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What non-FOSS software are you using that you wish you could replace? (beehaw.org)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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For me its honestly a ton of my work software (digital forensics), shit is too niche to be replaced by good FOSS options. Cellebrite, Magnet Axiom, etc. Autopsy is great and free and has a linux version but it simply cannot get the same level of data without a pretty nutty level of custom code.

And the biggest side effect of this is FUCKING WINDOWS. God I would replace this nightmare OS in a heartbeat if the aforementioned work software would make linux compatible versions. We have legitimately wasted 10k hours dealing with windows bullshit that would not be a problem in linux. Though im sure linux would take a different 10k for its own problems.

What about you guys? Doesn't have to be work related, thats just the thorn in my side right now.

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago (2 children)

And no, I can't simply stop using or ask friends to move to an alternative. I'm from Brazil and that thing is so popular and mainstream, that even stores or public services use it.

Just this week, I had to report an animal abuse case to the authorities, and the official communication channel I had to use was through whatsapp.

It's sad to see how dependent of a single proprietary service for something so important we allowed ourselves to become...

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You can use a FOSS app at your end to chat with WhatsApp users, if this isn't something you're already aware of. Element.io plus a bridge. Beeper.com is a turnkey platform that sorts it all out for you.

It doesn't help replace WhatsApp as a platform, but perhaps it would suit you?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I have been looking at this possibility, but running a bridge means that I will need to self host a service, which adds one more point of failure, while not really removing whatsapp from my life, so I'm not convinced it's a good alternative.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

That's what beeper.com does. It's also open source, but they handle running it for you.

But absolutely I agree that it doesn't remove WhatsApp from your life, and that's a pain point for me also when I'm working with services in Asia, who like Brasil predominantly work from WhatsApp.

If you don't like Beeper, you could try these guys who host a managed solution (means you don't have to deal with any issues), and let's you offer the service to others:

https://etke.cc/

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Likewise from Brazil and likewise would rather see whatsapp gone from my devices. Sadly, I still need it for work and other official matters. Still, I'm slowly but surely abandoning whatsapp, by either convincing people I talk to to migrate to other, less anti-consumer services, migrating myself to sister groups or alternatives in other services, and/or abandoning a group or chat altogether. And all the while being vocal about it by raising my concerns about whatsapp (just saying "I don't like it and you should move too" can be pretty counter-intuitive with our countrymen). Hopefully, this way, I can drop it altogether once it becomes clearly irrelevant.

But this reminds me I haven't deleted/left any chats for a few days, so I'll take the opportunity to do just that.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

But what do you do when services and institutions in general require you to use whatsapp? That's what is mostly keeping me from deleting that app.