X-Git-Url: http://pere.pagekite.me/gitweb/homepage.git/blobdiff_plain/8a3760bc40e8f4eb15ceafc8e5f36865e3c7ed60..271aba3cc2efb48d8c0720a80a64f7845124cba6:/blog/archive/2018/08/08.rss diff --git a/blog/archive/2018/08/08.rss b/blog/archive/2018/08/08.rss index 6fedc10986..ee6819bd43 100644 --- a/blog/archive/2018/08/08.rss +++ b/blog/archive/2018/08/08.rss @@ -6,6 +6,86 @@ http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/ + + Software created using taxpayers’ money should be Free Software + http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/Software_created_using_taxpayers__money_should_be_Free_Software.html + http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/Software_created_using_taxpayers__money_should_be_Free_Software.html + Thu, 30 Aug 2018 13:50:00 +0200 + <p>It might seem obvious that software created using tax money should +be available for everyone to use and improve. Free Software +Foundation Europe recentlystarted a campaign to help get more people +to understand this, and I just signed the petition on +<a href="https://publiccode.eu/">Public Money, Public Code</a> to help +them. I hope you too will do the same.</p> + + + + + A bit more on privacy respecting health monitor / fitness tracker + http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/A_bit_more_on_privacy_respecting_health_monitor___fitness_tracker.html + http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/A_bit_more_on_privacy_respecting_health_monitor___fitness_tracker.html + Mon, 13 Aug 2018 09:00:00 +0200 + <p>A few days ago, I wondered if there are any privacy respecting +health monitors and/or fitness trackers available for sale these days. +I would like to buy one, but do not want to share my personal data +with strangers, nor be forced to have a mobile phone to get data out +of the unit. I've received some ideas, and would like to share them +with you. + +One interesting data point was a pointer to a Free Software app for +Android named +<a href="https://github.com/Freeyourgadget/Gadgetbridge/">Gadgetbridge</a>. +It provide cloudless collection and storing of data from a variety of +trackers. Its +<a href="https://github.com/Freeyourgadget/Gadgetbridge/#supported-devices">list +of supported devices</a> is a good indicator for units where the +protocol is fairly open, as it is obviously being handled by Free +Software. Other units are reportedly encrypting the collected +information with their own public key, making sure only the vendor +cloud service is able to extract data from the unit. The people +contacting me about Gadgetbirde said they were using +<a href="https://us.amazfit.com/shop/bip?variant=336750">Amazfit +Bip</a> and +<a href="http://www.xiaomimi6phone.com/xiaomi-mi-band-3-features-release-date-rumors/">Xiaomi +Band 3</a>.</p> + +<p>I also got a suggestion to look at some of the units from Garmin. +I was told their GPS watches can be connected via USB and show up as a +USB storage device with +<a href="https://www.gpsbabel.org/htmldoc-development/fmt_garmin_fit.html">Garmin +FIT files</a> containing the collected measurements. While +proprietary, FIT files apparently can be read at least by +<a href="https://www.gpsbabel.org">GPSBabel</a> and the +<a href="https://apps.nextcloud.com/apps/gpxpod">GpxPod</a> Nextcloud +app. It is unclear to me if they can read step count and heart rate +data. The person I talked to was using a +<a href="https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/564291">Garmin Forerunner +935</a>, which is a fairly expensive unit. I doubt it is worth it for +a unit where the vendor clearly is trying its best to move from open +to closed systems. I still remember when Garmin dropped NMEA support +in its GPSes.</p> + +<p>A final idea was to build ones own unit, perhaps by basing it on a +wearable hardware platforms like +<a href="https://learn.adafruit.com/flora-geo-watch">the Flora Geo +Watch</a>. Sound like fun, but I had more money than time to spend on +the topic, so I suspect it will have to wait for another time.</p> + +<p>While I was working on tracking down links, I came across an +inspiring TED talk by Dave Debronkart about +<a href="https://archive.org/details/DavedeBronkart_2010X">being a +e-patient</a>, and discovered the web site +<a href="https://participatorymedicine.org/epatients/">Participatory +Medicine</a>. If you too want to track your own health and fitness +without having information about your private life floating around on +computers owned by others, I recommend checking it out.</p> + +<p>As usual, if you use Bitcoin and want to show your support of my +activities, please send Bitcoin donations to my address +<b><a href="bitcoin:15oWEoG9dUPovwmUL9KWAnYRtNJEkP1u1b">15oWEoG9dUPovwmUL9KWAnYRtNJEkP1u1b</a></b>.</p> + + + Privacy respecting health monitor / fitness tracker? http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/Privacy_respecting_health_monitor___fitness_tracker_.html