Category: Computing
The e foundation privacy phone & mobile OS
Recently I wrote that I was going to work on developing my own privacy-oriented, silicon-valley-free version of the Android mobile OS. Well, it turns out that a better guy than me is already way ahead of me on the same project, and he has a team. In fact the beta version of his phone is already out:
“At the end of 2017 Mandrake Linux creator Gael Duval announced an ambition to create a smartphone OS, one that didn’t rely on Apple or Google, with ‘my data is my data’ as his mantra. He saw the loss of respect for user data privacy, and the concentration of data power in the hands of a few giant corporations with its surveillance risks, and could see that something new was needed.
Today the e foundation, created to support the mission, announces the first beta of the /e/ mobile OS, for early testers to trial on a range of mobile phone models. They plan to have a stable version for general release by early 2019.”
Go to the /e/ foundation to read more.
So this obviates the need for me to develop my own Android version all by myself. I still will probably do it, just for fun, to learn, and to keep my computer skills sharp. In fact, I may just do some volunteer work for the e foundation.
Intro to Tor
Tor is an acronym for “the onion network,” a network anonymity technology that originated Tor is an acronym for “the onion network,” a network anonymity technology that originated with the Office of Naval Research funding research back in 1995. The basic idea is simple, a network such that each node only knows about its neighbors one hop away, and all traffic goes through at least 3 nodes, thus hiding the origin endpoint of a packet’s route. That hides the source address of the traffic and the users location. Encryption hides the content of the packet through a key exchange. Tor, Orbot, and the Tor Browser for android are an important part of the toolkit I’m developing to prevent collection and sale of my personal data by Google and others with ad based business models. Here is s brief intro
In order to protect myself from having my private data stolen and used to extract money from me, I need total security for all aspects of my internet usage. That means the operating system and all software running on it, the browser, my WLAN, my phone and all of its software, my border router, my IP address, the contents of my network traffic, my location, everything must be protected from ad-based business model tech companies. So this will take several pieces of software and some configuration time.
Jaron Lanier: 10 reasons to get off social media
I recently discovered Jaron Lanier, a world class computer scientist (he’s a capital S Scientist, I’m a lower case s scientist hahahahha – funny but true!) who was putting forth very similar criticisms and concerns to mine, but long before I fully accepted how evil our industry has become, and that I have an ethical obligation to help users by doing what I can about it. Internet users and Texas taxpayers paid for my education, training and experience. I owe them big time – I can’t forget that, either. So please give Jaron a listen, he wants users to be customers the internet industry serves, not data sources to be exploited and sold to people who only want to sell them more crap and take their money.
Chris Salmon at age 40
This picture was taken in 2002, when I was a very busy and very successful internet entrepreneur, business and IT consultant, and network engineer. I had my own internet company, 15 employees, offers coming in constantly. Even better, I also had a wife, a cute little 18 month old baby, and a beautiful big home in Dallas with a shaded pool and hot tub overlooked by a home gym. Those were great days for me and everyone around me. Cyberstation’s best month ever was August 2002. The next year, it was all gone. The dotcom crash was 2000-2002, but the telecom and independent internet and hosting provider business crashed in 2003. Our biggest business partner, IP Communications, suddenly folded in 2003. (This was 100% due to the purposeful sabotage and malfeasance of Southwestern Bell, the incumbent baby Bell. I could tell horror stories of the crap they pulled on DLEC’S!) We used IP Communications to connect to tens of thousands of our accounts across 5 states, plus I had a $50/hr, 40hr/week min. side contract with them. I was paid this retainer whether I worked or not, to be available for any internet networking or services problems or development they needed, and to lock me out of helping any of their competitors. Money was just rolling in, we had a new (to us) house, new cars, new appliances, new baby hahaha and good times. But all things come to and end, don’t they?
I was no spring chicken here, but I do look quite a bit older at times now, Fall of 2018. Mean ol’ Father Time takes his unrelenting toll on us all!!
Brings back good memories, even so!
Picasso drew this when he was 12
We all need to be humbled. So I present this masterwork done by a 12 year old kid 120 years ago:
Most people don’t know of this Picasso. They only know of this Picasso:
Unstudied ignoramuses write this off as bullshit art by someone who can’t draw. But in fact, you are seeing a master artist so good at drawing that he aches to escape his own skills, and create something new.
Both things, his skills and his artistic drive, are beyond me. Light-years beyond me!!
But never let the lowly and humble nature of your skills stop you from using them and expressing yourself. That’s a fatal mistake of character, and is also cowardly. Do your best, strive to improve, prostrate yourself before the true Masters in reverence.
Chris Salmon, September 1, 2018
Chris Salmon, September 1, 2018
Chris Salmon, Sept 1, 2018
New CompSci Projects
My computer skills have been going to waste for a long time. But I have discovered some new projects that excite me:
- Anti-Silly-Valley technology
- My own custom android OS
- Personal privacy and security
The number one thing I’m after right now is developing my own, pure and silly-valley free operating system for my handheld computers, AKA mobile phones.
