1. I’m shocked, shocked I tell you
Surprise! The use of energy-intensive AI to make stupid graphics that look instantly like AI and write words that it would take you five minutes to right have pushed Microsoft’s greenhouse gas emissions up by 30% since 2020 and Google’s up 48% since 2019. But it’s OK, Google’s energy usage is only 0.1% of the entire planet’s, it’s not like it’s much… there’s more on this in Paris Marx’s article, which is a good read too.
2. Destructive investment
Related to this of course is the entire system of investment, which focuses — at least in the US — on the primacy of shareholder interests over those of the country. This system has led directly to a lot of terrible outcomes, from Apple’s “growth at all costs” approach to abusing its power in the market through to, well, Elon Musk. The same dynamic is gradually seeing many of our most valuable institutions fall into the hands of private equity companies, a group for whom the phrase “vulture capitalism” was virtually invented. And much of this delusional behaviour is, unfortunately, driven by myths about early tech companies, from the startup-in-garage to the founders-as-heroes. I have to confess that I, too, once believed in these myths. I no longer do.
3. When Apple says protecting users, it means protecting profits
A single app store and an operating system which doesn’t let you install the apps you choose is a single point for any government to control your experience. That’s one of the reasons why battles to prevent Apple and others having a monopoly on software installation is important. Apple’s desire to “own” software distribution is not about protecting users: it’s about protecting profits. Case in point: the company has bowed to pressure from the Russian government and removed a number of VPNs, which allow Russians to bypass state censorship, from the App Store. If Apple allowed sideloading, which it easily could, this would not be a big deal. But it would rather adopt the “principle” that users aren’t allowed to install software from anywhere they want rather than oppose state surveillance.
4.Apple “crippled watchOS to lock out competitors”
When Apple changed its heart monitoring APIs in watchOS 5, it’s claimed, it did so to ensure third-party competitors didn’t get access to the same data its own apps had. I don’t know if this is true, but even if it’s not, it’s another example of why platform owners like Apple need to be made to ensure a level playing field if innovation is to thrive.
5.Apple (Computer) Says no
Want to run DOS on your iPhone or iPad? Apple says you can’t. Why not? Because Apple says so. Just because you paid Apple £1000 for your iPhone doesn’t mean you get to install things you want. It’s not like you own it or anything. What makes this even worse is that notarisation should be a system which is used solely to stop malware. In practice, Apple is simply using it to enforce its app store rules outside the app store — which discredits the whole purpose of notarisation.
6.Nerd History heaven
How well I remember the process of juggling INITs and CDEVs. As always, Howard has the details.
7. Meanwhile, In Microsoft land
Now if you’re thinking about maybe ditching your Apple products and exchanging them for one of those fancy new Copilot + PCs, you might want to reconsider. Microsoft is going through one of its periodic seasons of hand-wringing about security, while, of course, adding in insecure features by design. Everything that Microsoft is currently doing to Windows is aiming towards a single goal: to make sure you can’t use Windows without connecting to a Microsoft account, and ensuring it has access to your data. Case in point: the New Outlook, which the company has been prodding users towards for a while. Unlike the old bundled Mail app, which used IMAP or POP, new Outlook only talks to Microsoft’s servers: to use it with a non-Microsoft account you have to give Microsoft access to all your third-party email. Oh, and don’t think you can use it without also having Edge installed. Not doubt, if questioned, it would claim this is all for “security” or “the benefit of users”. A plague on all their houses.
8.Proton Changes
Proton, everyone’s favourite bunch of Swiss-based nerds, is going to move towards a non-profit structure. This is a good thing. Owned by a Swiss non-profit foundation, the company can’t be as easily taken over — and the foundation itself is legally obligated to act in a way which supports its original mission.
9. Docs, docs and more docs
And speaking of Proton, they launched their own collaborative cloud-based document system. It seems like a pretty private system: everything is encrypted end-to-end, and no data is collected that isn’t necessary to make the thing work.
10.Sixteen Kids and a hitman
Away from the world of technology for the last couple of pieces. This story of an evangelical man who went on to the dark net to hire a hitman to have the biological parents of his adopted children murdered is quite the thing.