I advocate for getting hackable open hardware stuff, and @sleepyowl is completely right that even the best options there still rely on supply chains we don't have enough control over, AND once those "resisting" become a small enough group, resisting becomes a lot more dangerous.

That said, I think we should be taking a multi-pronged attack *now*, in every way imagineable:

- Try to use *the most hackable hardware you can get* and contribute to making it a better experience
- Support open firmware, hackable devices
- Maybe it's time for the return of the install fest I dunno
- Absolutely DO NOT run a proprietary operating system under any circumstances
- FIGHT BACK ON THESE POLICIES! Contact your representatives, write articles, do whatever you gotta

@cwebber @sleepyowl When arbitrary code execution is outlawed, only outlaws will have arbitrary code execution.

I know what camp I belong to.

@cwebber @sleepyowl

In fact: this is the game where we get LOCKED OUT of having ANY computing power we control AT ALL

@cwebber @sleepyowl This is all part of the same effort that's locking down Android development and buying out all the storage, chips and RAM before consumers have a chance.

This is the end run to kill all OSS by forcing us to rent compute and storage, then beg permission to participate.

@cwebber @sleepyowl
Age verification is a loss of privacy to big US Corporations and to your Government for all Adults.

"Think of the children" is purely an excuse for surveillance. It's up to parents to "police" child access to technology or Internet, or books, or music. No-one else.

This is a denial of human rights for all adults.

@cwebber @sleepyowl They've artificially caused a shortage of RAM and hard drives so you can't build your own.

Much of the time the bootloader can be cracked. They're getting much better at that though. They can also use these same methods to keep you from gaining access to networks if your bootloader can't sign with a certified key--which your overwrite won't.

It's not hard to see what they're up to. I just don't know what to do about it. It looks like checkmate to me.

@cwebber
If we’re permitted to buy hardware at all:

https://masto.hackers.town/@lmorchard/116110713766204271

@sleepyowl

@cwebber @sleepyowl Yeah, the total refusal for some folks in FOSS to take this seriously because of a pinky promise in open licensing is going to make us sleep walk into this if we're not careful.

I think it's pretty easy to put up your blinders and refuse to acknowledge our individual shortcomings.

Most of us are software folks-- this will be a hardware based lock in. Many of us software people struggle with hardware issues and many of those simply cannot be sidestepped with a clever hack.

Just look at the ongoing issues with Nvidia drivers, Wayland support, LibreBoot, and standing community conventions like GUIX's tacit refusal to run on anything with proprietary drivers to get a taste of the absolute uphill slog we will all face if the community has to contend with this kind of low-level issue everywhere all at once.

The thing that drives me nuts too is that, although I suspect some issues on the internet can be solved with clever legislation, I don't think this is the way to do it. AT ALL. This whole thing feels like it was drafted by desperate polititicians who succumbed to a flashy tech bro slide deck and marketing pitches without a single thought to security, maintainence, economic impacts, etc. Like. Y'all. You have massive data centers filled with Linux boxes that some unlucky sod is probably going to get saddled with plugging their own biometrics into just to run a load balancer for the DMV. Does that feel sustainable?

Its the SaaS equivalent to legislation-- slap a bandaid on it and when people complain, blame them.

I don't live in either of the states where they're discussing this and my elected legislators are the "stick my fingers in my ears and yell real loud" types. What can I do now to help prevent this from being adopted? Are there any advocacy groups throwing their hat into the ring that we can rally behind?

@cwebber @sleepyowl

Let ALL the Democrats in California know, they will be primaried, until they are gone. GONE.

Rescind the law. Veto the law, primary the Democrats.

#california #democrats #caldems #ageVerification #fascism #screamingAngry #fools #jackasses

@cwebber @sleepyowl

Microsoft isn't trying to force the usage of UEFI and TPM for nothing by only allowing online accounts and Bitlocker is enabled by default and only optional on Enterprise editions and servers.

And the day may come where hardware vendors sell only hardware where UEFI and TPM aren't optional anymore and enabled by default. That will be the tipping point.

I sincerely hope this is just a dystopian thought.

@cwebber @sleepyowl I don't necessarily believe they'll lock the firmware behind this. But they'll probably will do firmware powered "attestations" which, yes, Linux can ignore. But then we'll get a downgraded Web, just like Netflix won't serve 4K w/o DRM.

I don't think we'll get locked out from compute. But from sharing and browsing.

@cwebber @sleepyowl

And by already pushing this shit in California, Gavin Newsom once again tips his hand and shows us all that under the pretty liberal word salad and reassuring smiles, he's yet another goddamn fascist.