NoScript vs. captive portal

[Mainspring]

Ah ... remember when they said the internet could always
work around "damage", censorship and restriction ?

Well, now there are MASSIVE $$$ in tracking/spying and
SELLING that info to parties, including very bad actors.

So, for most purposes, consider the net to be DEAD. It
is not freedom, but slavery and oppression and exploitation.

For a little (very little) while yet you can probably
cobble together ever more complex workarounds - but
it's not going to last. Worse, 99.999% of humanity
won't be able to implement any of that.

May I suggest, horrors !, printing presses and snail mail ?
Back to the 1770s. Oh, don't use modern printers because
they all put ID dots on your pages. A 3-D printer can
probably make printing plates - you know, the kind you
coat with INK (preferably home-made) and press on
sheets of paper. Wouldn't be surprised if commercial
paper has 'tags" in it too these days - might have
to make your own the old-fashioned way or find ways
to bleach and recycle newsprint.

This is the world we have made.

As usual, "easy" created greater horrors than
ever before. Just wait until the Chinese and/or
"Woke" fully leverage todays net environment
to identify "enemies". Read testimonies from
the Uighurs in China. And that's just the far
left side of the spectrum ...

[Branimir Maksimovic]

Post by Mainspring
Ah ... remember when they said the internet could always
work around "damage", censorship and restriction ?

Here we are, usenet.

Post by Mainspring
Well, now there are MASSIVE $$$ in tracking/spying and
SELLING that info to parties, including very bad actors.

For purpose of serving tageted ads.

Post by Mainspring
So, for most purposes, consider the net to be DEAD. It
is not freedom, but slavery and oppression and exploitation.

North Korea ->
China ->
In China, they used github to spread truth about Covid there...
And they shutted down even that.

Post by Mainspring
For a little (very little) while yet you can probably
cobble together ever more complex workarounds - but
it's not going to last. Worse, 99.999% of humanity
won't be able to implement any of that.
May I suggest, horrors !, printing presses and snail mail ?
Back to the 1770s. Oh, don't use modern printers because
they all put ID dots on your pages. A 3-D printer can
probably make printing plates - you know, the kind you
coat with INK (preferably home-made) and press on
sheets of paper. Wouldn't be surprised if commercial
paper has 'tags" in it too these days - might have
to make your own the old-fashioned way or find ways
to bleach and recycle newsprint.
This is the world we have made.
As usual, "easy" created greater horrors than
ever before. Just wait until the Chinese and/or
"Woke" fully leverage todays net environment
to identify "enemies". Read testimonies from
the Uighurs in China. And that's just the far
left side of the spectrum ...

Well except anti smoking lobbist and LGBT lobbists,
and Marijuana lobbists, and other lobbists, you are free :P

[Mainspring]

Post by Branimir Maksimovic

Post by Mainspring
Ah ... remember when they said the internet could always
work around "damage", censorship and restriction ?

Here we are, usenet.

How many ISPs still even offer it ? Almost NO
decent anonymous providers anymore either.
Usenet is vulnerable to being squeezed out.
I think the only reason it still exists is
because it's rather obscure.

Post by Branimir Maksimovic

Post by Mainspring
Well, now there are MASSIVE $$$ in tracking/spying and
SELLING that info to parties, including very bad actors.

For purpose of serving tageted ads.

Bad enough - but there is other WORSE stuff.

Post by Branimir Maksimovic

Post by Mainspring
So, for most purposes, consider the net to be DEAD. It
is not freedom, but slavery and oppression and exploitation.

North Korea ->
China ->
In China, they used github to spread truth about Covid there...
And they shutted down even that.

Post by Mainspring
For a little (very little) while yet you can probably
cobble together ever more complex workarounds - but
it's not going to last. Worse, 99.999% of humanity
won't be able to implement any of that.
May I suggest, horrors !, printing presses and snail mail ?
Back to the 1770s. Oh, don't use modern printers because
they all put ID dots on your pages. A 3-D printer can
probably make printing plates - you know, the kind you
coat with INK (preferably home-made) and press on
sheets of paper. Wouldn't be surprised if commercial
paper has 'tags" in it too these days - might have
to make your own the old-fashioned way or find ways
to bleach and recycle newsprint.
This is the world we have made.
As usual, "easy" created greater horrors than
ever before. Just wait until the Chinese and/or
"Woke" fully leverage todays net environment
to identify "enemies". Read testimonies from
the Uighurs in China. And that's just the far
left side of the spectrum ...

