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Author Topic: Laptop privacy -- what should I buy?  (Read 714 times)

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Offline Cera

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Laptop privacy -- what should I buy?
« on: June 14, 2025, 11:34:11 AM »
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    • I need a new laptop and all I see are spying Chrome and spying Windows 11. Are there other options?
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    Online Minnesota

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    Re: Laptop privacy -- what should I buy?
    « Reply #1 on: June 14, 2025, 11:54:00 AM »
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    • Quote from: Cera on June 14, 2025, 11:34:11 AM
    I need a new laptop and all I see are spying Chrome and spying Windows 11. Are there other options?
    If you buy one new, you could probably have someone install a fresh copy of Windows 10. You're not seeing any new ones with Windows 10 because they're ending support in October.
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    Offline Yeti

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    Re: Laptop privacy -- what should I buy?
    « Reply #2 on: June 14, 2025, 12:59:13 PM »
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    • Mint Linux is just as easy to use as Windows and is free. It doesn't come with Chrome installed, either.
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    Offline Twice dyed

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    Re: Laptop privacy -- what should I buy?
    « Reply #3 on: June 14, 2025, 01:57:13 PM »
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    • Quote from: Minnesota on June 14, 2025, 11:54:00 AM
    If you buy one new, you could probably have someone install a fresh copy of Windows 10. You're not seeing any new ones with Windows 10 because they're ending support in October.
    Windows 10 will become obsolete, meaning no more security updates. So leave Win 10 behind if you think of using the internet.. Banking apps, government, BIG businesses probably won't allow Win 10, just like they don't allow DuckDuck to work efficiently.
    I need to upgrade  but I like that Mint Linux idea. Ubuntu too ? Are there instructions on a clean install on HP Pavillion tower, which is still working just super?:  ...shame to discard it.Thanks. For the glory of God.
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    Offline Viva Cristo Rey

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    Re: Laptop privacy -- what should I buy?
    « Reply #4 on: June 14, 2025, 02:05:26 PM »
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    • They want us to be hacked and lose money.

    Also, need provider.  I don’t trust T mobile. 
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    Offline Drolo

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    Re: Laptop privacy -- what should I buy?
    « Reply #5 on: June 14, 2025, 02:24:44 PM »
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    • Just use Linux and use Brave as a browser. Recommended distros: Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Zorin OS.
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    Online Minnesota

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    Re: Laptop privacy -- what should I buy?
    « Reply #6 on: June 14, 2025, 02:28:26 PM »
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    • And I will also add that unless you truly need it—AI work, graphics, whatever, you won't need a brand-new laptop. The one I use is $300. It's a budget Acer I bought sight unseen because my previous one had run its course. It works just fine. 
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    Offline Drolo

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    Re: Laptop privacy -- what should I buy?
    « Reply #7 on: June 14, 2025, 02:30:12 PM »
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    • Quote from: Twice dyed on June 14, 2025, 01:57:13 PM
    Are there instructions on a clean install on HP Pavillion tower, which is still working just super?:  ...shame to discard it.Thanks. For the glory of God.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BoqSxHTTNs&feature=youtu.be

    Just make sure you meet the requirements for RAM, CPU, GPU, etc. But I don't know a distro with more requirements that Windows, so if you can run Windows 10 you can run Linux. And make sure that the fans are working properly after the install.


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    Offline Cera

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    Re: Laptop privacy -- what should I buy?
    « Reply #8 on: June 14, 2025, 03:18:37 PM »
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    • Quote from: Drolo on June 14, 2025, 02:24:44 PM
    Just use Linux and use Brave as a browser. Recommended distros: Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Zorin OS.
    Thank you Drolo. I'm ignorant on tech things, but aren't these operating systems? I am trying to buy a laptop that does not come with Chrome or Windows already pre-installed.

    I still have Windows 10 in spite of all their lame attempts to trick me into Windows 11. But things are getting really wonky and I think it may be because I refuse to "upgrade."
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    Offline Drolo

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    Re: Laptop privacy -- what should I buy?
    « Reply #9 on: June 14, 2025, 03:58:57 PM »
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    • Quote from: Cera on June 14, 2025, 03:18:37 PM
    Thank you Drolo. I'm ignorant on tech things, but aren't these operating systems? I am trying to buy a laptop that does not come with Chrome or Windows already pre-installed.

    I still have Windows 10 in spite of all their lame attempts to trick me into Windows 11. But things are getting really wonky and I think it may be because I refuse to "upgrade."
    Yes, they are operating systems, they are Linux distros, the core, the Kernel, is the same in all Linux Distros, but then some details change, but the three I have mentioned are practically the same, the differences are minimal.

    Windows 10 Support ends in October 2025. You can extend it by paying, but each additional year you want is a lot of more expensive.

    I don't recommend having an operating system that no longer has support, you will not have security updates, and it will increasingly have more exploits and security problems in general without fixing. I think it's a very bad idea to continue using an unsupported OS.

