BartyDeCanter

@BartyDeCanter@lemmy.sdf.org

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨California introduces age verification law for all operating systems, including Linux and SteamOS — user age verified during OS account setup⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  Sorry, I see that I was unclear.

  Yes it fucking does require sending the data somewhere, specifically to every “application store”, which by their definition includes such things as Github, PyPI, Crates.io, Debian mirrors, apt/rpm repos, and personal websites that have hobby projects from more than one person.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨https://www.androidauthority.com/desktop-mode-march-pixel-drop-3646069/⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  Hiding the file system is Good Actually because…

  Tap for spoiler

  Nope, can’t come up with a single reason. It’s fucking terrible.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨[deleted]⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  Phones have always been locked down, all the way back to when you could only use a phone that AT&T sold you attached to a landline.

  Basic cell phones were generally very locked down, or at least there was no documentation on how anything worked. I do remember using a photo and contact syncing tool that had the protocols for a bunch of “feature” phones reverse engineered. IIRC the dev gave up because he kept getting sued.

  When smartphones came around, Android was actually very open. My first Droid was completely open, no need to even unlock anything. Applications could be installed and run from anywhere, including the SD card. But the carriers were not happy, due to the proliferation of malware running on their networks. Users were also pretty unhappy due to the lack of security and malware. So they started by adding a boot loader lock and eventually locked down more and more. The iPhone was locked down from the beginning. It was seen as more of an iPod or other accessory device, so no one really cared.

  And, that’s basically been it.

  Really, the fact that PCs are as open as they are is pretty amazing and mostly due to different companies reverse engineering each other and a lot of court decisions. I’m sure looking back that IBM really wishes that their cases had gone differently.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨California introduces age verification law for all operating systems, including Linux and SteamOS — user age verified during OS account setup⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  From TFB: First, there are some definitions: Section 1798.500

  © “Application” means a software application that may be run or directed by a user on a computer, a mobile device, or any other general purpose computing device that can access a covered application store or download an application.

  There are no business threshold, network capabilities for the application (though there is one for the computer, sorta). It’s simply anything that may run on a computer. ‘ls’ definitely qualifies as an application per this definition. This is a pretty reasonable definition of ‘application’, even if it is a bit circular.

  (e) (1) “Covered application store” means a publicly available internet website, software application, online service, or platform that distributes and facilitates the download of applications from third-party developers to users of a computer, a mobile device, or any other general purpose computing that can access a covered application store or can download an application. (2) “Covered application store” does not mean an online service or platform that distributes extensions, plug-ins, add-ons, or other software applications that run exclusively within a separate host application.

  PyPI, a Debian mirror, crates.io and GitHub qualify as a “covered application store”. Pip, cargo are an “software application” that “distributes and facilitates the download of applications from third-party developers to users of a computer” so they are as well. Depending on case law curl, rsync and scp might also, though the ‘distributes’ qualifier may exempt them. Oddly, browser add-ons are probably exempt due to (e)(2). And there may be a grey area around things like VMs. A purely personal website that only has software developed by that person probably doesn’t qualify due to the ‘third-party’ qualifier. Again, there is no business threshold listed.

  (f) “Developer” means a person that owns, maintains, or controls an application.

  Again, a fairly straightforward definition, that would apply to anyone who maintains any “software application that may be run or directed by a user on a computer, a mobile device” per 1798.500.c.

  So, we’ve got that developer is a simple definition that basically matches what one would expect, as does application. Covered application store is probably broader than one would expect, and has an odd carve out, but covers most modern software distribution channels. I guess it might not cover sending CDs in the mail.

  Then we get to a single simple sentence: Section 1798.501

  (b) (1) A developer shall request a signal with respect to a particular user from an operating system provider or a covered application store when the application is downloaded and launched.

