Ageless Linux: Software for humans of indeterminate age.
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Or if you're a young developer, you download the source, stub out the age tests, and build your own version to install from - you going to sue a teen cause they have skills?
The whole notion of age verification in open source software where the source of the software is available to modify, is so brain damaged and unenforceable.
Maybe add age verification as a loadable kernel module. Then people can opt-out or opt-in at the time of install.
I am amazed that #California of all places, being open to ideas and a hub of technology is parking their brain cells in a handicap zone.
It's because these data collection bills (let's be real, that's what they are) are being funding by mostly Meta to push age verificiation onto OS providers under the guise of "won't someone *please* think of the children?!"
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@nixCraft This website is such an excellent rebuttal to the nonsensical parameters of the Californian law. Funny read!
@abmurrow yup, the bottom of the page is like big fuck off. Lmao.
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Ageless Linux: Software for humans of indeterminate age. We don't know how old you are. We don't want to know. We are legally required to ask. We won't.
@nixCraft love this, but the website is very US-centric. This age verification madness is sweeping the whole world.
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Ageless Linux: Software for humans of indeterminate age. We don't know how old you are. We don't want to know. We are legally required to ask. We won't.
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@nixCraft love this, but the website is very US-centric. This age verification madness is sweeping the whole world.
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Ageless Linux: Software for humans of indeterminate age. We don't know how old you are. We don't want to know. We are legally required to ask. We won't.
@nixCraft Here's the #Debian #SystemDCensorD proposal, using D-Bus - "On installation, the user will be required to enter their location. ... This location and user data will be managed by a new daemon, systemd-censord, ... For example, ... a unit for China will implement keyword scans ... debian will need to switch to being a binary-only distribution ... with ... controls to prevent any non-signed software from being installed , written, or compiled, ..."
[1] https://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2026/03/msg00018.html
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Or if you're a young developer, you download the source, stub out the age tests, and build your own version to install from - you going to sue a teen cause they have skills?
The whole notion of age verification in open source software where the source of the software is available to modify, is so brain damaged and unenforceable.
Maybe add age verification as a loadable kernel module. Then people can opt-out or opt-in at the time of install.
I am amazed that #California of all places, being open to ideas and a hub of technology is parking their brain cells in a handicap zone.
@sirwumpus @nixCraft
As AugrusButler points out below, the big 3 tech companies with a financial stake in age verification -- Apple, Alphabet, and Micro$haft -- pushed very aggressively in California for passage of this ill-advised and unfortunately passed bill. -
@nixCraft Here's the #Debian #SystemDCensorD proposal, using D-Bus - "On installation, the user will be required to enter their location. ... This location and user data will be managed by a new daemon, systemd-censord, ... For example, ... a unit for China will implement keyword scans ... debian will need to switch to being a binary-only distribution ... with ... controls to prevent any non-signed software from being installed , written, or compiled, ..."
[1] https://lists.debian.org/debian-legal/2026/03/msg00018.html
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Ageless Linux: Software for humans of indeterminate age. We don't know how old you are. We don't want to know. We are legally required to ask. We won't.
@nixCraft is this a joke? or i don't get it. when it requires first the download or e.g. debian, but debian itself requires the age check on install, how can ageless linux work, when you have to run the conversion script after the debian installation?
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It's because these data collection bills (let's be real, that's what they are) are being funding by mostly Meta to push age verificiation onto OS providers under the guise of "won't someone *please* think of the children?!"
the guise of "won't someone please think of the children?!"
Oddly enough, it was the 1970's and 1980's children that took apart code - Apple II supplied BIOS code, Exidy Sorcerer available monitor code and circuit layout, DR's CP/M the BIOS portion though many disassembler all of CP/M to add more features to name a few,
Its the children driven by curiosity, a desire to understand, and learn that bring about future changes. They won't care about age rules, just a challenge to bypass them and sell that knowledge to their friends.
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Ageless Linux: Software for humans of indeterminate age. We don't know how old you are. We don't want to know. We are legally required to ask. We won't.
@nixCraft ok that finished to change my mind. Thanks.
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Ageless Linux: Software for humans of indeterminate age. We don't know how old you are. We don't want to know. We are legally required to ask. We won't.
@nixCraft I love this solution, but what are the plans for hardware providers? I feel like companies that offer Linux pre-installed will be the ones on the hook for ensuring the age verification is there. Will there be California editions that come with no OS?
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Ageless Linux: Software for humans of indeterminate age. We don't know how old you are. We don't want to know. We are legally required to ask. We won't.
@nixCraft linux can’t fundamentally do age verification because how it’s built into the system to be local by default and even if something was made you could literally strip it out of the source code so even if a company like Ubuntu added it into something a dev team like Linux Mint would remove that crap anyway.
The law makers really are showing their age being out of touch with technology like my mother and grandmother.
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Ageless Linux: Software for humans of indeterminate age. We don't know how old you are. We don't want to know. We are legally required to ask. We won't.
@nixCraft
Where I can catch up on the context? -
Or if you're a young developer, you download the source, stub out the age tests, and build your own version to install from - you going to sue a teen cause they have skills?
The whole notion of age verification in open source software where the source of the software is available to modify, is so brain damaged and unenforceable.
Maybe add age verification as a loadable kernel module. Then people can opt-out or opt-in at the time of install.
I am amazed that #California of all places, being open to ideas and a hub of technology is parking their brain cells in a handicap zone.
@sirwumpus @nixCraft I think it's more serious than that. Open source cannot escape cryptographic signature verification that can be required for remote services.
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Ageless Linux: Software for humans of indeterminate age. We don't know how old you are. We don't want to know. We are legally required to ask. We won't.
Interesting to see how many people are born on 1970-01-01.
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@nixCraft is this a joke? or i don't get it. when it requires first the download or e.g. debian, but debian itself requires the age check on install, how can ageless linux work, when you have to run the conversion script after the debian installation?
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Ageless Linux: Software for humans of indeterminate age. We don't know how old you are. We don't want to know. We are legally required to ask. We won't.
@nixCraft embedded malware news in 5…4…
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Heh... That would coincide with the birthday of nigh everyone on Steam
See: https://web.archive.org/web/20130715011254/http://www.thenobleeskimo.com/steamusers.html
