I’ve run a small business for over 10 yeas. I use linux. I’m grateful to the community and I use FOSS where possible.
I have had some issues over the years, but have always been able to get around them (except CAD in 2013), but recently I’ve had issues with my government (UK). First they introduced ‘making tax digital’ and told me for years that I would have to buy windows only software (there was no legal option on linux until a few weeks before the deadline (https://www.comsci.co.uk/100PcVatFreeBridge saved the day). The UK Government didn’t create a free solution or any route to that as they don’t want the source to be open for making tax digital so accounting software companies have made a killing!
This week my internet banking stopped allowing payments, it no longer works in firefox (I’m guessing). On the telephone they asked me ‘what search engine I was using’+ and advised to use google.
What is the best UK business bank to use if you use linux to run a small business? Do I have to use Chrom(e)ium? Does anyone else use linux for business admin? Is anyone (Freesoftware foundation, etc) thinking about the creeping legislative changes that make it literally illegal to use FOSS and linux?
I wanna be an ally, but its so tiring.
+ browser ≠ search engine. Yes, I’m pedantic, at least I didn’t confuse them by saying ‘quant’ or ‘duck duck go’, OK!?
The best bank is monero
Yes, treating crypto as a way to invest is a scam. The vast majority of crypto and crypto-adjacent “projects” are scams.
We live in a world where payment providers have the power to force Etsy to delist vendors that sell sex toys to customers of a legal age, payment apps like Venmo or PayPal will permaban your account for selling NSFW art or products, and physical cash is being largely abandoned for cards and digital wallets. Surely you can see the benefits of a completely anonymous payment method?
To be clear, I vastly prefer cash, but there’s an obvious issue with trying to anonymously use cash to pay for something on the internet or to send money to someone who isn’t within easy driving distance.
Ah yes, the currency that’s pretty much only accepted for buying drugs or anything illegal.
You can’t prove or disprove this statement and that’s the whole point of monero.
The whole point of what I’m saying is that nowhere accepts it and it’s therefore functionality useless for running a business, the point of this post/discussion.
I can easily prove that most retailers don’t accept Monero and it’s therefore basically useless.
It’s a pain in the arse to even buy in the UK, I know because I use it to buy drugs.
I think what you can do is just get a separate computer running Windows for all your business stuff and business stuff only. I’d also recommend ALWAYS using a VPN on it if legally possible.
I went a step further and am paying an accountant to handle this mess, using my favourite libre email client to contact her. I know, it’s a privileged position.
The point of getting a separate device is similar to using a VPN - to use proprietary and invasive software without getting the personal data stored on the main devices sent to third parties. The business device still can send some data (like WiFi connection info, approximate location and microphone recordings) but the personal data should be safe. It may not be a viable option for very high threat models though since Windows can have backdoors that the government might use to inject malware into all the devices connected to the same network.
That only works if the main reason someone uses Linux is personal privacy.
I’m not worried about privacy, it’s a business not a person. If the government want to look through my business’ data, they just need to arrange an audit. I like good security, but am a small target.
It’s about free as in freedom.
My worry is that if linux is allowed to become just a hackintosh of steamdeck, rather than an actual operating system. It will go the way of hackintosh.
[edit: apostrophe, edit2: added last paragraph]
I’m grateful to the community and I use FOSS where possible.
Ok, but do you give anything back?
Governments should not require the use of proprietary software. I personally would refuse to use it. I don’t live in the UK but in the US I think you could easily make the case.
refuse.
That’s just not practically possible.
OP said they’re running a small business. It’s great that they want to fly the flag for FOSS, but they’re not in the business of promoting and advocating for FOSS. They still need to do the things they need to do.
Refusing to file your taxes on the grounds that the software provided is not open source is a great way to no longer be in business.
I’ve been Linux in the desktop for years. You really don’t have any choice other than to be a little bit flexible.
More times than not it turns out to be a plugin that screws over the site. Here’s my general path:
Won’t load in Firefox? Disable privacy badger and ublock origin
Still won’t load? Try it in a private window with no extensions loaded
Still won’t load? Move over to brave.
Still won’t work? Disable Shields
Still won’t work? Straight to a vanilla copy of edge, (a vanilla copy of Vivaldi would also be reasonable)
Just last night I ran into a problem with my ADP work portal. Things worked fine for ages, All of a sudden my password wouldn’t work. I went into private mode My password now works but loading the actual page netted me a blank page
I opened it up in brave and it just worked outright.
