One of the things I hate is Nannyware – systems that feel they have to warn you when you’re not being politically correct. And Google’s Android is no exception. First they started with the “unplug your charger to save electricity” even if you were using a solar powered charger. Now it’s “Listening at a high volume for a long time may damage your hearing”.
I just upgraded my Motorola RAZR M (XT907) to Kitkat and the warnings started. Fortunately I found a way around it and it should work on all phones. There’s a setting that’s internal to the phone what sets the volume % threshold. And I found an app that sets it.
So – here’s what you do. Install this free app from the play store called “Fine Volume Control”
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=opotech.finevolumev2&hl=en
Then go to the setting and set the warning threshold to 100%. If you want to keep the app after that is up to you but after you make this change you can uninstall the app and the problem is fixed.
I F___ing hate Nannyware. I’m quite capable of making my own choices. In this case when I get in my car to use bluetooth I have an automated task using Tasker that puts the media volume at 100% so that it is a consistent setting for when I drive. I then use the car’s volume control to set the loudness to what I want.
The idea that Google thinks it has to nanny me is very disturbing. I really don’t need this crap.
Another example – under Linux I installed Google’s Chrome browser. I try to run it as root and it’s “no no – you can run this program as root”. They don’t seem to understand that I have a Linux OS installed on a flash drive on my key chain that I use as an emergency server repair kit. When I’m fixing server I’m running as root. And if I bring up a browser it’s because I’m doing a search on the web to try to solve some problem or look up some error code.
But they have this ancient idea that running as root is something holy and you should never run as root, even though I configure most all my servers to have no other real users and root is all there is. No problem – I uninstalled Chrome and run Firefox because it does what I want to do. Not what Google wants me to do.
I wouldn’t mind it so much if they just had a way to turn it off. Maybe I should write a “Shut up I know what the fuck I’m doing” app/
Actually the volume limitation is likely to use for lawsuits when they get sued by someone who destroyed his hearing by cranking his headphones up to 11. They can show that he had to purposely get around their limitation and so they aren’t liable.
No, this is not “lawyerware”. Items like this are direct result of societal trends, both politically (you deserve who you voted in) and technologically (you deserve what you get when you purchase from Corp’s who dictate down to you instead of serving you). Majority of the society have accepted to be treated like livestock, maintained by “shepherds” (be it Apple, Google or Progressives in political power). You refuse personal responsibility… soon enough you lose ability to control your own choices and actions. That is what this particular warning is all about, be it just a small example in general trends.
Second everything you said.
And by way of embellishment, people who hire R/Ds should be the only ones (besides their loved ones and dependents) who get to suffer for doing so. Instead they get to foist their evil on the people trying to make a change for the better.
Third
Yeah, CYA shit. Makes the lawyers happy.
As for the root lockout, that’s one of many reasons I stay far away from Chrome. It obviously thinks I’m an idiot.
Are you an idiot? Did you tell me where you work? Maybe I forgot….
Some people need training wheels on a bicycle – some don’t.
You carry a smartphone? Ewww…
{I need one to experiment with the meshnet stuff:
http://opengarden.net/category/network/mesh/ }
Your solution sounds like a good workaround for the annoyance but doesn’t Cyanogenmod remove much of that bs??
http://cyanogenmod.org/
So what is your position on the BeOS, which allows the user to turn off processors, including all of them?
“”which allows the user to turn off processors, including all of them?
Well, be discriminate with it. It’s a little like when someone is overculling device drivers in windows and removes both the mouse and keyboard driver… THAT is a real pita, especially since remoteregistry is invariably disabled in such setups…
Seems to me Nannyware is a good thing as you have described it.
Just a warning seems what SHOULD BE DONE rather than a designed in prohibition by the software. This should come with a check box to say “Don’t remind me Again” or some such.
Its the Height of Self-Centeredness to think, or even emote, that software/hardware/society/anything should be designed with your skills in mind?
How would that universe work?
What the hell does commerical mean on the blog post ad to the right?
This is IMPORTANT sh*t. !
Yeah, right. Do the capital letters make your ears bleed?
Thanks. I run a loud machine at work, so I have to wear hearing protection. I still want to listen to media on my phone like the No Agenda Show with Adam Curry and John C Dvorak. I turn the volume all the way up and use a cable to plug into the input port of a workplace style radio. Thus I can have the show playing loud enough that I can hear with my hearing protection. Coworkers don’t mind because my machine is in a soundproof glass room. Now I won’t get the warning.
If I ever plugged earphones into my phone, I most likely would not turn this off since I don’t want to be blasted when I first put on earphones, but if I am plugging into the aux jack of another piece of equipment, then disabling this makes sense.
Thank you, I hate that stupid nag every time I go jog. The app works perfectly
“…three, two, one. We have achieved normality. Anything you still can’t handle is therefore your own problem.”
— Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy