Linux

64549 readers

275 users here now

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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.

Rules

Posts must be relevant to operating systems running the Linux kernel. GNU/Linux or otherwise.
No misinformation
No NSFW content
No hate speech, bigotry, etc

Related Communities

Community icon by Alpár-Etele Méder, licensed under CC BY 3.0

founded 6 years ago

MODERATORS

AgreeableLandscape@lemmy.ml

nooter692@lemmy.ml

MarcellusDrum@lemmy.ml

cypherpunks@lemmy.ml

cyclohexane@lemmy.ml

d3Xt3r@lemmy.nz

110

Is the "Year of Linux" actually a trap? (the.unknown-universe.co.uk)

submitted 1 week ago by TheIPW@lemmy.ml to c/linux@lemmy.ml

93 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I’ve spent years championing Linux as the only escape from Big Tech, but I’m starting to get twitchy.

While we’re distracted by the Steam Deck making Linux "mainstream," the corporate players and politicians are busy building a digital cage. Between California’s AB-1043 mandates and Microsoft’s "Face Check" infrastructure, I’m worried we’re heading for a hard schism: "Sanitised Linux" vs the "Free Rebel" distros.

If the compliant, age-gated version becomes the industry standard, where does that leave the rest of us? Digital exile?

I’ve put some thoughts together on why the "Golden Cage" is closing in and why education, not mandates, is the only real fix.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] pennomi@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago (4 children)

But here’s the thing, nobody knows what operating system you choose to install. This regulation will be equally as effective as anti-pirating legislation has been, which is to say, essentially nil.

[–] TheIPW@lemmy.ml 0 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Actually, even without "tracking" individuals, the metadata is still there. I can see from my own anonymous, privacy-respecting server stats exactly how many hits are coming from Android versus GNU/Linux. There is no personal data involved, but the OS "fingerprint" is clear.

If a small, self-hosted blog can see that high-level data, then a bank or a government gateway definitely can. The comparison to anti-piracy doesn't quite work because you don't have to "log in" to a pirated movie, but you do have to authenticate for the services that actually matter. That's where the compliance gate gets locked.

[–] pennomi@lemmy.world 12 points 1 week ago (2 children)

An operating system can lie about that though. The only reason it doesn’t is because of convention.

There is no technical reason it couldn’t look like a different OS. Try changing your user agent, it’s that simple in most cases.

[–] TheIPW@lemmy.ml 8 points 1 week ago

User agents are just the tip of the iceberg. Between TCP/IP stack fingerprinting and modern hardware attestation (TPM/Secure Boot), pretending to be a different OS is becoming a lot harder than just changing a string in your browser settings. The 'handshake' I mentioned before is at a much deeper level than that.

load more comments (1 replies)