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Comment by perfobotto | Hacker News Reader

Am I the only one not understanding what’s the point of all these efforts to try to run Linux on completely closed with no documentation devices (like iPhones and even mace for that matter). Seems like a lot of effort, for a crappy solution that maybe 0.0001% is going to use before realizing it is crap. Even only effort to keep up with the yearly hw updates that apple does and the complete disregard for backward compatibility and writing hw documentation makes these effort just a technocrat exercise (very cool for sure), but I can’t see anything more than that

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Isn't that one of the "true" mantras of hacking ("hacker news") ?

Doing hard things just for the sake of it

> A hacker is a person skilled in information technology who uses their technical knowledge to achieve a goal or overcome an obstacle, within a computerized system by non-standard means.

From TFA, “Now it was just a matter of what I like the most, hacking on Linux”. This isn’t a product for users, it’s one of this persons hobbies.

It excites skilled hackers, which is good for the health of the overall community. Every platform has some poorly documented nooks and crannies and doesn't want to be fully opened up. This is practicing those skills in the most hostile environment.

Plus, it gives us backup plans, if Intel and AMD are hit by meteors.

And maybe they'll keep a couple iPads out of the landfills.

I see these as more art and a statement about Linux’s ubiquitousness rather than anything especially meaningful. There’s probably not a lot of people who want to run Doom on a lamp, but people did that anyway.

The point is that people in their free time, can break into systems that cost millions in design to keep those people out.

For me, the homebrew community is the reason why I have a career in technology in the first place. Breaking into things you're not supposed to is fun, and teaches a lot of practical knowledge.

I understand your gripe but think of it like this: manufactures like apple make locked down devices which are now able to be unlocked. This reduces e-waste while showing manufactures that we want more freedom and will do as we please with OUR hardware.

This doesn’t meaningfully reduce e-Waste. The average iPhone user is conditioned to trade in their phone with already decent recycling programs being their destination.

IMO, the main (only?) reduction of e-waste comes from reselling the old phones on the secondary market. Re-use is much more effective than recycling. Until the bitter end.

I'm glad you led with "IMO". :)

That's a second life, and a valid thing - but I'm specifically talking about people wanting to use (e.g) an iPhone 6S (which will be discontinued soon).

Apple's hit something like 20% of their materials being from recycled products. This is a significant number and is much better than these things sitting around taking up space.

I respect that you are an utilitarian, so I understand your point. But you shall also respect others' non-utilitarian hacker-ianisms, and let them hack whatever device they want to, including "non-useful" iDevices.

The alternative is all those old devices becoming garbage I mean recycled so they said. And then you go on buying a Pi or some cripled computing machine to run your home automation.

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