  It’s a really simple sentence that can be really easy to gloss over. But read it again. Maybe you could argue that it only applies the first time an application is run. But it absolutely applies when it is downloaded. There are no exceptions listed, no threshold tests, no “social media applications only”. This applies to all applications, all developers, and all “covered application stores”. Now CA jurisdiction doesn’t cover downloads from outside of CA, but it does cover anyone downloading something inside of CA, or someone living in CA. So if a kid in CA downloads something from a outside of CA, the developer is in violation even if they are outside of CA. CA may not have the resources or desire to track down every developer outside of the state, but if they so choose they would be able to file a claim in the same way that CA can file claims on foreign people who violate other laws that involve CA victims, such as fraud.

  Finally, there is this bit: 1798.504

  (f) This title does not apply to any of the following: (3) The delivery or use of a physical product.

  So, it looks like it doesn’t apply to CDs in the mail.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Forced age verification is comming sooner than we thought.⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  Yeah, the fact that I can wave to a cop walking out of a store where I just bought some pot, but might face massive fines for not doing age verification for a pong game I wrote is insane. I mean, I still want to be able to smoke my pot legally, but I also don’t want to have to care about who play pongs.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨California introduces age verification law for all operating systems, including Linux and SteamOS — user age verified during OS account setup⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  I am fully aware of the open source ecosystem. I have contributed to dozens of projects, including the linux kernel, CPython, Perl, and others.

  It’s astonishingly obvious that you haven’t bothered to read the bill at all and are just spewing nonsense. Take ten minutes and then pull your head out of your ass.

  Sections 1798.501.b, 1798.502.a and b. Every developer of every application that can be downloaded from every website, platform and package system MUST request your age bracket every time it is downloaded. And every time it is launched.

  Thats every application, from ‘ls’ to World of Warcraft. Thats every place on the internet that hosts software packages. It doesn’t matter if you feel like it is only aimed at “online services and platforms “ or “social media platforms and content services”.

  It is written to cover everything that runs on a computer that can be downloaded and the places that host them. PyPI, crates.io, flathub, Debian mirrors, everything.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨California introduces age verification law for all operating systems, including Linux and SteamOS — user age verified during OS account setup⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  But they can fine every single developer of every single application. Sure, a lot of people won’t be in the jurisdiction of the state of California, but there are a hell of a lot of developers who are.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨California introduces age verification law for all operating systems, including Linux and SteamOS — user age verified during OS account setup⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  I’m definitely not saying we give up, but this absolutely does impact every developer, not just OS developers. Go read the bill, but here are the relevant parts:

  © “Application” means a software application that may be run or directed by a user on a computer, a mobile device, or any other general purpose computing device that can access a covered application store or download an application.

  (e) (1) “Covered application store” means a publicly available internet website, software application, online service, or platform that distributes and facilitates the download of applications from third-party developers to users of a computer, a mobile device, or any other general purpose computing that can access a covered application store or can download an application.

  (f) “Developer” means a person that owns, maintains, or controls an application.

  (b) (1) A developer shall request a signal with respect to a particular user from an operating system provider or a covered application store when the application is downloaded and launched.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨California introduces age verification law for all operating systems, including Linux and SteamOS — user age verified during OS account setup⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  But why are you even accepting this something like this should exist? What is the threat model that this is protecting against? How would it offer any protection against that threat? Why should everyone who is making any program need to ask about the age of their possible users?

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨California introduces age verification law for all operating systems, including Linux and SteamOS — user age verified during OS account setup⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  That is correct. Every program that is downloadable on the internet, from a big commercial application store, a open source repository, a single project webpage, or a random personal hobby site that has a single file on it that gets an update after 1/1/2026 must request your age bracket when it is downloaded. Or launched. Every singe one, every single time.

  Since I took at look at your user profile, that means you would need to add that to all of your github and itch.io projects. And if they are included in some other packaging system, you better be sure that they are doing it as well. Otherwise you will be personally responsible for a $2500-$7500 fine every time a kid downloads one of your games.

  Impossible? Certainly not. But why the fuck should we have to do that? Why should every bit of code you put up on the internet be required to check the age API every time it is run? What are you going to do?

