Fwd: Re: Are smartphones any good? (was Re: Oneplus One support)

[Josh Branning]

Send to the individual and not the list, whoops, FWD'

On 06/01/15 02:36, petercstevenson at telus.net wrote:
>> ... I just hope the military doesn't rely on
>> proprietary software devices.
>
> Have you seen this?
>
> http://www.fsf.org/working-together/profiles/department-of-defense
>

No I hadn't. I'm glad the U.S. military see the value in it. Anything
life critical and I would want there to be accountable software. Reminds
me somewhat, of the Karen Sandler proprietary pacemaker interview.

Back to phones: Perhaps it would be possible to make some firmware that
doesn't use the base stations at all, in a mesh, similar to the CB idea?
There is already software that turns one into a base station.
http://www.h-online.com/open/news/item/29C3-Budget-mobile-turns-into-GSM-base-station-1775204.html
Trouble is, you'd have to convince the FCC or whomever that it was a
good idea, and governments around the world are currently getting paid
the highest price possible, to let private and commercial companies have
sole use of the airwaves. Where I come from, even an amateur radio
license wouldn't let you transmit your own signals on GSM frequencies,
and hence we're limited to a measly unlicensed 5 watts, and not using
the common handsets at that.


Josh

> Peter Stevenson
>