nixCraft ๐งAgeless Linux: Software for humans of indeterminate age. We don't know how old you are. We don't want to know. We are legally required to ask. We won't.
SirWumpus ๐พ๐Or if you're a young developer, you download the source, stub out the age tests, and build your own version to install from - you going to sue a teen cause they have skills?
The whole notion of age verification in open source software where the source of the software is available to modify, is so brain damaged and unenforceable.
Maybe add age verification as a loadable kernel module. Then people can opt-out or opt-in at the time of install.
I am amazed that #California of all places, being open to ideas and a hub of technology is parking their brain cells in a handicap zone.
Marta Threadbare@sirwumpus @nixCraft like the proprietary codecs checkbox, add another that says "i'm from California and I certify i'm over 18", not saving that anywhere.
AugrahsButlerIt's because these data collection bills (let's be real, that's what they are) are being funding by mostly Meta to push age verificiation onto OS providers under the guise of "won't someone *please* think of the children?!"
the guise of "won't someone please think of the children?!"
Oddly enough, it was the 1970's and 1980's children that took apart code - Apple II supplied BIOS code, Exidy Sorcerer available monitor code and circuit layout, DR's CP/M the BIOS portion though many disassembler all of CP/M to add more features to name a few,
Its the children driven by curiosity, a desire to understand, and learn that bring about future changes. They won't care about age rules, just a challenge to bypass them and sell that knowledge to their friends.
Guillotine Jones, Flรขneur@sirwumpus @nixCraft
As AugrusButler points out below, the big 3 tech companies with a financial stake in age verification -- Apple, Alphabet, and Micro$haft -- pushed very aggressively in California for passage of this ill-advised and unfortunately passed bill.
As AugrusButler points out below, the big 3 tech companies with a financial stake in age verification -- Apple, Alphabet, and Micro$haft -- pushed very aggressively in California for passage of this ill-advised and unfortunately passed bill.
@sirwumpus @nixCraft I think it's more serious than that. Open source cannot escape cryptographic signature verification that can be required for remote services.
DrScriptt@sirwumpus @nixCraft itโs a picket fence with a latched gate.
Visible boundary that will be used for other things in court.
The Doctor@sirwumpus @nixCraft > you going to sue a teen cause they have skills?
Yes, absolutely. Time honored tradition dating back to the late 90's of folks who reported a problem they stumbled across. I worked for a few companies that did that.
Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter.
สuแดิ โ
@sirwumpus @nixCraft As source code has been dragged through the courts and defined as Free Speech in the US any open source based distribution would seem to have the ability to use the constitution against any state based law.
IANAL