5 ms·
One way to bring in the year of the Linux desktop
by benbristow 11mo ago
One way to bring in the year of the Linux desktop
- adastra22 11mo agoWhy do you think these laws don’t apply to Linux?
- benbristow 11mo agoHow would you implement this on something like Arch Linux where you basically build your whole OS from scratch?
- adastra22 11mo agoDoesn't matter. If you can't find a way to do so, then it becomes illegal to distribute or use Arch Linux.
- iamnothere 11mo agoAs an American I will happily help my EU colleagues ignore this absurd law by any means necessary, even if it requires sending SD cards affixed to letters through the mail or embedding them in 3D printed trinkets. Or, more likely, simply emailing gzipped installers or providing convenient download links that circumvent whatever firewall is eventually set up (assuming this law sticks around, but it won’t).
- benbristow 11mo agoOr use the censorship resistant protocol known as BitTorrent. Downloading Linux ISOs just became illegal for real this time.
- benbristow 11mo agoLiterally no one is going to get arrested for installing Arch Linux.
- Hizonner 11mo ago... because they won't be able to, because the project will have been shut down.
- benbristow 11mo agoAfaik Arch isn't German, so why would it be shut down?
- Hizonner 11mo agoThis is part of a wave of similar bullshit worldwide. And we have a bunch of countries trying to enforce their bullshit extraterritorially. Also, your lack of concern for any people or projects who may happen to actually be German is... disturbing.
- panja 11mo agoNo it won't
- graemep 11mo agoQuite the opposite. From the description in the article it will make Linux illegal unless distros and app stores comply with German law. It may ban installation of software from outside locked down app stores.
- earthnail 11mo agoDEs like KDE already have a kiosk mode. Just add an adblocker to it, for content that’s not child friendly. Done. Zero risk to Linux here.
- graemep 11mo agoRead the comments from FSFE - they do not think its simple at all: https://www.heise.de/en/news/Microsoft-Google-Co-Countries-got-completely-bogged-down-with-porn-filters-10211180.html https://www.heise.de/en/news/Microsoft-Google-Co-Countries-g... Something like kiosk mode does not cover it. It will have to be locked down to the point of uselessness. From the article: "Only apps that have an approved youth protection program or a comparable suitable tool themselves will be accessible regardless of the pre-set age group."
- earthnail 11mo agoI read the article. I just don’t share the criticism. “Only apps from safe places can be installed.” Yeah, d’oh. Otherwise, massive loophole. Yes, it’s a Nintendo-ify button for a PC. It’s opt in. And very convenient for parents. And if my kid wants to install something, it can come and ask me. Like I had to go and ask my dad before installing sth (before I got my own Linux machine with 14).
- tastyface 11mo agoYeah, good fucking luck with that. Piracy was also illegal in the 90's, and yet every kid had a Napster installation.
- slightwinder 11mo agoLinux might receive this too. Remember, Valve is using Linux for their Steam Deck/Machine/Flare, and they are selling well enough, that the law might apply to them at least.