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1. 1attic+(OP)[view] [source] 2025-09-19 19:34:34
It's not great, IMO.

I'm a Librem 5 owner, but I haven't really been able to use it, due to the atrocious (unusable) battery life, and broad incompatibility with most of the things that I need to do with a phone.

I've been a proud Linux user since the 90s, so by rights I should be exactly the market they're trying to capture -- slightly paranoid, FOSS-idealogue, willing to trade off some (or even a lot of) usability for freedom (and these days, a degree of protection from that thing that is happening in the USA and elsewhere, which is no longer safe to call by its name).

Yet here are the things that I cannot do on my Librem 5 that I basically need to be able to do in order to subsist:

- Go for more than 5h without charging

- Google Maps. I know -- on my GrapheneOS handset, I have OSMAnd+ and OrganicMaps (installed via F-droid no less) but as it happens, I live in a city with a lot of bridges and even more traffic, and if I want to get anywhere without a +/- 1h variance due to traffic, I depend on live-traffic-informed maps.

- Signal. (note: It's been a year or two since I checked in -- is this available yet on Librem 5?)

- Parking apps. My city has invested heavily in integration against just one of these apps, and it happens not to run on Librem 5 (or, for that matter, GrapheneOS -- why does a _parking app_ want attestation? smh). This is becoming increasingly inconvenient as competing apps seem to be in retreat and I am getting used to circling, waiting for spaces that I can successfully pay for.

- Ability to run local government app, which is available for both Android and iPhone, but obviously not Librem. This was more urgent during the pandemic, when it was required for various things like crossing borders and proving Covid status, but it's still hard(er) to get service from some agencies without it.

I have my Librem 5 in a drawer with my other fun tinkering toys, like my Raspberry Pi collection and 5" touchscreen modules (and breakout boards etc.) I still have plans to install it in my car at some point (it would be a good fit for an always-charging scenario.) Every once in a while I take it out and admire it and dream about the possibility of a future without domination. Then I put it away again.

replies(3): >>bzmrgo+Z9 >>Silver+Fb >>reanim+Im
2. bzmrgo+Z9[view] [source] 2025-09-19 20:26:55
>>1attic+(OP)
Sooo Amsterdam? or Pittsburgh?
3. Silver+Fb[view] [source] 2025-09-19 20:35:49
>>1attic+(OP)
> and these days, a degree of protection from that thing that is happening in the USA and elsewhere, which is no longer safe to call by its name

I actually don't know what you are referencing.

replies(1): >>youain+Zm
4. reanim+Im[view] [source] 2025-09-19 21:34:30
>>1attic+(OP)
I'm still bitter that they never refunded me for my canceled pre-order, despite promising to at the time. It's been years and I never got any money back (or a phone, for that matter). I consider Purism to be an untrustworthy business as a result.
replies(1): >>mcflub+Fo
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5. youain+Zm[view] [source] [discussion] 2025-09-19 21:36:02
>>Silver+Fb
I suspect he is referring to the current political climate in the USA which many call a fascist takeover.
replies(1): >>Silver+mp
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6. mcflub+Fo[view] [source] [discussion] 2025-09-19 21:44:59
>>reanim+Im
You're not the only one Louis Rossman has a video about this very topic that I saw when I was considering placing an order.
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7. Silver+mp[view] [source] [discussion] 2025-09-19 21:49:16
>>youain+Zm
I mean that is what it is. Is there some rule that you can't call it that? Or is it just fascist don't like being called fascist and might go after people who call them fascist? Which is very fascist thing to do by the way.
replies(1): >>ohman8+gB1
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8. ohman8+gB1[view] [source] [discussion] 2025-09-20 09:05:43
>>Silver+mp
I am not american and for various reasons I am not fan of current White House occupant.

Having said this, I find it weird people calling some govt facist (and by extension socialist), my observation is all of them are- reading Gramchi's facist manifesto, he says (from memory so not word to word): everything in state, nothing outside of state, nothing against the state. To my knowledge whole world is now ran by this principle, we are forced to be part of the system and pay taxes, we will be punished if we don't.

Taking this under account I come to sad conclusion that it's difficult to find a country that is not facist, certainly not the EU (a.k.a. another "thinker" Spinelli who came with his own communist manifesto which was adopted as EU's cornerstone, one of the main EU buildings carries his name), not the country I live in, I don't know about real USA posture but I guess it's similar- try to hire somebody or be hired without letting the state know and you'll face massive problems.

replies(1): >>Silver+t63
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9. Silver+t63[view] [source] [discussion] 2025-09-20 20:57:44
>>ohman8+gB1
When people say fascism are speaking more of an authoritarian nation where corrupt officials use the state to suppress opposition. Modern day Hungary is a good example
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