Well except anti smoking lobbist and LGBT lobbists,
and Marijuana lobbists, and other lobbists, you are free :P

There are lobbyists for every "great cause" ... and
most have something in common, they want to TAKE AWAY
your options. Doesn't matter if they are commercial,
political or religious, left,right or whatever.

[Mainspring]

Post by Branimir Maksimovic

Post by Mainspring
Ah ... remember when they said the internet could always
work around "damage", censorship and restriction ?

Here we are, usenet.

   How many ISPs still even offer it ? Almost NO
   decent anonymous providers anymore either.
   Usenet is vulnerable to being squeezed out.
   I think the only reason it still exists is
   because it's rather obscure.

Post by Branimir Maksimovic

Post by Mainspring
Well, now there are MASSIVE $$$ in tracking/spying and
SELLING that info to parties, including very bad actors.

For purpose of serving tageted ads.

   Bad enough - but there is other WORSE stuff.

Post by Branimir Maksimovic

Post by Mainspring
So, for most purposes, consider the net to be DEAD. It
is not freedom, but slavery and oppression and exploitation.

North Korea ->
China ->
In China, they used github to spread truth about Covid there...
And they shutted down even that.

Post by Mainspring
For a little (very little) while yet you can probably
cobble together ever more complex workarounds - but
it's not going to last. Worse, 99.999% of humanity
won't be able to implement any of that.
May I suggest, horrors !, printing presses and snail mail ?
Back to the 1770s. Oh, don't use modern printers because
they all put ID dots on your pages. A 3-D printer can
probably make printing plates - you know, the kind you
coat with INK (preferably home-made) and press on
sheets of paper. Wouldn't be surprised if commercial
paper has 'tags" in it too these days - might have
to make your own the old-fashioned way or find ways
to bleach and recycle newsprint.
This is the world we have made.
As usual, "easy" created greater horrors than
ever before. Just wait until the Chinese and/or
"Woke" fully leverage todays net environment
to identify "enemies". Read testimonies from
the Uighurs in China. And that's just the far
left side of the spectrum ...

Well except anti smoking lobbist and LGBT lobbists,
and Marijuana lobbists, and other lobbists, you are free :P

   There are lobbyists for every "great cause" ... and
   most have something in common, they want to TAKE AWAY
   your options. Doesn't matter if they are commercial,
   political or religious, left,right or whatever.

    Your fear of discourse that extends the
freedom of previously repressed groups is interesting.
I personally have no interest in the extension of
commercial interests or religious discourse to the
Usenet.
    The options being removed in real life are
largely anti-social

WHOSE definition of "social" ???

That's the bit - people tend to pick a "side"
and work to silence all others.

Usenet really doesn't have any "side" - a relatively
free forum. The "sides" can't STAND that and will
always come up with reasons to drop Usenet. It's
mostly worked. The $$$ aspect of restricted forums
plays heavily into this too.

So, a few more years, no more Usenet. Better find
ways to create a new service, harder to disappear,
with similar properties.

And is this "off topic" ? Dunno, not really.
Any new, indestructable, service is going to
be built on a Linux/Unix backbone. Would you
trust Win/Mac ? Too many backdoor ways to
attack.

Oh yea, where/how to host the New Usenet ? Has
to be so broad and general that it cannot be
targeted by lawsuits, governments, activists,
fanatics. There's a design challenge if there
ever was one.

[Andrea Croci]

  Oh yea, where/how to host the New Usenet ? Has
  to be so broad and general that it cannot be
  targeted by lawsuits, governments, activists,
  fanatics. There's a design challenge if there
  ever was one.

You could make it based on some kind of blockchain: everyone who wants
downloads a node and the hashing would prove the integrity of the node.
The messages are all contained in the blocks and can be retrieved by a
proper software. Posting new messages would be like the "transactions"
of blockchains are now.
You could even give some kind of anonimity to the users.
If there are enough people willing to host a node on their computer,
then lawsuits and governments can say goodbye to control. That's freedom
of peach on steroids, but it comes at a price (or, better said, it has a
downside).

