huge plus in my book. Runs games, software, and anything I throw at it with ease.
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Comment on Has anyone here tried bone conduction headphones? in ~tech
Vadim_Kovalskiy LinkI was in the same boat as you—very intrigued by the concept. The idea of having my ears completely open to my surroundings while still listening to music or a podcast. I bought a pair of...I was in the same boat as you—very intrigued by the concept. The idea of having my ears completely open to my surroundings while still listening to music or a podcast. I bought a pair of Aftershokz (now called Shokz) headphones to try them out.
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Situational Awareness: This is the main selling point, and it absolutely delivers. It's not like transparency mode on other earbuds, which can sometimes sound artificial.
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No Ear Fatigue: There's nothing in your ear canal, so there's none of that pressure or discomfort that can come from in-ear buds after a while. They just rest on your cheekbones in front of your ears.
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Comfort (Long-Term): While they were fine for a 30-minute walk, I found that after an hour or so, the constant pressure from the pads on my cheekbones and the subtle vibration started to give me a unique kind of tension headache. It wasn't a sharp pain, but a dull, persistent ache that would linger even after I took them off. This is obviously a very personal thing—many people use them for hours with no issue—but for me, it was a consistent problem.
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Sound Quality: It's okay, but you have to manage your expectations. Because they work by vibrating your bones, the sound, especially bass, is significantly weaker and less rich than what you'd get from traditional headphones. For podcasts and audiobooks, they're perfectly fine. For music, it can sound a bit thin and lacking in depth. If you're an audiophile, you will likely be disappointed.
Would I Recommend Them?
It's a qualified "maybe." I would recommend them to someone who:
- Likes not having in ear earbuds.
- Primarily listens to spoken-word content like podcasts or audiobooks.
- Has tried them and does not experience the headache issue I did.
For my personal use case, the headaches were a dealbreaker. I went back to just using a single Sennheiser earbud, which for me is the perfect compromise. I still have one ear totally free to hear my surroundings, but I get better sound quality and no head pressure.
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Comment on Does anyone have a digg invite code I can get ? in ~tech
Vadim_Kovalskiy LinkLooking forward to the reviews on how the platform progresses within the next 30-90 days. Will probably have a follow up comments if the reception is good from other Tilderinos.Looking forward to the reviews on how the platform progresses within the next 30-90 days. Will probably have a follow up comments if the reception is good from other Tilderinos.
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Comment on Posteo.de or Mailbox.org - Struggling to find an alternative to Proton in ~tech
Vadim_Kovalskiy Link ParentSo I name all of my networks, devices, and domains off of Greek Gods. Maybe you could use something similar or something like cycling(at)mountmammoth.com and such.So I name all of my networks, devices, and domains off of Greek Gods. Maybe you could use something similar or something like cycling(at)mountmammoth.com and such.
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Comment on Posteo.de or Mailbox.org - Struggling to find an alternative to Proton in ~tech
Vadim_Kovalskiy LinkI myself switched over from Proton to Mailbox.org on my two main email accounts. I really enjoy how to the point and convenient Mailbox.org is. I have a custom domain which is what ultimately let...I myself switched over from Proton to Mailbox.org on my two main email accounts. I really enjoy how to the point and convenient Mailbox.org is. I have a custom domain which is what ultimately let to me choosing them over Posteo.
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Comment on How often do you replace your phone? in ~tech
Vadim_Kovalskiy LinkI am in a similar boat to @DynamoSunshirt as I only replace my phone when it starts to have problems. I've had: 2008-2013: Motorola Razr V3 (Classic) 2013-2014: HTC One 2014-2016: Samsung Galaxy...I am in a similar boat to @DynamoSunshirt as I only replace my phone when it starts to have problems.
I've had:
2008-2013: Motorola Razr V3 (Classic)
2013-2014: HTC One
2014-2016: Samsung Galaxy Note 5
2016-2019 Google Pixel 1
2019-2024 iPhone XS
2024-2024: iPhone 15 (briefly before returning and deciding to getting out of the Apple walled garden)
2024-Present: Google Pixel 9I do miss the nostalgia of smaller phones and the simple life of the Motorola Razr flip phone. Alas, our advanced age has delivered us slabs of shiny glass which is far bigger than I could have imagined in 2008 (Which is a shame in my opinion).
I bounced around Android and hated the bloat HTC and Samsung had. When I grabbed the Pixel 1 I fell in love with the simplicity and sturdiness of the design. Ended up drinking the Apple cool-aid when the XS came out and decided to give it a go. The phone lasted me a good bit, but started suffering from being sluggish to the point of enraging me. I upgraded to an iPhone 15 and decided Apple is not for me.
Shortly thereafter, I grabbed a new Pixel 9 and put Graphene OS on it. I thought it was going to be a PITA and leave me wanting more or worse, going back to Apple. Thankfully, I am happy with what I have. It works for me and while the phone may be on the larger side, it is nice to have such granular control over my device.
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Comment on Proton CEO tweets support for Donald Trump's Department of Justice pick and the US Republican Party in ~society
Vadim_Kovalskiy Link ParentI made the jump over to Tresorit from Proton Drove today. The software is clean and easy to use. Getting to the individual plan was a pain imo. Navigating the site, you will find several services...I made the jump over to Tresorit from Proton Drove today. The software is clean and easy to use. Getting to the individual plan was a pain imo. Navigating the site, you will find several services Tresorit provides (aimed at a business level rather than a personal level) and a personal plan which does its job. Uploaded everything, shared links, shared files, and had no issues. Tresorit is not as snappy as Proton, but that is fine by me.
I myself like how the service is owned by the Swiss Post (the nation's postal service). Having a nation state supporting a E2EE service is kind of neat and gives me a feeling of permanence.
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Comment on Vivaldi 7.0 has been released in ~tech
Vadim_Kovalskiy Link ParentVivaldi is my favorite Chromium based browser, but Zen does look promising. My only concern with Zen is the small dev team and the potential for a less secure version of Firefox. I tend to...Vivaldi is my favorite Chromium based browser, but Zen does look promising. My only concern with Zen is the small dev team and the potential for a less secure version of Firefox. I tend to prioritize security above all in my browsers. If Zen could both remain up to date on security patches and maintain the current layout, then I will certainly become a donator for the cause. I am hesitant to jump on the band wagon as of now due to the lack of longevity with the product and how Zen develops in the coming months.
TL:DR: Google doesn't like us making a more secure or private solution so they would rather remove features for "security purposes"
Google requires devices to pass a strict set of security certifications called CTS (Compatibility Test Suite) and Play Integrity/SafetyNet attestation. Google Wallet will flag GrapheneOS as not meeting security standards (ironic) and disable contactless payments. So Google Wallet is a bust, but things like Curve Pay, Banks which have their own system, or Smartwatch tap to pay still works.