Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by turtlebits 36 days ago
Until your google account gets locked for some unknown reason and you there is 0 support and recourse. And now you can't even log into your own computer.
1 comments

The is so rare. Such things can happen even with bank accounts (if you are a foreigner in many countries).

If you use your own Ubuntu/Debian or even RMS certified disro same can happen. An upgrade and you see only a xorg blinking cursor.

>If you use your own Ubuntu/Debian or even RMS certified disro same can happen. An upgrade and you see only a xorg blinking cursor.

This can be fixed yourself, whether that's hopping into a TTY or having to boot a live environment and chroot in. You aren't at the mercy of some major company's support people.

Even without fixing it you should be able to get at the files on the drive for use on another machine, or backing them up if you're gonna reinstall.

Keep boot live environment? You always carry USB? Learn security. Chroot?

You don't learn or understand modern bootc?

It can’t happen to my macbook.

This happened recently to my kid and it was a nightmare of a week trying to resolve it.

I’d rather tie my identity to an org with customer service.

this does not mean anything logical. Billions use android. Some will be affected due to any company or ID etc.

Pretty sure you can visit your local apple store and see many people asking for shattered screen or lost iphone. They did lose their accounts.

Moreover even if you use macbook - if you lose google or apple ID situation is same. (for the majority) appstore is important. See your comment https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48111545#48123885 you are happy to give everything to iCloud but don't like Google?

I can also store all my data in hetzner cloud. Use chromebook only as a hardware. If Google account is blocked then use Guest session. No account needed. Your turn?

Shatters screens and lost iphones don’t affect your apple account. Sign in to your new device with your apple id and your stuff is there.

Moreso, there’s no google store to go to for help if your google account gets locked.

Of course you can store data on a thumb drive (or hetzner cloud) and use that without a google id. Good luck with that. And it’s not scaleable for billions of users.

Again, apple provides support, google does not. I don’t want my livelihood dependent on a google id.

they do. You do lose 2FA with shattered screen.

Android phone can be used without google account (I do it). You cant even use Apple iPhone without.