[Andrea Croci]

Post by Andrea Croci

   Oh yea, where/how to host the New Usenet ? Has
   to be so broad and general that it cannot be
   targeted by lawsuits, governments, activists,
   fanatics. There's a design challenge if there
   ever was one.

You could make it based on some kind of blockchain: everyone who wants
downloads a node and the hashing would prove the integrity of the node.
The messages are all contained in the blocks and can be retrieved by a
proper software. Posting new messages would be like the "transactions"
of blockchains are now.
You could even give some kind of anonimity to the users.
If there are enough people willing to host a node on their computer,
then lawsuits and governments can say goodbye to control. That's freedom
of peach on steroids, but it comes at a price (or, better said, it has a
downside).

I obviously meant "freedom of speach". :D

[Mainspring]

Post by Andrea Croci

Post by Andrea Croci

   Oh yea, where/how to host the New Usenet ? Has
   to be so broad and general that it cannot be
   targeted by lawsuits, governments, activists,
   fanatics. There's a design challenge if there
   ever was one.

You could make it based on some kind of blockchain: everyone who wants
downloads a node and the hashing would prove the integrity of the node.
The messages are all contained in the blocks and can be retrieved by a
proper software. Posting new messages would be like the "transactions"
of blockchains are now.
You could even give some kind of anonimity to the users.
If there are enough people willing to host a node on their computer,
then lawsuits and governments can say goodbye to control. That's
freedom of peach on steroids, but it comes at a price (or, better
said, it has a downside).

I obviously meant "freedom of speach". :D

See my previous post.

Freedom Of Speech cannot happen unless there is
Freedom Of ACCESS. Assume the USA, EU and China
all want to destroy said system. How to keep
them from doing so ???

[Mainspring]

Post by Andrea Croci

   Oh yea, where/how to host the New Usenet ? Has
   to be so broad and general that it cannot be
   targeted by lawsuits, governments, activists,
   fanatics. There's a design challenge if there
   ever was one.

Remember though - Joe Average has to be able to use it.
The idea is a general-use uncensored forum. Text-only
is just fine, indeed superior for certain reasons.

As such, it's not so much the content that has to be
obscured/protected but ACCESS.

In short, it has to be generally hosted - hundreds or
thousands of "hosts" that you can bring up http. Access
via TOR-like portals around the world is a must. Any
one, or several, countries might be out to block all
access and/or persecute users. It HAS to be unblockable
and untraceable enough to meet that challenge.

CAN that be done ? Can it beat current and near-future
censorship threats ??? This is of the level of a
cyberwar-resistant military communications system.

Post by Andrea Croci
downloads a node and the hashing would prove the integrity of the node.
The messages are all contained in the blocks and can be retrieved by a
proper software. Posting new messages would be like the "transactions"
of blockchains are now.
You could even give some kind of anonimity to the users.
If there are enough people willing to host a node on their computer,
then lawsuits and governments can say goodbye to control. That's freedom
of peach on steroids, but it comes at a price (or, better said, it has a
downside).

[Andrea Croci]

  Remember though - Joe Average has to be able to use it.
  The idea is a general-use uncensored forum. Text-only
  is just fine, indeed superior for certain reasons.
  As such, it's not so much the content that has to be
  obscured/protected but ACCESS.
  In short, it has to be generally hosted - hundreds or
  thousands of "hosts" that you can bring up http. Access
  via TOR-like portals around the world is a must. Any
  one, or several, countries might be out to block all
  access and/or persecute users. It HAS to be unblockable
  and untraceable enough to meet that challenge.
  CAN that be done ? Can it beat current and near-future
  censorship threats ??? This is of the level of a
  cyberwar-resistant military communications system.

Then you also have to have your own landlines. And they could cut those
too. You do it wireless... they scramble it. You do it laser... they
block it.
Plus, if Joe Average has access to it, so does Jim NSAman.
So, in short, the answer is: no, it can't be done!

