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submitted 11 months ago by kzhe@lemmy.zip to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

I saw this post and wanted to ask the opposite. What are some items that really aren't worth paying the expensive version for? Preferably more extreme or unexpected examples.

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[-] Saigonauticon@voltage.vn 13 points 11 months ago

I buy good brands from China for my professional tools, phones, laptops, and gadgets. The key is knowing which brands in China are good. Nothing else can compete in terms of value for money.

Motorbikes (for commuting). My midrange motorbike cost under 2k USD brand new, and it gets me to work at the same speed as an expensive one (Asian traffic, haha).

[-] space@lemmy.dbzer0.com 15 points 11 months ago

I would be careful with gadgets that have software on them like phones and laptops. God knows what kind of Chinese spyware they come with.

[-] Saigonauticon@voltage.vn 13 points 11 months ago

Actually, that's super exciting! I would have a fun time taking it apart, analyzing it, and publishing it. Would be great publicity, and would probably make me more money than the laptop/phone/whatever cost me.

That being said, the USA has the most established history of compromising cryptography and security. It's not so much that I trust China or don't trust the USA, it's that I don't trust any superpower, am fairly wary of nations in general, and in fact don't have much trust for organizations of anything over a handful of people.

[-] sndrtj@feddit.nl 11 points 11 months ago

And the rest of the world will say the same with respect to American spyware.

[-] GreyEyedGhost@lemmy.ca 6 points 11 months ago

As a foreign nation, why would you use a core piece of software on all your government computers? I'll never understand why Windows is used in any secure government installation, let alone non-American ones.

[-] belated_frog_pants@beehaw.org 2 points 11 months ago

Because Microsoft forces itself on countries with deals. Its how they have always done things. Contractual lock in until folks are stuck needing windows for proprietary software.

Microsoft actively goes to schools and governments using linux or mac and makes cheap contracts, at first, to move them all and they bribe too.

Monopoly is their goal always

[-] besbin@lemmygrad.ml 4 points 11 months ago

If you are seriously worried about privacy you could always use open source stuff. Some hardware from China has compatibility with open source firmware cause they're built out of those projects. The software risk from that stuff is about as high as shit from anywhere else.

this post was submitted on 05 Jan 2024
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