Support for the Librem 5 Phone
Librem Mail
Mail (Figure 6) is adequate for basic email. It supports attachments and can draw upon a device's Contact listings for recipients, as well as add custom signatures and manage multiple identities. Basic configuration is no harder than entering your Librem One name and passphrase and the composition window could not be simpler.
However, I would be reluctant to rely on it for my daily communication, because it currently lacks the ability to filter messages into different folders. You cannot, for example, set all the messages from a mailing list to download into a designated folder.
Even more importantly, while end-to-end encryption is available, it is needlessly complex. First, you have to create your keys in OpenKeychain [7] (Figure 7). Then you have to activate encryption in three separate places to configure Mail generally. Should you discover one of these places in the wrong order, you will need to fumble around to find the others. Moreover, once you have enabled encryption, the interface assumes that you know the basics of how to use it. Considering that encryption is advertised as one of the features of Librem One, requiring users to jump through these hoops defeats the point of having encryption in the first place.
Librem Tunnel
Anyone who has used a Virtual Private Network (VPN) can appreciate the security it supplies. However, configuration can be difficult, which is why I had high hopes for Tunnel (Figure 8). While I usually prefer command-line configuration, a graphic interface seemed exactly what was needed to make setting up a VPN quick and easy.
Unfortunately, if I assume the persona of a novice user, Tunnel offers few of the advantages that justify the use of a graphical interface. Help is hidden in an FAQ in the middle of the top-level menu, and begins with "Get a working config (tested on your computer or download from your provider/organization)." In the very first sentence, novice users are left behind, and the FAQ only gets worse from there. Few novices are likely to get around to the Graph or Settings menus, and, if they do look out of curiosity, they are not going to be any the wiser. At the most, novices might manage through trial and error to connect to online storage, but even that process will probably be none too clear. The result is that what could be the star app is all too likely to be the least used.
Potential Still to Come
I like the idea of Librem One immensely. It has the potential to play an influential role in spreading the use of open hardware. However, even allowing for a first release, the implementation seems rough and inconsistent – especially if the point is to bring security and privacy concerns to the general user. The current release has promise, but that promise is only partly realized.
Still, Librem One is worth watching to see how it develops. It should be especially interesting to see how Librem One compares to the similar set of tools being developed by Gaël Duval's /e/ Foundation [8].
Infos
- Librem One: https://librem.one
- Ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0a03NRpX3Y
- Librem One policy: https://librem.one/policy/
- Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/about
- Tusky: https://tusky.app/
- Matrix: https://matrix.org/blog/index
- OpenKeychain: https://www.openkeychain.org/
- /e/ Foundation: https://e.foundation/
« Previous 1 2
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Fedora 40 Beta Released Soon
With the official release of Fedora 40 coming in April, it's almost time to download the beta and see what's new.
-
New Pentesting Distribution to Compete with Kali Linux
SnoopGod is now available for your testing needs
-
Juno Computers Launches Another Linux Laptop
If you're looking for a powerhouse laptop that runs Ubuntu, the Juno Computers Neptune 17 v6 should be on your radar.
-
ZorinOS 17.1 Released, Includes Improved Windows App Support
If you need or desire to run Windows applications on Linux, there's one distribution intent on making that easier for you and its new release further improves that feature.
-
Linux Market Share Surpasses 4% for the First Time
Look out Windows and macOS, Linux is on the rise and has even topped ChromeOS to become the fourth most widely used OS around the globe.
-
KDE’s Plasma 6 Officially Available
KDE’s Plasma 6.0 "Megarelease" has happened, and it's brimming with new features, polish, and performance.
-
Latest Version of Tails Unleashed
Tails 6.0 is based on Debian 12 and includes GNOME 43.
-
KDE Announces New Slimbook V with Plenty of Power and KDE’s Plasma 6
If you're a fan of KDE Plasma, you'll be thrilled to hear they've announced a new Slimbook with an AMD CPU and the latest version of KDE Plasma desktop.
-
Monthly Sponsorship Includes Early Access to elementary OS 8
If you want to get a glimpse of what's in the pipeline for elementary OS 8, just set up a monthly sponsorship to help fund its continued existence.
-
DebConf24 to be Held in South Korea
Busan will be the location of the latest DebConf running July 28 through August 4