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Comment by lta | Hacker News Reader

Regardless of the price and the data, I'd never subscribe to this service due to the owner. I'm looking forward for alternatives from a more neutral vendor

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I think they will have enough clients from other parts of the world to make it work. Large areas of my country can't really be covered with wired networks, it's too expensive to make it economically feasible without massive government subsidies, for which there's no money.

Starlink has already been used to connect very remote rural schools which previously only had dial-up connectivity (enough to send text email, but not much else).

And nobody here cares about American politics, we have enough of our own problems.

It's not really American politics when Elon decides to turn off your countries internet for personal gain. Having such critical infrastructure in the hands of someone unstable wouldn't be a choice I ever make for something so important.

You are probably referring to ukraine and you should know that this was entirely fake news. It was never disabled. It had never been enabled in Crimea in the first place, in accordance with US gov policy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starlink_in_the_Russian-Ukrain...

    In 2022, Elon Musk denied a Ukrainian request to extend Starlink's coverage up to Russian-occupied Crimea during a counterattack on a Crimean port, from which Russia had been launching attacks against Ukrainian civilians; doing so would have violated US sanctions on Russia.[18] This event was widely reported in 2023, erroneously characterizing it as Musk "turning off" Starlink coverage in Crimea.

But you’re right of course that it might be in a sovereign country’s interest to build out their wired infrastructure instead of relying on external actors.

The vast majority of the international community, including the United Nations, the United States, and the European Union, recognizes Crimea as a sovereign part of Ukraine. :)

Nice to see what the colonizer imperialist state actors that love Zionism and unequal exchange side with.

Sanctions were in place because russia controlled crimea regardless of international recognition, so what's your point

Oh damn, you’re right. The US should provide a portion of the Ukraine aid to the government in Crimea.

Perhaps we can drop off some Abrams for the Donbas region next time. It’s part of Ukraine after all.

USAID was ironically a significant customer for Starlink. People are probably already familiar with the 5,000 Ukraine terminal scandal, but pretty much all their offices (in Colombia at least) had 1 or more terminals. What does USAID have anything to do with this conversation? Well, DOGE was largely responsible for putting the final nail on that coffin. If you think he cares about remote rural schools having connectivity you better think again.

I actually prefer the economic system where providers don't have to care about the use cases and we're able to use the exchange of money for services to get things. I doubt Subaru cares about a yuppie couple going on a road trip to the redwoods. They just want my money. That's the sort of relationship I want with most vendors.

If Subaru started talking to me about how much they like that I take road trips with their cars I'd probably switch to a different vendor.

Subaru literally tells me they like that I take road trips with their cars, and offer me swag to share other swag with people while I travel around. “Subaru Ambassador” program.

Well, that's opt-in, right? I don't think it should be illegal for people to have relationships with vendors. I just prefer our current system where vendor relationships don't require anyone to care.

It’s not “American politics” when a guy does a Nazi salute on live TV. So thanks for showing your political inclination.

Not to be pedantic. But facism is politics.

Fascism isn't just American. If you're going to be pedantic, at least be accurate. My point: supporting an American fascist normalizes fascism everywhere

Would you rather buy from Jeff Bezos or a Chinese state-owned enterprise? Those are your likely options within the next 5-10 years.

Does Jeff Bezos believe we need white solidarity to survive because non-white people are a threat to white men?

Citation needed

Here you go: https://www.columnblog.com/p/the-adl-ignores-yet-another-elo...

This is opinion, not citation. Here's what he said:

> White people are a rapidly diminishing minority of global population

Which unless you have any extra context, according to me does not entail:

> we need white solidarity to survive because non-white people are a threat to white men

https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2009171282030653877

Elon replied with 100 emoji to a post that said “If White men become a minority, we will be slaughtered. Remember, if non-Whites openly hate White men while White men hold a collective majority, then they will be 1000x times more hostile and cruel when they are a majority over Whites. White solidarity is the only way to survive.”

Makes sense, thanks.

Look at Elon's X replies

Elon Musk is a deluded addict who thinks he's doing the right thing, Jeff Bezos is in it for himself only and knows it.

Jeff Bezos is in it for himself only and knows it.

And I'm OK with that.

Not so much the white-supremacy stuff.

In 20026 that’s a question I would have to answer with «I’ll have to get back to you on that».

In fact, sometimes I wish I had chosen a profession where I didn’t need an internet connection at all.

Nobody has been forced to switch to a space based internet solution.

You don't need to buy from any of those people.

Also, I think there's an european thing coming up.

Boycott noted, meanwhile, I’ll be enjoying double the roaming data while you wait for that legendary ‘neutral’ competitor to beam down from the heavens.

Hey, at least they won't be getting data from and enriching an avowed racist, so they got that going for them.

Enjoy your part in creating misery for people who just happen to not be white.

I live and work from a van part of the year and am perfectly fine with a 4g router almost anywhere save some mountain climbing spot, so there's really no need for me. I pay about 30€ and get about 250GB when in France and 30GB whenever I enter a new country so I'm not lacking considering my usage, but thank you

something something, sounds like a bluesky post.

I respect your principles, but at the same time, using Starlink for now does encourage other potential competitors to come forth, at which time you could switch.

I’m 100% on the same boat. The only competitor I can see is Amazon Leo. Having options is great but they both suck.

As if Bezos is better. Elon has a much higher slope but he’s got a head start to catch up on, before they’re all hunting humans for sport on Ellison’s private island.

https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2009171282030653877

I disagree that Bezos & Elon are comparably bad.

you're all over this thread seemingly trying to get someone to argue this point with you, or perhaps just to prove how nuts Elon is, as if people don't already know that, for example, from the time he did a nazi salute in public to a crowd

You're all over the thread actually arguing with people over things that don't relate to the article as well. Pot, kettle.

my comments were all on different topics making different points in different comment chains. the guy I was replying to here was essentially making the same point over and over in a single comment thread, daring someone to argue with him

i posted 4 times in this thread (once more than you), half of which were actually defending Elon Musk's contributions/companies. take care

all of my comments were on different subjects

Bezos worst offense is meeting with Trump and donating to his campaign (and if you follow the leftist ideology, being a billionaire).

But based on personal experience with some very wealthy people, I truly believe they are just out of touch with the real world to understand what they are doing politically. Imagine if your days could be spent doing all the things you ever could wish, you would most likely not even bother reading stuff like reddit or HN, and certainly won't have time to look into any snippet of news in detail.

Musk on the other hand, is mentally ill.

It's also buying WaPo and altering their editorial make up

thank you for not bidding up the price

See also the "Fuck You Elon" exhibit at this past Burning Man, powered by starlink.

There are two Chinese alternatives being deployed right now. I believe one is called Guowang. As a red blooded American, I would rather go with Guowang over an American Nazi.

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