I use a lot of Apple products and services. They’re not perfect, but they’re often best in class. Even when they’re not, they’re good enough to keep me firmly within their ecosystem. It’s not the walled garden it used to be, but more like a fenced compound.
I don’t know how much of my personal data resides in Apple datacenters, but I’m sure it’s a lot. I’ve been reassured that it’s relatively safe because when the government tried to get Apple to give them access, Apple refused, like they did in 2016.
Lately, though, I’m getting pretty close to rethinking my reliance on Apple. Most immediately is their removal of the Iceblock app from the App Store, Not because of a lawsuit. Not because of any violation of terms and conditions (in their communication with the developer, they just made up an excuse that’s an obvious lie). Because the government just suggested it.
Before that there was the ridiculous scene of the Apple CEO personally delivering a bribe…er, I mean a solid gold trophy of some sort… to the orange baby. And before that there was the company’s continuing obiesance to the government of China in many ways, including denying iPhone users there access to any VPN software.
The way I’m feeling about Apple is better expressed by Wiley Hodges, an even longer-term veteran of Apple than me, in his open letter to Tim Cook.
I have an old Thinkpad running Ubuntu. It works okay, but many things are less convenient, and the battery life is not in the same ballpark as my MacBook Air. But I’ll eventually need a new laptop, and there are several non-Apple choices with battery life that’s just as good.
One more thing I thought I could rely on turns out to be much shakier than I thought.
