this post was submitted on 27 Feb 2026
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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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But embedded computing devices these days are regularly general computing devices, and have been for a long time. If my insert appliance x with an ARM processor isn't a general computing device, then why is my raspberry pi?
Need a face scan to use my fridge
That is not something I had considered, I fully agree.
So many devices are built around SBCs running linux. I guess my first thought was that it is more about how the device is used and not what that actual OS is. But then how would the OS even be able to tell the difference.
This is a distinction that they should have spelled out explicitly in the law.
They basically defined curl as an app store: "facilitates the download of applications"
I mean sure, if you ignore the 2 words just before what you quoted.
I don't know that I would consider curl as "distributing" software. But as always it depends on how the court interprets it.
Full section for context: