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Author Topic: Dell D520?  (Read 1574 times)

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Offline Cryptinox

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Dell D520?
« on: May 22, 2022, 01:41:48 PM »
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    •  Does anyone know what year the Dell D520 came out? I am asking because there is one for sale in my area and I'd be interested in buying it if it came out before the Patriot Act.
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    Offline Yeti

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    Re: Dell D520?
    « Reply #1 on: May 22, 2022, 02:59:29 PM »
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    • What does the Patriot Act have to do with anything? Are you afraid of backdoors in the circuitry? If you are, that sort of thing goes back long before the Patriot Act. The Pentium III was released in 1999, and I remember the controversy at the time with the unique serial number embedded in all of them that almost any software could read.

    It is possible, though, to use even modern electronics in a way that protects your privacy if you know what you're doing. If you're interested in this sort of thing, there is a great podcast by a guy who is a privacy expert and helps people live under the radar and off the grid. He actually is a full-time expert on how to live anonymously in the modern world. A lot of his techniques are burdensome and complex to implement, but you might want to give his podcast a listen if you're into this sort of thing. I think he published a how-to manual, too, on how to be anonymous in the world today.
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    Offline Yeti

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    Re: Dell D520?
    « Reply #2 on: May 22, 2022, 03:05:31 PM »
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    • I can't remember a lot of the details of what he talks about, since I didn't listen to it all that much, but it involves a lot of stuff like buying thing with cash, buying computers (and electronic devices in general) at garage sales so even if someone hacks the computer, they won't know who's using it, burner phones, fake names, fake phone numbers, having your car owned by a corporation (?), using a P.O. box for your driver's license, disposable email addresses, social engineering (calling up places and tricking them into accepting your fake name or your shell-corporation-owned credit card number), VPNs, privacy software, password managers, and so on.

    Some of it could be used for nefarious purposes, but he helps people hide from criminals or the media or other nefarious entities, such as movie stars who are trying to dodge the paparazzi, people in witness protection, people hiding from vindictive exes, and similar things.
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    Offline Ladislaus

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    Re: Dell D520?
    « Reply #3 on: May 22, 2022, 03:08:07 PM »
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    • Quick search suggests 2006 or late 2005.

    They can track you no matter what, so I wouldn't particulary worry about it.  I think lots of people have delusions of grandeur believing that the government has an interest in them.
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    Offline Cryptinox

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    Re: Dell D520?
    « Reply #4 on: May 22, 2022, 03:16:57 PM »
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    • Quote from: Yeti on May 22, 2022, 03:05:31 PM
    I can't remember a lot of the details of what he talks about, since I didn't listen to it all that much, but it involves a lot of stuff like buying thing with cash, buying computers (and electronic devices in general) at garage sales so even if someone hacks the computer, they won't know who's using it, burner phones, fake names, fake phone numbers, having your car owned by a corporation (?), using a P.O. box for your driver's license, disposable email addresses, social engineering (calling up places and tricking them into accepting your fake name or your shell-corporation-owned credit card number), VPNs, privacy software, password managers, and so on.

    Some of it could be used for nefarious purposes, but he helps people hide from criminals or the media or other nefarious entities, such as movie stars who are trying to dodge the paparazzi, people in witness protection, people hiding from vindictive exes, and similar things.
    My interest is getting a separate computer so that facebook doesn't get my information. I want to get an account so I can use marketplace.
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    Offline Cryptinox

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    Re: Dell D520?
    « Reply #5 on: May 22, 2022, 03:21:19 PM »
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    • Quote from: Yeti on May 22, 2022, 02:59:29 PM
    What does the Patriot Act have to do with anything? Are you afraid of backdoors in the circuitry? If you are, that sort of thing goes back long before the Patriot Act. The Pentium III was released in 1999, and I remember the controversy at the time with the unique serial number embedded in all of them that almost any software could read.

    It is possible, though, to use even modern electronics in a way that protects your privacy if you know what you're doing. If you're interested in this sort of thing, there is a great podcast by a guy who is a privacy expert and helps people live under the radar and off the grid. He actually is a full-time expert on how to live anonymously in the modern world. A lot of his techniques are burdensome and complex to implement, but you might want to give his podcast a listen if you're into this sort of thing. I think he published a how-to manual, too, on how to be anonymous in the world today.
    Couldn't I get a 1998 laptop?
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    Offline SimpleMan

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    Re: Dell D520?
    « Reply #6 on: May 22, 2022, 03:23:04 PM »
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    • Don't buy Dell.  Crappy computers.  I bought one, problems from Day One, I call it "Dell Hell".  My Asus laptop seized up on me and I lost some of my son's movies (he had made them, he wasn't happy).  Don't bother with a Microsoft Surface either, overhyped and low on performance.

