6 ms·

Money down the toilet. Job #1 is to make a google replacement. Job #2, a domestic phone manufacturer (with its own plaftorm / appstore). These are the two pr

Money down the toilet. Job #1 is to make a google replacement. Job #2, a domestic phone manufacturer (with its own plaftorm / appstore). These are the two primary portals to "The Internet". Without meaningful replacements, they're still on Uncle Sam's plantation. China figured that out a long time ago, and is in a far better position to digitally de-couple from the United States. They are so far behind. Focus! Spitballing 42 random projects is a luxury Europe does not have.

monade 1y ago
You didn't spot the open hardware tablet in there? There was another announcement made almost simultaneously about funding for a.o. F-Droid: https://nlnet.nl/news/2025/20250421-project-selection-pilots.html https://nlnet.nl/news/2025/20250421-project-selection-pilots... There are many search projects you can find like marginalia.nu and Searx, just not in this call round.
- hello_computer 1y ago
  If you are talking about the MNT reform, that is utterly fatuous. Same with f-droid. These are toys for IT fanboys--nothing that will significantly dislodge Europeans from the US tech teat. Europe needs iOS & Google-tier replacements ASAP. China has Huawei, Xiaomi, Baidu, Alibaba. Even Russia has Yandex & Telegram. Europe has zilch. I figured that after we were caught bugging Merkel's telephone, Europe would have at least gotten started, but I figured wrong.
  - monade 1y ago
    We can agree to disagree on what is meaningful. Especially F-Droid is already widely used, and I would certainly not call it a toy. You shouldn't rule out the snowball effect of FOSS. The nice thing about this kind of open program is that someone like you that has a beef and a clue can actually propose something, and get a grant to get the party started. After that, communities can kick in.
    - dgfitz 1y ago
      > Especially F-Droid is already widely used, and I would certainly not call it a toy. F-Droid does not publish these statistics. How do you know this?
diggan 1y ago
> China figured that out a long time ago, and is in a far better position to digitally de-couple from the United States. Ok, that's great and I'm happy for them, how does that help us in Europe though? No matter how decoupled other countries are, doesn't make it less important for others to also eventually get there.
- hello_computer 1y ago
  China built-up actual companies in a strategic order. Do what they did, rather than throw peanuts at a grab-bag of foss shitware. They are showing you the recipe for free.
sidibe 1y ago
China got there by banning Google. I don't think Europe is willing or able to do that unless Trump antagonism continues for years. Practically noone who has a choice (people in Singapore and Taiwan) between them uses Baidu
- bluGill 1y ago
  Trump has a 25% chance of dieing of old age before his term ends. It is unlikely that the US will relax the 2 terms max for president allowing him a second term. If Trump is your worry then you can just wait him out. The real question is will others like Trump get into power next or not, and if so how like Trump are they? (I cannot answer that)
  - finnjohnsen2 1y ago
    I would certainly not bet on MAGA be gone post Trump. Firstly VP JD Vance is just as hostile, and ready to take over during Trumps term should anything happen. Regardless, these euro-hostile MAGA voters will still breathe, eat and vote republican for the rest of my lifetime. We should prepare in Europe for a future without the US in my opinion. Like China, but not, since the EU is about openness and freedom.
    - bluGill 1y ago
      They will not be gone, the question is will they be large enough to get power. Several people who I know who voted for Trump (not a representative sample!) do not like what he is doing with tariffs (they are not Euro-hostile) but they are worried about the border. They would support someone else if that person "fixed the border" without raising tariffs. There is also the possibility that someone could convince them that the border isn't a problem (or something else is more important). I know a couple people who voted for Trump the person. They don't see Vance in the same way and so won't be excited to vote for him. Only time will tell. However remember that this too shall pass. There will be a different crisis in a few years.
  - hello_computer 1y ago
thuanao 1y ago
Ban Google, make the internet a public utility, and fund a public search index.

monade 1y ago

You didn't spot the open hardware tablet in there? There was another announcement made almost simultaneously about funding for a.o. F-Droid: https://nlnet.nl/news/2025/20250421-project-selection-pilots.html https://nlnet.nl/news/2025/20250421-project-selection-pilots... There are many search projects you can find like marginalia.nu and Searx, just not in this call round.

hello_computer 1y ago
If you are talking about the MNT reform, that is utterly fatuous. Same with f-droid. These are toys for IT fanboys--nothing that will significantly dislodge Europeans from the US tech teat. Europe needs iOS & Google-tier replacements ASAP. China has Huawei, Xiaomi, Baidu, Alibaba. Even Russia has Yandex & Telegram. Europe has zilch. I figured that after we were caught bugging Merkel's telephone, Europe would have at least gotten started, but I figured wrong.
- monade 1y ago
  We can agree to disagree on what is meaningful. Especially F-Droid is already widely used, and I would certainly not call it a toy. You shouldn't rule out the snowball effect of FOSS. The nice thing about this kind of open program is that someone like you that has a beef and a clue can actually propose something, and get a grant to get the party started. After that, communities can kick in.
  - dgfitz 1y ago
    > Especially F-Droid is already widely used, and I would certainly not call it a toy. F-Droid does not publish these statistics. How do you know this?

diggan 1y ago

> China figured that out a long time ago, and is in a far better position to digitally de-couple from the United States. Ok, that's great and I'm happy for them, how does that help us in Europe though? No matter how decoupled other countries are, doesn't make it less important for others to also eventually get there.

hello_computer 1y ago
China built-up actual companies in a strategic order. Do what they did, rather than throw peanuts at a grab-bag of foss shitware. They are showing you the recipe for free.

sidibe 1y ago

China got there by banning Google. I don't think Europe is willing or able to do that unless Trump antagonism continues for years. Practically noone who has a choice (people in Singapore and Taiwan) between them uses Baidu

bluGill 1y ago
Trump has a 25% chance of dieing of old age before his term ends. It is unlikely that the US will relax the 2 terms max for president allowing him a second term. If Trump is your worry then you can just wait him out. The real question is will others like Trump get into power next or not, and if so how like Trump are they? (I cannot answer that)
- finnjohnsen2 1y ago
  I would certainly not bet on MAGA be gone post Trump. Firstly VP JD Vance is just as hostile, and ready to take over during Trumps term should anything happen. Regardless, these euro-hostile MAGA voters will still breathe, eat and vote republican for the rest of my lifetime. We should prepare in Europe for a future without the US in my opinion. Like China, but not, since the EU is about openness and freedom.
  - bluGill 1y ago
    They will not be gone, the question is will they be large enough to get power. Several people who I know who voted for Trump (not a representative sample!) do not like what he is doing with tariffs (they are not Euro-hostile) but they are worried about the border. They would support someone else if that person "fixed the border" without raising tariffs. There is also the possibility that someone could convince them that the border isn't a problem (or something else is more important). I know a couple people who voted for Trump the person. They don't see Vance in the same way and so won't be excited to vote for him. Only time will tell. However remember that this too shall pass. There will be a different crisis in a few years.
- hello_computer 1y ago

thuanao 1y ago

Ban Google, make the internet a public utility, and fund a public search index.