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨California introduces age verification law for all operating systems, including Linux and SteamOS — user age verified during OS account setup⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  I think we’re in violent agreement. It has a huge impact on both end users and hobbyists, and open source developers.

  I have some things I’ve developed in the classic “scratch an itch” approach and published for the handful of people who might use it. Now I’m liable for $2500-$7500 if a kid runs 10 lines of code?

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨California introduces age verification law for all operating systems, including Linux and SteamOS — user age verified during OS account setup⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  Go read the bill, particularly section 1798.501.b, 1798.502.a and b. Every developer of every application that can be downloaded from every package system MUST request your age bracket every time it is downloaded. And possibly every time it is launched. Basic utilities like ‘ls’ and ‘cat’, that pong example I pushed as a test, everything.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨California introduces age verification law for all operating systems, including Linux and SteamOS — user age verified during OS account setup⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  Go read the bill, particularly section 1798.501.b, 1798.502.a and b. Every developer of every application that can be downloaded from every package system MUST request your age bracket every time it is downloaded or face the fine. And possibly every time it is launched. Basic utilities like ‘ls’ and ‘cat’, that pong example I pushed as a test, everything.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨California introduces age verification law for all operating systems, including Linux and SteamOS — user age verified during OS account setup⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  It’s more than that. Go read the bill, particularly section 1798.501.b, 1798.502.a and b. Every developer of every application that can be downloaded from every package system MUST request your age bracket every time it is downloaded. And possibly every time it is launched. Basic utilities like ‘ls’ and ‘cat’, that pong example I pushed as a test, everything.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨California introduces age verification law for all operating systems, including Linux and SteamOS — user age verified during OS account setup⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  Go read the bill, particularly section 1798.501.b, 1798.502.a and b. Every developer of every application that can be downloaded from every package system MUST request your age bracket every time it is downloaded. And possibly every time it is launched. Basic utilities like ‘ls’ and ‘cat’, that pong example I pushed as a test, everything.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨California introduces age verification law for all operating systems, including Linux and SteamOS — user age verified during OS account setup⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  Go read the bill, particularly section 1798.501.b, 1798.502.a and b. Every developer of every application that can be downloaded from every package system MUST request your age bracket every time it is downloaded. And possibly every time it is launched. Basic utilities like ‘ls’ and ‘cat’, that pong example I pushed as a test, everything.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨California introduces age verification law for all operating systems, including Linux and SteamOS — user age verified during OS account setup⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  No, sorry, you’re wrong. Go read the bill, particularly section 1798.501.b, 1798.502.a and b. Every developer of every application that can be downloaded from every package system MUST request your age bracket every time it is downloaded. And possibly every time it is launched. Basic utilities like ‘ls’ and ‘cat’, that pong example I pushed as a test, everything.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨California introduces age verification law for all operating systems, including Linux and SteamOS — user age verified during OS account setup⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  Yes it fucking does. Go read the bill, particularly section 1798.501.b, 1798.502.a and b. Every developer of every application that can be downloaded from every package system MUST request your age bracket every time it is downloaded. And possibly every time it is launched. Basic utilities like ‘ls’ and ‘cat’, that pong example I pushed as a test, everything.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨California introduces age verification law for all operating systems, including Linux and SteamOS — user age verified during OS account setup⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  But it actually does require that. Read section 1798.502.b. Every developer of every application has to ask for your age bracket through this mechanism. The open source developers behind ‘ls’, ‘cp’, ‘rsync’ are all suddenly required to ask my age category of face a $2500-$7500 fine per time my kids run apt upgrade. That is utterly absurd.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨California introduces age verification law for all operating systems, including Linux and SteamOS — user age verified during OS account setup⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  Fucking hell, 1798.502.b is even more insane. Every developer of every single project has request the age bracket of every possible user? The people working on fucking ‘cp’ and ‘ls’ have to ask my age category when I run an update?!? This is absolutely insane.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Windows 12 release date in 2026 possible, with AI features that may force CPU upgrades⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  For a new user, the most important things are usually a familiar feeling desktop environment, comprehensive default hardware support, and plenty of documentation in case you need it. The most important anti-things are needing to learn a bunch of new concepts right away and needing to use the command line, and experimental things that are know to break regularly.

