My experimental use of an alternative phone operating system, GrapheneOS, hasn’t really worked out. The core problem is that iOS is too good in comparison, which, IMHO, is a direct consequence of Apple’s commercial power, its duopoly with Android. The developers of Graphene OS simply don’t have the resources to build all the gizmos found in iOS and Android, even though GrapheneOS is basically Android with the data theft omitted. Unfortunately, too much of Android is closed source, so they can’t simply reuse many existing bits and bobs.
All the same, I’m going to keep using the OS. It’s not, and never can be, iOS, but it still has its uses, particularly when I need to be concerned about phone security. Although Android offers the opposite of information security, it’s got a pretty good reputation for IT security, and GrapheneOS is basically the latter with the former stripped out.
Apple claim to offer information security too. Whether this is true, I have no clue, but the Apple / Google duopoly gives me little choice. At least they say the offer it, whereas Google’s entire business strategy is built on theft and abuse of personal information.
My other major experiment in 2024 was a return to film photography. That has been a mighty success. The technique has forced me to return to my old skills of carefully selecting a shot before taking it. It’s retaught me to use a camera of limited power.
Furthermore, the aesthetic of different films is stark. Certain films and the word subtle are bright enemies, but even so I love their results. Others offer less stun yet also give wonderful images. I will continue shooting film, despite the fact it’s a lot more work in post processing than digital (if only a post digitisation dust–removal filter removed dust rather than merely adding blur).