    I've had my best luck with HP and Lenovo.   I also have an Acer Aspire laptop from 2009, and aside from its being antiquated, it's been a solid performer, heavy as an anvil, but a good little machine.  I'm going to repurpose it as a DVD player for my son to use on long car trips.
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    Offline Incredulous

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    Re: Dell D520?
    « Reply #7 on: May 22, 2022, 04:27:52 PM »
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    • Quote from: SimpleMan on May 22, 2022, 03:23:04 PM
    Don't buy Dell.  Crappy computers.  I bought one, problems from Day One, I call it "Dell Hell".  My Asus laptop seized up on me and I lost some of my son's movies (he had made them, he wasn't happy).  Don't bother with a Microsoft Surface either, overhyped and low on performance.

    I've had my best luck with HP and Lenovo.  I also have an Acer Aspire laptop from 2009, and aside from its being antiquated, it's been a solid performer, heavy as an anvil, but a good little machine.  I'm going to repurpose it as a DVD player for my son to use on long car trips.
    Bought a refurbished HP Elitebook 8460p online, for $189.00 in 2017.   This is an engineer's workstation and she hasn't missed a beat.

    I agree Dell is China-Jєω-junk.
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    Offline Yeti

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    Re: Dell D520?
    « Reply #8 on: May 22, 2022, 05:40:48 PM »
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    • Quote from: Cryptinox on May 22, 2022, 03:16:57 PM
    My interest is getting a separate computer so that facebook doesn't get my information. I want to get an account so I can use marketplace.
    .

    Can you explain this a little better? Are you worried that Facebook can look at all the files on your computer or something? If that's the issue, there's a much easier (and cheaper) solution than buying a whole new computer. Just get one of those USB sticks for a few bucks, and install some common Linux distribution on it, such as Ubuntu or Mint. Then, boot up from that USB stick when you want to use Facebook whatever it is. Don't store any files on it except maybe a bunch of memes of Mark Zuckerberg.

    Most people don't realize that a USB stick can be its own little computer. But you'd be surprised how well they work for that. It does load more slowly since it takes longer to read from that form of memory, but it's basically it's own little computer unto its own.

    Does this help your problem?
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    Offline SimpleMan

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    Re: Dell D520?
    « Reply #9 on: May 22, 2022, 06:34:01 PM »
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    Offline bodeens

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    Re: Dell D520?
    « Reply #10 on: May 22, 2022, 09:38:53 PM »
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    • Quote from: Cryptinox on May 22, 2022, 03:21:19 PM
    Couldn't I get a 1998 laptop?
    They will have you no matter what with a computer. I use a typewriter(s) for anything requiring privacy. Printers, btw, are THE WORST for privacy. For cheap, reliable gear buy old workstations/servers, clean and put new thermal paste on and you are g2g.  Start downloading everything regarding the Faith because it is likely we will be censored hardcore soon.
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    Offline Cryptinox

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    Re: Dell D520?
    « Reply #11 on: May 23, 2022, 12:01:48 AM »
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    • Quote from: Yeti on May 22, 2022, 05:40:48 PM
    .

    Can you explain this a little better? Are you worried that Facebook can look at all the files on your computer or something? If that's the issue, there's a much easier (and cheaper) solution than buying a whole new computer. Just get one of those USB sticks for a few bucks, and install some common Linux distribution on it, such as Ubuntu or Mint. Then, boot up from that USB stick when you want to use Facebook whatever it is. Don't store any files on it except maybe a bunch of memes of Mark Zuckerberg.

    Most people don't realize that a USB stick can be its own little computer. But you'd be surprised how well they work for that. It does load more slowly since it takes longer to read from that form of memory, but it's basically it's own little computer unto its own.

    Does this help your problem?
    I don't want Facebook to have info they could use on my name and location, though they probably already have that. My minimal demand would be them not to have access to stuff like my chat logs or stuff that shows my ideology and/or religious views.
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