[Mainspring]

Post by Andrea Croci

   Remember though - Joe Average has to be able to use it.
   The idea is a general-use uncensored forum. Text-only
   is just fine, indeed superior for certain reasons.
   As such, it's not so much the content that has to be
   obscured/protected but ACCESS.
   In short, it has to be generally hosted - hundreds or
   thousands of "hosts" that you can bring up http. Access
   via TOR-like portals around the world is a must. Any
   one, or several, countries might be out to block all
   access and/or persecute users. It HAS to be unblockable
   and untraceable enough to meet that challenge.
   CAN that be done ? Can it beat current and near-future
   censorship threats ??? This is of the level of a
   cyberwar-resistant military communications system.

Then you also have to have your own landlines. And they could cut those
too. You do it wireless... they scramble it. You do it laser... they
block it.

The core HAS to be satellite - those little dishes.
StarLink is up now ... and there are numerous other
channels that can be run in parallel. Best to use
several countries resources - preferably countries
that are antagonistic towards each other.

There's the other advantage of text-only ... extremely
low data volume and it doesn't matter if there is a
few seconds delay. You read a Usenet message - and then
reply in a separate window. No flashing ads or videos
coming in to eat bandwidth or make delays annoying.

On the 'last mile', yes, many will have to use
hardlines - but selectively blocking content on
those has proven extremely difficult for a variety
of legal/practical reasons. They can't stop the
ransomware people, or the spammers or extremists
left right or whatever.

Post by Andrea Croci
Plus, if Joe Average has access to it, so does Jim NSAman.
So, in short, the answer is: no, it can't be done!

Just means you haven't TRIED :-)

Oh, and if it really really CAN'T be done, kiss
liberty and reality goodbye. It's actually reaching
that level. We WILL be back to printing leaflets
on scrap paper using cow dung as ink ... and the
face-ID will identify you when you try to distribute
the info.

Free flow of info and opinion is THE challenge of
the 21st century. Forget global warming - life won't
be worth living if the totalitarians get a permanent
foot-hold.

I once saw a term - "Surreality" or "Dali-ocracy" -
to describe our modern "reality". This is very
very very BAD. Without trustworthy facts and
perspective you CANNOT make rational decisions.

So, how to construct the (mostly) unblockable
comm system ???

[Mainspring]

Post by Branimir Maksimovic

Post by Mainspring
Ah ... remember when they said the internet could always
work around "damage", censorship and restriction ?

Here we are, usenet.

Post by Mainspring
Well, now there are MASSIVE $$$ in tracking/spying and
SELLING that info to parties, including very bad actors.

For purpose of serving tageted ads.

Post by Mainspring
So, for most purposes, consider the net to be DEAD. It
is not freedom, but slavery and oppression and exploitation.

North Korea ->
China ->
In China, they used github to spread truth about Covid there...
And they shutted down even that.

Post by Mainspring
For a little (very little) while yet you can probably
cobble together ever more complex workarounds - but
it's not going to last. Worse, 99.999% of humanity
won't be able to implement any of that.
May I suggest, horrors !, printing presses and snail mail ?
Back to the 1770s. Oh, don't use modern printers because
they all put ID dots on your pages. A 3-D printer can
probably make printing plates - you know, the kind you
coat with INK (preferably home-made) and press on
sheets of paper. Wouldn't be surprised if commercial
paper has 'tags" in it too these days - might have
to make your own the old-fashioned way or find ways
to bleach and recycle newsprint.
This is the world we have made.
As usual, "easy" created greater horrors than
ever before. Just wait until the Chinese and/or
"Woke" fully leverage todays net environment
to identify "enemies". Read testimonies from
the Uighurs in China. And that's just the far
left side of the spectrum ...

Well except anti smoking lobbist and LGBT lobbists,
and Marijuana lobbists, and other lobbists, you are free :P

    Exactly how do the proponents of any interest
Enslave you?
     On Usenet?
    Perhaps you are using a less adaptable tool
than Thunderbird which I can set to ignore any
thread I find boring or distasteful?
bliss - 'Nearly any fool can use a Linux computer. Many do.' After all
here I am...

Simply not seeing what you don't want to see is NOT
"freedom" or real "empowerment" - it's just a deeper
hole in the ground.