    Follow this video to learn how to install Linux:



    About Laptops. Avoid ASUS Laptops, and Nvidia GPU. They usually have problems with Linux.
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    Offline Twice dyed

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    Re: Laptop privacy -- what should I buy?
    « Reply #10 on: June 14, 2025, 05:47:35 PM »
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    • Quote from: Drolo on June 14, 2025, 02:30:12 PM
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BoqSxHTTNs&feature=youtu.be

    Just make sure you meet the requirements for RAM, CPU, GPU, etc. But I don't know a distro with more requirements that Windows, so if you can run Windows 10 you can run Linux. And make sure that the fans are working properly after the install.
    Great advice so far. Thank you so much. When Google gets sued million$ in the EU , or wherever, it never seems to go mainstream. And when you do a  search, they basically show what is popular, trending. So it is not great for researching, cause nobody goes to those good unknown sites and that skews the algo rhythms. Just try to find +Aquinas's monastery for example..!
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    Offline moneil

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    Re: Laptop privacy -- what should I buy?
    « Reply #11 on: June 14, 2025, 06:32:10 PM »
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    • I'm just curious, I really don't know, but how are Chrome and Windows 11 "spying" and Windows 10 or older, or other browsers such as Microsoft Edge, and even Linux not "spying"?  If your machine can get to the world wide web, someone on the world wide web can potentially get to your machine.  There are good security systems, but the only way to absolutely know you aren't being spied on is to stay off the internet and only interact in person with people you know and trust.  Not texting, using a land line (with a corded phone, not wireless) telephone, use postal mail, subscribe to print periodicals and/or check out printed material from your local library offer greater security from spying than being on the internet, but things can still be traced.  If absolutely necessary to check the net, use public machines at the library or a cyber cafe, not your personal computer. 

    If Linux is open source and available at no cost, who provides "security updates" for it?  How are they supporting themselves?  I think the Edge browser comes automatically with Windows, as they both are Microsoft, I'm pretty sure I had to download Chrome on my current laptop, it wasn't included.  I assume that with Linux one still need to also install a web browser.  What browser should people use?  And again, would there not be an at least the theoretical possibility of being spied on through it?

    Quote
    Just try to find +Aquinas's monastery for example..!
    I typed "Bishop Aquinas' monastery" (without the ") into both the Edge and Chrome search bars.  on BOTH the very first return was
     https://dominicansavrille.us/presentation-of-bishop-dom-thomas-aquinas-o-s-b-part-1/
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    Offline Boomerang

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    Re: Laptop privacy -- what should I buy?
    « Reply #12 on: June 14, 2025, 10:46:52 PM »
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    • Quote
    I'm just curious, I really don't know, but how are Chrome and Windows 11 "spying" and Windows 10 or older, or other browsers such as Microsoft Edge, and even Linux not "spying"?  If your machine can get to the world wide web, someone on the world wide web can potentially get to your machine.  There are good security systems, but the only way to absolutely know you aren't being spied on is to stay off the internet and only interact in person with people you know and trust.  Not texting, using a land line (with a corded phone, not wireless) telephone, use postal mail, subscribe to print periodicals and/or check out printed material from your local library offer greater security from spying than being on the internet, but things can still be traced.  If absolutely necessary to check the net, use public machines at the library or a cyber cafe, not your personal computer. 
    It's generally about the amount of telemetry/tracking built-in, Chrome has both the data cookies stored from each site plus extra tracking such as "Manage you Ad privacy"
    https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/13355898?hl=en 

    Windows 11 has greater integration with Microsoft accounts and the Edge browser, so it can collect more data if that is not disabled
    https://www.techdecoded.org/windows-11-vs-windows-10-data-collection-privacy-comparison


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    If Linux is open source and available at no cost, who provides "security updates" for it?  How are they supporting themselves?  I think the Edge browser comes automatically with Windows, as they both are Microsoft, I'm pretty sure I had to download Chrome on my current laptop, it wasn't included.  I assume that with Linux one still need to also install a web browser.  What browser should people use?  And again, would there not be an at least the theoretical possibility of being spied on through it?
    Each Linux-based OS generally has a development team of paid and/or volunteers who look after updates, with money coming from donors and sponsors. For example https://www.linuxmint.com/sponsors.php



    For browsers on Linux you can get more user-privacy oriented ones like Brave or Firefox with custom configuration for privacy. As you've said as long as your accessing the internet your ISP will know, it's more about how much you want others to know, ie spending habits etc, which can build up a unique profile of someone without requiring their name.
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    Offline Boomerang

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    Re: Laptop privacy -- what should I buy?
    « Reply #13 on: June 14, 2025, 10:51:26 PM »
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    • Quote from: Cera on June 14, 2025, 11:34:11 AM
    I need a new laptop and all I see are spying Chrome and spying Windows 11. Are there other options?
    Seconded for the Linux mint if you or someone else can install it.

    Otherwise a Mac is decent for user privacy.
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    Offline Fiorenza

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    Re: Laptop privacy -- what should I buy?
    « Reply #14 on: June 14, 2025, 11:00:33 PM »
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    • It is rumored Linux has NSA back doors. Essentially, the more you security-up, the more attention you attract.

    The goal should be to avoid unnecessary snooping such as by corporate entities who then onsell your data.

    Install Ubuntu - all you need is a USB, https://unetbootin.github.io/ and the distro https://ubuntu.com/

    Linux is free - if you don't value your time. It has a learning curve. Although terminal has been reduced, it's handy to have.

    So at least - go for a Linux Distro, get a browser with ad blocking features, get a VPN like ProtonVPN and that way you'll reduce your footprint.

    People who go all the other way will end up getting on a watchlist (I only really want to prevent corporate snooping - as for the government, I have nothing to hide. If it becomes an issue, then they should be scared). People who do nothing will end up on a corporate profile with picture, govt. details, and personal details. You don't want that.

    If Linux is too hard in 2025, then you are being a sissy-baby :'( There are plenty of apps such a LibreOffice, Thunderbird that replicate the Windows experience. Even PlayonLinux and Lutris for Windows strategy games that you might like...
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