I’m excited and motivated by the thought of bringing my own computers entirely under my personal control, as I feel they should have always been.
Consider: You pay for your computers, they are your personal property. Yet they are, in 2018, actually surveillance and sales devices purposely programmed to act against your interests. Another way to see it is that you have paid for devices that are programmed to extract money from you and give it to strangers, whom you don’t know or owe!!
Think on that for a while!! I welcome debate with anyone who wishes to deny this statement!! Contact me here and I’ll publish the whole debate on this site. Only for the foolish!!
Speaking as a long time computer scientist, network engineer, and internet entrepreneur, I’m sick of what others in these professions have done to users. In fact sick is a perfect word, for what has been done, and for my revulsion at it.
I would truly enjoy bringing a better computing and internet world to myself and some few people who might care about such things.
And – here’s the key – I don’t need money. I’m not after money on this project. I can fund it all and do it all myself, 100% independent and free to do as I wish.
I’m not totally sure just yet, what I can talk about and what I can publish of these projects. But here’s a little tease for readers. I’m currently sitting just off of Lake Tahoe’s south shore, and I just took this screen shot from my new Note 9:
To explain, my phone is reporting that it’s currently in British Columbia, north of Vancouver. My ip address has me located in Singapore. This is a taste of what I’m after, and what I want to bring everyday users with no special knowledge or skills.
I have some other ideas for handheld computers that have been cooking a while, too. I don’t want to disclose them yet.
Cali-Mex Dinner in California
Ordering carne asada, and a margarita!
Travel to Manteca
Today, I’m going to Manteca, California on a mission to recover a very large, antique desk for sale that’s perfect for the home renovation project I’m working on. On the way, Im testing out my new Samsung Galaxy Note 9, and my new “No Google, no social networking, no tracking, no recording, all privacy” configuration of the new phone, which is also a new account on a new carrier.
So far, the gorgeous countryside of Northern California, and the all pervasive smoke from the fires in NorCal, are the superstars of this trip.
Drawing
This thing doesn’t exist
Really enjoying life
I’m too busy enjoying life to work very hard to on this website for free. But I am living a very interesting and experiential life, and I think a lot – probably too much. So I’m just gonna toss a bit of whatever I find interesting. Fragments, notes, links, pics, whatever…
Drawing again
Got a replacement stylus for my galaxy note 8, gonna start drawing regularly again
Chillaxing in Tahoe
Well, Las Vegas is my home, but Lake Tahoe is my second home and I am taking full advantage of the cool mountain temperatures up here. Hope you are having a great summer too!
Why I quit all social media.
Recently I closed all my social media accounts. There are many reasons why I did this:
- I am not (currently) trying to make money from the internet. So, I get no benefit from attracting an audience on social media.
I have my own websites to publish whatever I wish, and don’t need social media to express myself.
WSOP Online Poker in NV: No Fun, No Money
Since I live at Lake Tahoe (South Shore), I was hoping to find a place to play poker that didn’t require me to drive to Reno. Harvey’s Hotel and Casino here in Stateline has a poker room, but it’s only got the same 6 or 8 guys in it every night, who all know each other. When you walk up you the table to play, you definitely feel like a combination outsider and meat being examined before put in the grinder. Plus, you’re obviously in someone else’s social club when you’re at their table, the conversation detours around you as things and people you know nothing about are discussed. Don’t get me wrong – they’re polite and nice and all! But you just know that, well – you just don’t belong there. They’ve turned to room into their little social club and strangers who swing by to play are there to help pay for their club.
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The first piece of new music in years.
Here’s a piece of music that is basically just a percussion framework to build on. I’ve gotten WAY into Kpop lately and it has been super inspirational! So I’ve decided to get back into regular music practice and composing. This is my first little bit of music, it’s not much, in fact I don’t like parts of the bass line very much, but it’s a work in progress.
Don’t Believe Everyone Complaining About Twitter Harassment
There’s a strange Twitter scam being played on the public by some celebrities. I’ve seen it 3 times in the last few years. Only famous people do it, because only they would benefit from it. I’ll tell you what I personally witnessed. The first person I saw do this is a well-known pornstar, so let’s just call her that, because I don’t want to use any of these people’s real names. I’m not trying to make a public splash with this, or get into a personal fight with anyone. I just want other Twitter users to know this goes on.
So I was following Pornstar because I was a fan of hers before this. This was when I first started using Twitter all the time, which was only a couple years ago. Reading her tweets, she often got into fights with people harassing her. Calling her names,
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Today’s recipe – shredded chicken Tex-Mex
Todays recipe is my easy version of shredded chicken Tex-Mex style. My son and I are going to ski and lift weights all week so I’m making a big batch of it.
Start with boneless, skinless chicken breast, boil in water with a bit of salt until just cooked (white) all through.
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