The PROBLEM is that free and unexploited net access
is GOING AWAY. You will be USED, DIRECTED, CENSORED,
EXPLOTED, MONITORED - or you disconnect entirely.

So, contemplate a disconnected existence. How do you
get your messages and facts in and out ??? Ham
radio ? Easy to pinpoint transmitters. Not even
so easy to distribute pamphlets and such anymore,
surveillance cams are EVERYWHERE - they'll SEE
you handing out the literature, face-rec will
positively identify you. We've really let it get
THAT bad. Hope you don't let Alexa and friends
into your home or leave your phone on all the
time or have IOT devices .....

Even in Win-2k you could find, rather plainly labeled,
NSA backdoors in the registry. 21 YEARS ago ! I wonder
what they've quietly slipped into Linux kernels by now ?
The systems are now SO large that spotting subtle
backdoors and monitoring options is nearly impossible.

MIGHT be better off moving to "dead" systems - BeOS
or Plan-9, that nobody updates anymore.

[Branimir Maksimovic]

Post by Mainspring

Post by Branimir Maksimovic

Post by Mainspring
Ah ... remember when they said the internet could always
work around "damage", censorship and restriction ?

Here we are, usenet.

Post by Mainspring
Well, now there are MASSIVE $$$ in tracking/spying and
SELLING that info to parties, including very bad actors.

For purpose of serving tageted ads.

Post by Mainspring
So, for most purposes, consider the net to be DEAD. It
is not freedom, but slavery and oppression and exploitation.

North Korea ->
China ->
In China, they used github to spread truth about Covid there...
And they shutted down even that.

Post by Mainspring
For a little (very little) while yet you can probably
cobble together ever more complex workarounds - but
it's not going to last. Worse, 99.999% of humanity
won't be able to implement any of that.
May I suggest, horrors !, printing presses and snail mail ?
Back to the 1770s. Oh, don't use modern printers because
they all put ID dots on your pages. A 3-D printer can
probably make printing plates - you know, the kind you
coat with INK (preferably home-made) and press on
sheets of paper. Wouldn't be surprised if commercial
paper has 'tags" in it too these days - might have
to make your own the old-fashioned way or find ways
to bleach and recycle newsprint.
This is the world we have made.
As usual, "easy" created greater horrors than
ever before. Just wait until the Chinese and/or
"Woke" fully leverage todays net environment
to identify "enemies". Read testimonies from
the Uighurs in China. And that's just the far
left side of the spectrum ...

Well except anti smoking lobbist and LGBT lobbists,
and Marijuana lobbists, and other lobbists, you are free :P

    Exactly how do the proponents of any interest
Enslave you?
     On Usenet?
    Perhaps you are using a less adaptable tool
than Thunderbird which I can set to ignore any
thread I find boring or distasteful?
bliss - 'Nearly any fool can use a Linux computer. Many do.' After all
here I am...

Simply not seeing what you don't want to see is NOT
"freedom" or real "empowerment" - it's just a deeper
hole in the ground.
The PROBLEM is that free and unexploited net access
is GOING AWAY. You will be USED, DIRECTED, CENSORED,
EXPLOTED, MONITORED - or you disconnect entirely.
So, contemplate a disconnected existence. How do you
get your messages and facts in and out ??? Ham
radio ? Easy to pinpoint transmitters. Not even
so easy to distribute pamphlets and such anymore,
surveillance cams are EVERYWHERE - they'll SEE
you handing out the literature, face-rec will
positively identify you. We've really let it get
THAT bad. Hope you don't let Alexa and friends
into your home or leave your phone on all the
time or have IOT devices .....
Even in Win-2k you could find, rather plainly labeled,
NSA backdoors in the registry. 21 YEARS ago ! I wonder
what they've quietly slipped into Linux kernels by now ?

It can't sleep, kernel is regularly maintained and patches
from whoever must pass review. Only if reviewer don't want
to look just merges blindly...

Post by Mainspring
The systems are now SO large that spotting subtle
backdoors and monitoring options is nearly impossible.

Nope, they are large, but you monitor patches, not oll code.

Post by Mainspring
MIGHT be better off moving to "dead" systems - BeOS
or Plan-9, that nobody updates anymore.

Nope. if you have Intel system, rather disable ME (needs some
flash hacking :P