Is the “Year of Linux” a Trap?
the.unknown-universe.co.uk
Governments and Big Tech are building a digital cage. As age verification mandates loom, we have to decide: is Linux a refuge or just another trap?

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.

  • Eggymatrix@sh.itjust.works
    1·
    6 hours ago

    All used profusely by hobbysts and evangelists, the kind of people with a lot of spare time to write bullshit online, and never ran more than 5 machines for more than a year with evolving operational requirements.

      • Eggymatrix@sh.itjust.works
        1·
        3 hours ago

        Usage and contributions data on debian and rhel, the vast majority uses systemd and does not complain about it.

        Edit: since you probably don’t care about people actually working with linux, a further datapoint is the steam hardware survey.

        • 0x0@lemmy.zip
          1·
          9 minutes ago

          So, by your own words, everyone who uses systemd and doesn’t complain is

          All used profusely by hobbysts and evangelists, the kind of people with a lot of spare time to write bullshit online, and never ran more than 5 machines for more than a year with evolving operational requirements.

          so, again, data on this or just keyboard warrioring?
          Don’t bother answering, we both know the answer.
          Bye.