Linux

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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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101

I Spoke To The Developer Of The Systemd Birth Date PR - YouTube (www.youtube.com)

submitted 3 days ago by Tenderizer78@lemmy.ml to c/linux@lemmy.ml

252 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Some of you need to watch this video, and hang your head in shame.

Dylan Taylor has been receiving constant harassment, including threats to his life and safety, for actions done collectively by SystemD. The article by Sam Bent was explictly mentioned as part of the harassment campaign, and rightfully so.

I don't think enough people realize that this is catastrophically bad. It'll discourage people from becoming open source developers, it'll discourage people from using Linux, and it'll discourage legislators from taking the Linux community seriously.

If you ever wished ill upon another human being for complying with a relatively inconsequential law, you are better off never touching a computer again. The Linux community has collectively gone so far beyond what is acceptable here.

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[+] kogasa@programming.dev -8 points 2 days ago (2 children)

No, it literally just can't violate your privacy in any way. You have complete control over what, if anything, is placed in that field. No information about you can be gained or disclosed by virtue of the systemd change alone. You can think it's a bad change because it signals intent to follow a trend of supporting privacy-invading age verification, but you can't say this specific change in itself is privacy-invading.

[–] geneva_convenience@lemmy.ml 8 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

You'd have complete control for now.

Don't give them an inch.

[–] fleinsopp@lemmy.ml -1 points 2 days ago

Systemd is free software. The four essential freedoms necessitate that you have complete control forever.

The only way that you could lose control is if your hardware manufacturer took away the ability for you to install your own operating system. But then the choice isn't going to be Windows or a Linux flavour personally blessed and tivoised by Lennart, it's going to be Windows or a brick.

[–] kogasa@programming.dev -1 points 2 days ago

I don't support the change. That's not my point. My point is that if we're going to argue the dev being threatened isn't a victim because he's actively harming privacy, we should be aware that the changes he proposed are not actually harming privacy at all.

[–] Professorozone@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

What the hell else is it used for?

[–] kogasa@programming.dev -4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

It's mostly not going to be used at all.

[–] Professorozone@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

Then why is it necessary?