Nice metaphor, I wish few would pop without hurting too badly the idiots that believe the lies and more importantly without hurting anyone who pointed out how ridiculous it all was. Unfortunately I’m rather convinced people at the helm of Microsoft, OpenAI, VC pumping the bumbles, are financially smart enough to be entirely disconnected from any consequence of their own actions.

Meanwhile MSFT (the stock) goes up up up

It is indeed a risk AND you must pin your current OS version, so no new update including no new feature (not sure which one one would need for now though) but more importantly no security updates.

That being said… if you do not actively try to mess it up, i.e. doing precisely what has been warned against NOT doing, it should be safe.

In doubt, if you can’t afford another headset, have no actual need for rooting and have never done that before, definitely safer to wait.

Good point, based on how much Meta spends on their XR department I wouldn’t be shocked if the hardware itself is also losing money and used as a kind of innovation-washing marketing strategy. That said I’d still recommend buying 2nd hand so that it’s cheaper and doesn’t register on their book as a sale. Also no purchase information shared with Meta.

Recommendations

• Valve Index but it’s not standalone. It’s “just” a headset so what you do with it is up to you, no need to register anything with Valve, nor have Steam (even though SteamVR is convenient) and works on Linux. With Proton even the latest indie VR games work. IMHO also Half-life: Alyx is in itself worth it.
• Lynx-XR1 that can already be rooted https://lynx.miraheze.org/wiki/Rooting_Process (which I did few months ago) but arguably their customization of Android isn’t as convenient as what Meta did. For tinkerers though and if you can actually get one, it’s great. Also no account required.

There are others, e.g. https://simulavr.com/ which is standalone and Linux proper (not Android), but I haven’t tried so I can’t vouch for them.

• Quest 3: v79 5115411.12900.520 (August 7, 2025) and below, to about version v71.
• Quest 3S: v79 117688.9900.610 (August 6, 2025) and below, to about version v71.

according to https://github.com/zhuowei/cheese/tree/main?tab=readme-ov-file#supported-versions

Well I would ask you to reconsider reconsidering. It’s a very neat technical fear, arguably even an important one… but you would be giving money to Meta. So unless you really have to, because you work in the domain, maybe try to recycle a 2nd hand headset for a cheaper price and tinker with it as much as you want? Maybe even contribute to the rooting process by finding ways to remove the Meta account requirement altogether?

TL:DR: nobody needs a XR headset but if you do and you want to get a Meta one, get it 2nd hand.

Rational economical actor hypothesis? Nope we’re just back 4 centuries at least https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulip_mania

Rift isn’t standalone so “just” using OpenHMD should work, cf https://lvra.gitlab.io/docs/hardware/#xr-devices for more comparability checks.

Because of physics.

Pfff, physics, pesky detail! Clearly you are not a true visionary like Musk! /s

puts on evil hat CloudFlare should DRM their protection then DMCA Perplexity and other US based “AI” companies to oblivion. Side effect, might break the Internet.

Which VR headset? Don’t have problem with Valve Index or Quests.

block the site from being acessed from florida though if they choose

How? I do not think we know of a reliable way, DNS blocking get bypassed by alternative DNS ( and ISP probably do not have per state DNSes) , IP blocking get bypassed via VPN, etc. They can say they did put in place something but it is like puttimg a fence without walls around, it is just symbolic.

they just cannot live without an algorithm to recommend new music to them

They might want to try LMS and its https://github.com/epoupon/lms?tab=readme-ov-file#music-discovery

easy to transfer to other countries

Also easy to transfer with IBAN and relatively cheap … so I guess other countries that do not rely on IBAN?

Can’t easily help there. Maybe you can find someone local who could help. Best of luck.

banking apps and cash apps

Unfortunately that’s prevents from switching to Linux proper over (hopefully deGoogled) Android.

If by any chance you can be in Brussels for a bit, I can lend you mine for a while to test.

clear rules on disassembly and repair, requiring manufacturers to supply key spare parts within 5-10 working days, and for at least 7 years after the product model is no longer sold in the EU

Wonder how if there is an equivalent that applies to eBike. Been waiting for my CowBoy belt since February now. Do not recommend. No more “designer” eBike now, I’ll only buy bikes with the most standard parts.

Daily driving the cmf with /e/OS from Murena for few months now, warmly recommended.