If there is a real problem that needs to be solved, then I understand a need for some action. I find often that insufficient details or reasoning are given for a change that costs us money (and often pushes us off devices which afforded us greater freedom), which makes me think there is fuckery afoot.

I bought it as a generic GSM phone after checking that several of the 4G bands were ones that AT&T used. I don’t recall it being marketed as a “US” or “international” version like I had seen in the past. I had not considered a change in 4G band usage, but I would certainly respect that a whole lot more than the arbitrary troll toll it very much looks like, and it would be nice if they explained that if that was indeed the case.

Here in the US, my carrier started forcing an “approved devices” list, supposedly for “quality of service” as they phased out 3G. My phone at the time worked fine on 4G for over a year, but suddenly one day it no longer worked once they started enforcing this. I suspect the carrier wanted to collect a troll toll from phone manufacturers to allow them the privilege to sell a phone to their customers, and since my phone (OnePlus 5T) was a few generations behind the latest, it seems like it didn’t make sense for OnePlus to pay a fee for an old phone that they didn’t make or sell anymore.

So anyway fuck AT&T

You’re not wrong, but it’s important to point out how overpriced ALL new cars are too. Within the existing pool of overpriced options, it is fairly “cheap”.

Personally I am willing to pay more specifically to avoid the surveillance nightmare that is every new vehicle, and I value simplicity over farkles, so I’m exactly Slate’s target audience. I do worry whether there are enough luddites like me to help them succeed though.

Thanks! I’ll check it out 🍻

I’ve been a long time user of Notepad++ after Notepad started inserting random whitespace characters in files, which messed up some jankety scripting I was doing at the time. Do you happen to know if Metapad is good about not adding unintended characters like that?

Well that looks cool, now I have to check that out. Thanks for sharing!

This has to be the first time I’ve seen praise for Linux audio rather than gripes - I’m glad to see it.