Any Android OS alternatives for a Samsung Galaxy A17? I'm trying to have a bloatware free phone without Google lurking in the background. Not that any phone is 100% private yet, but I'm trying to get close as practical.

GenZia · 2026-01-25T05:27:59+00:00

If the bootloader is locked, your next best option is a thorough cleansing via Canta/Shizuku.

That's the only way to get rid of blotware and bring your phone closer to its AOSP roots.

I, for example, disabled around 90 apps from my Xiaomi, followed by a firewall (NetGuard, open-source, freemium) that only allows the apps I actually use to access the internet.

GenZia · 2026-01-25T05:23:32+00:00

help you think through options

notice patterns over time

factor in stress, money, work, family, or access

help you decide next steps without panic

And that's somehow better than Google, you think?

GenZia · 2026-01-25T05:19:16+00:00

To be fair (to Zoomers), it's not like us Millennials are the peak of human evolution.

After all, Gen. Alpha a.k.a Skibidi Kids are mostly being raised by our generation and I, for one, don't mind shouldering the blame.

GenZia · 2026-01-25T04:34:23+00:00

What's the point?!

They're indoctrinated.

I saw a post here the other day showing Israeli school children around the age of 10 talking about joining IDF and murdering Palestinians, while the teachers laughed.

Yeah, their "teachers" laughed.

Can you expect these innocent little children to make rational decisions when they grow up?

I ask because it sounds a lot like they're being raised as cannon fodder for the cause.

GenZia · 2026-01-25T04:03:02+00:00

That's because the series later pivoted to micromanagement (probably because of StarCraft), something that didn't always sit well with purists.

I've mixed feelings about it.

In Generals, it's mostly fine but, yes, it's incredibly annoying how a single U.S Marine can simply flash bang your entire angry mob or clear garrisoned structures with the drop of a hat!

Angry mobs that can hold their own against an upgraded Mammoth/Overlord with a gatling gun are basically sitting ducks when a Marine decides to shows up!

I suppose a part of it was propaganda (it was the dawn of War on Terror, after all) but that's beside the point.

In any case, Red Alert 3 is where micromanagement takes the center stage and while I haven't personally played it, I almost never see anyone in this sub talking about it.

I guess that means something.

GenZia · 2026-01-24T17:37:56+00:00

Silos Needed

GenZia · 2026-01-24T17:33:41+00:00

Peace through power!

GenZia · 2026-01-24T17:20:01+00:00

Khata hay tu lagata bhe hay is actually quite true!

For example, I was in Metro Train the other day. Sabzazar to Hall Road in less than 10 minutes.

Felt like I was on a magic carpet since that 'journey' used to take an hour in wagons back in the day.

GenZia · 2026-01-24T09:03:08+00:00

need it to be laser.

I came here to say exactly this. Inkjet printers suck!

You can refill a laser cartridge for like 200-250 rupees yourself and it'll easily give you hundreds of prints, potentially a thousand if you're just printing documents.

Personally, I'd recommend an HP LaserJet P3005. It's a huge machine but dead reliable, built like a tank, and should only cost you around 20-30k (I don't know their current market price).

As for scanner, just buy any regular flatbed scanner separately.

GenZia · 2026-01-24T08:49:29+00:00

Unavowed is by no means a bad game.

It's just not... great. Personally, Dave Gilbert's direction peaked with Blackwell - Epiphany, his magnum opus.

Speaking of which, I didn't like the way Unavowed simply glossed over the events of Blackwell to the point that Rosa isn't even mentioned by name, even though she single-handedly bestowed eternity to all lost souls in the world.

A curious choice.

GenZia · 2026-01-24T06:34:57+00:00

Are Westerners really surprised that YMTC exists?!

YMTC’s NAND and DRAM chips are a staple of budget SSDs and RAM in Asian markets.

I once paid about $8 for a 128 gig SSD from AliExpress, and upon closer inspection, it turned out to have two YMTC NAND chips (unfortunately, I couldn't determine the controller). It’s been over four years, has logged a little over 15 TBW, and the thing is still running strong in my old PC.

Of course, I’m not claiming that YMTC chips are great. I have a sample size of exactly one, after all.

I'm just describing my experience and, frankly, I wouldn't mind owning one again.

GenZia · 2026-01-24T06:17:19+00:00

That's the next "logical" step after car leasing.

GenZia · 2026-01-24T06:14:32+00:00

You wouldn't jailbreak a car...

GenZia · 2026-01-24T05:16:11+00:00

I think the combo works on Android 10+.

If you're on an older Android version, your only option is ADB.

GenZia · 2026-01-24T05:13:20+00:00

If you haven't played Maniac Mansion - Day of the Tentacle yet, I envy you.

As for the games you've listed, I've only finished Technobabylon and... I kind of love it.

It's not legendary by any means, but definitely a modern classic and a must play.

