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Comment by benbristow | Hacker News Reader

One way to bring in the year of the Linux desktop

Quite the opposite. From the description in the article it will make Linux illegal unless distros and app stores comply with German law. It may ban installation of software from outside locked down app stores.

DEs like KDE already have a kiosk mode. Just add an adblocker to it, for content that’s not child friendly. Done.

Zero risk to Linux here.

Read the comments from FSFE - they do not think its simple at all: https://www.heise.de/en/news/Microsoft-Google-Co-Countries-g...

Something like kiosk mode does not cover it. It will have to be locked down to the point of uselessness. From the article:

"Only apps that have an approved youth protection program or a comparable suitable tool themselves will be accessible regardless of the pre-set age group."

I read the article. I just don’t share the criticism.

“Only apps from safe places can be installed.”

Yeah, d’oh. Otherwise, massive loophole.

Yes, it’s a Nintendo-ify button for a PC. It’s opt in. And very convenient for parents.

And if my kid wants to install something, it can come and ask me. Like I had to go and ask my dad before installing sth (before I got my own Linux machine with 14).

Yeah, good fucking luck with that. Piracy was also illegal in the 90's, and yet every kid had a Napster installation.

Linux might receive this too. Remember, Valve is using Linux for their Steam Deck/Machine/Flare, and they are selling well enough, that the law might apply to them at least.

Why do you think these laws don’t apply to Linux?

How would you implement this on something like Arch Linux where you basically build your whole OS from scratch?

Doesn't matter. If you can't find a way to do so, then it becomes illegal to distribute or use Arch Linux.

As an American I will happily help my EU colleagues ignore this absurd law by any means necessary, even if it requires sending SD cards affixed to letters through the mail or embedding them in 3D printed trinkets. Or, more likely, simply emailing gzipped installers or providing convenient download links that circumvent whatever firewall is eventually set up (assuming this law sticks around, but it won’t).

Or use the censorship resistant protocol known as BitTorrent.

Downloading Linux ISOs just became illegal for real this time.

Literally no one is going to get arrested for installing Arch Linux.

... because they won't be able to, because the project will have been shut down.

Afaik Arch isn't German, so why would it be shut down?

This is part of a wave of similar bullshit worldwide. And we have a bunch of countries trying to enforce their bullshit extraterritorially.

Also, your lack of concern for any people or projects who may happen to actually be German is... disturbing.

No it won't

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