  Since you’re a Mac user, I would suggest KDE over Gnome for a desktop environment. Even though the default Gnome application bar looks very Mac-like and the default bar on KDE looks very windows-like, the rest of the KDE desktop feels much more Mac-like.

  For the rest, you will want to use a common distro with a wide user base and a long history targeted at desktop users.

  For those reasons, I would suggest either Kubuntu, or Fedora KDE.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨California introduces age verification law for all operating systems, including Linux and SteamOS — user age verified during OS account setup⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  Furthermore, what is this law actually going to accomplish? What is the threat model that this protects from? How does it accomplish that? How is it better than something less invasive? Not some vague pearl clutching bullshit, but an actual threat protection model.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨California introduces age verification law for all operating systems, including Linux and SteamOS — user age verified during OS account setup⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  There are still so many problems with this. In addition to the general fuck you, it’s my computer, and fuck the state for forcing creeping surveillance on people, and how the hell would you enforce this, how would this even work for any of the following:

  • My RaspPi, running an older version of Linux. As far as I can tell, if I compile the kernel or write some code for it I would become the OS Provider.
  • A multiuser computer
  • Retro computing
  • A home media server. Maybe a NAS, maybe a home built machine.

  It also looks like it applies to “covered application store” and from how that is defined, every public deb, apt, or yum repo is an application store, along with things like PyPI, crates.io, GitHub, and probably my own fucking git server that I share with some friends.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨big facts⁩ ⁨⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  Oh god, it’s been a long time since I took Vibrations and Waves, but I still remember filling notebook after notebook with Fourier transform equations.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Lemmings, please give us your info dump.⁩ ⁨⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  Oh, ok thanks! I’ve been wondering about the split 2.5/10G switches I’ve seen and wondered why. That makes a lot of sense now! I’ll take a look at them again.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨You can log into 28 vintage computer systems in your browser for free, thanks to the Interim Computer Museum. Experience legendary OSes, architectures, programming languages, and games⁩ ⁨⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  BeOS is my favorite desktop OS of all time. Nowadays I run Linux on all my machines, but there are things that it was better and faster at on a Pentium 75 with 16MB of RAM than today’s multi GHz and multi GB systems running Linux, MacOS or Windows. I’m not sure how much of that you will see in a demo like this, as is was more day to day things from back when we cared about local files and applications and weren’t permanently connected to the internet. But still, it was amazing.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Lemmings, please give us your info dump.⁩ ⁨⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  In my home state there is a very small town that supposedly was going to be the recipient of a large investment that sank on the Titanic. Or possibly it was just the investors? Either way, I imagine that there must be a number of such stories of what might have been if it had made it to dock. Do you know of any?

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Lemmings, please give us your info dump.⁩ ⁨⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  I set up my house with cat6 when I moved in. The overall setup looks like 10G fiber to the house -> 2.5G capable router -> 2.5G capable NAS running *arr stack. Also off the router is a single cat6 downstairs -> 8 port 1G unmanaged switch, which is connected to my desktop, work dock, parters dock, TV, and backhaul run to the back of house wifi extender. The desktop, both docks and wifi extender are 2.5G capable. This has been extremely reliable. I plan on upgrading the switch to a 10g capable one at some point, and then the router. Since the switch is unmanaged, is there a good way to know when it is the limiting factor and I should update it?

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Save as PDF⁩ ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago⁩:

  Oh I agree, I’m not saying that PDF is some sort of document format perfection. But it is a fully open one with a spec that fits in 250 pages, as opposed to docx’s 7500(!!) page spec with undocumented binary blobs mixed in.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Save as PDF⁩ ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago⁩:

  I see you too are a person of culture.