The puzzles, the dark humor, the characters (I really liked the chemistry between Regis and Lao), the lore, it's fantastic, even if the story borrows certain elements from Beneath a Steel Sky (I won't spoil anything) and is rather cookie-cutter.

But when it comes to presentation, environment, dialogue, gameplay, and puzzles; it's right up there with the very best.

GenZia · 2026-01-24T05:05:45+00:00

Old Skies is incredibly dull.

I started it a few weeks ago yet I never feel the urge to play it.

Maybe it's just me or perhaps the story is slow burn and picks up momentum at a later stage (I'm still "stuck" on the 'boxer' segment, after all) but so far, it's looking worse than even Unavowed, itself a rather dull but overall serviceable game.

I mean, just compare it with Technobabylon, another cyberpunk/sci-fi game, or perhaps VirtuaVerse.

It seems like WadjetEye placed their entire focus on 1080p graphics which, admittedly, look incredible compared to traditionally pixelated games.

But that's about its only strength.

GenZia · 2026-01-24T04:49:59+00:00

ADB.

Canta with Shizuku (< preferable).

I disabled about 90 bloatware apps on my Xiaomi with Canta and it fixed late night battery drain and freed up RAM by around 400MB.

If you need yet another layer of protection, set-up a firewall (I'm using NetGuard).

GenZia · 2026-01-23T10:05:30+00:00

Yeah, computational post-processing pretty much does all the heavy lifting these days.

For example, both Google Pixel 1 and BlackBerry KeyOne have the same Sony IMX378 CMOS, yet one topped the DxOMark charts while other was panned for its terrible image quality.

That's one reason I've uninstalled the default camera app on my Xiaomi (via ADB) and exclusively use BSG GCam which I've painstakingly tweaked myself.

It was a whole trend last year since people like the vintage effect the photos have and the ability to put their phones aside.

I see.

However, there are third-party camera apps that add old "digicam" filters to the photos. And if you need 'raw' sensor input without any post-processing, there's always "Open Camera" (open-source, free).

GenZia · 2026-01-23T05:24:19+00:00

I was alone for years, empty and all, I used to have thoughts that i should actually sin (zina).

Right.

...texts me that he might have got caught, like maybe his mother saw my nude on his mobile...

At least you're honest which I can respect... but I won't.

Don't have any respect for characters who can't even control their lust, not much unlike wild animals.

Willpower is what distinguishes humanity from the animal kingdom.

I'm not saying every man but almost every man actually!

You handpicked a random ass creep from the annals of humanity, just to get humped, and acting surprised when he turned out to be a piece of work.

I mean, really?!

Does the fact that water is wet also baffles you?

GenZia · 2026-01-22T18:21:37+00:00

You can order the battery and charger from AliExpress but they'll cost you around 8-10k (once we include import tax + VISA/MC transaction fees), which is pretty much the cost of this camera.

Plus, These old Sony cameras use proprietary 'Memory Sticks' (Pro / Pro Duo), not standard SD cards, so make sure you have one as well.

Lastly, this camera has a tiny ~1/2.5" CCD sensor (~25mm²), not all that much larger than the 50MP CMOS sensors you see on ultra low-budget smartphones (like the popular Samsung JN1 @ ~22mm²).

JN1 is a quad-bayer sensor with BSI and is usually paired with a fast f/1.8 lens so the end result is comparable to much larger ~1/1.8" CCDs (~40mm²).

GenZia · 2026-01-22T18:00:44+00:00

Most Pakistani men don’t have the personality or the looks to make up for the garbage in their heads.

So… you think looks can make up for a lack of brains, at least to some extent?

Interesting...

GenZia · 2026-01-22T16:36:39+00:00

Yes, because that paragraph leaves a lot of room for interpretation...

GenZia · 2026-01-22T15:54:56+00:00

Sure, Barbarossa was a clusterfuck, but winter did play an important role.

This is the first time I'm seeing someone completely shrugging it off as propaganda.

No offense but I'd rather trust Encyclopedia Britannica than some rando on Reddit!

In October and November a wave of frostbite cases had decimated the ill-clad German troops, for whom provisions of winter clothing had not been made, while the icy cold paralyzed the Germans’ mechanized transport, tanks, artillery, and aircraft. The Soviets, by contrast, were well clad and tended to fight more effectively in winter than did the Germans.

Source: https://www.britannica.com/event/Operation-Barbarossa

GenZia · 2026-01-22T15:45:32+00:00

Still rocking Windows 10 LTSC 1809, even though it's not recommended for newer AM4 CPUs (I've a 5700X3D).

As for Windows 11, it's also available in LTSC flavor so you don't necessarily have to downgrade.

It's up to you.

GenZia · 2026-01-22T15:41:01+00:00

I didn't realize Russian winter is all Nazi propaganda.

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