Thank you System76.
this post was submitted on 10 Mar 2026
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Funfact, debit and credit card chips all have tiny OS's on them. Guess its back to swipping mag strips
There are SOOOOOO many ways to implement age verification checks. And this is one of the worst. What is wrong with people
An "I am an adult" checkbox in your OS that gets propagated out is probably the most privacy centric way to lock down kid accounts right?
It's because the goal is surveillance
But who the fuck is actually introducing these bills? Which entity/organisation/individual/company are they getting the ideas from?
Palantir
The dark side
... and I'm grateful for that but maybe we can finally decouple from OEM for OSes? Maybe could JUST buy a computer and not be forced an OS on it?
Sure I admit it feels nice to unwrap a new device, turn it on, set up few options and use it. Yet, the alternative it to turn it on, plug a USB drive on it, turn it on, set up few options, wait for 15min tops for installation to proceed and use it.
It's actually a ~15min difference but it could bring so many good practices.
You can buy computers without an operating system installed on it but most consumers barely understand what a computer is and would think that a computer without an operating system was broken. So there never was much of a market and then Microsoft came along and paid the OEMs to install Windows.
Quite a few website will let you untick the windows 11 licence if you want to go your own way.
Unfortunately the Linux market is so fragmented that your average user is overwhelmed. This is not helped by the Linux community who in a general rule are not particularly accommodating towards novices.
I like buying hardware, that I know is supported by an operating system. Although that doesn’t always have a good result either. I bought a small Linux netbook with an ARM chip, that never received a kernel update because of incompatible drivers.
being asshole towards less technically adept people about linux should become something that gets you seriously shamed and even ostracized if it continues. that kind of behavior hurts ALL of us by reducing popularity of linux and this reducing developer interest in supporting linux, which also means less drivers for critical components which in turn might mean your pc just cant utilize linux.
Personally, i have issue of internet getting randomly cut off due to too old drivers for my network adapter/chipset/not sure. The motherboard i use is one of the latest there is.
This issue has apparently persisted for years now, according to forum posts about it. So i'm directly suffering from linux not being popular enough.
-> Someone else would just return to windows because this is quite insuffreable even for me. But personally i'm happier with malfunctioning linux system than correctly working windows.
You can buy computers without an operating system installed on it
AFAIR that hasn't been the case in most places for a while precisely because Microsoft made partnerships with OEMs to avoid that situation.
I believe new laws were added, e.g. in Europe, but I would be curious were this was the case. In fact I remember the opposite, namely that most computers one would buy always came with an OS, Windows for PC and MacOS for Apple computers. Even computers that one would buy in part that would be assembled for them from non OEM would also have the options to have an OS. In fact I'd be curious about example of fully assemble PCs, not just parts nor SBCs, that could be purchased without an OS before the law in the places where its the case now, would prove an OS-free option. Can you please share examples?
Also, assuming you do find such examples (thanks in advance) I'd then be curious what's the market share, namely is it significant, e.g. 10% or is it basically anecdotal, e.g. 0.01% and thus just enough to say "it's possible" yet has no actual impact.
This is not helped by the Linux community who in a general rule are not particularly accommodating towards novices.
Luckily this trend is shifting! More and more linux distros oriented towards users new to linux, and helpful communities.
Most people today think computers like toasters, they don’t mind what OS they use or how to setup it. They want it to be ready to use right after they get it to the home. Similar as toasters or microwave ovens, you don’t expect to have to do any setup work for them. I don’t think it’s a good way to start using the computer, but unfortunately most people are that kind of people. That’s why Linux will never be the mainstream OS, no matter how hard you try to convince people to install and use it.
Linux will never be the mainstream OS
The SteamDeck prove that wrong, it's already mainstream.
Android has proven that wrong before.
But you see, you don’t need to install it yourself, it’s just a plug and play.
I don't understand the argument. Linux already is mainstream since there are millions (number out of my ass, I don't actually know) of devices people buy and "just" use Linux. Those clients are no tinkerers or developers, "just" gamers including I bet a significant proportion who are not even adults. My bet is when those people are asked "Are you using Linux?" they either don't know, or don't care, and yet when they finally realize they are actually using Linux daily they probably think "Wow, it's not that complicated, it just works" and thus it will change mindsets at scale.
Im sorry if you don’t understand what I’m trying to say, I think it’s because I have very poor English skills. I tried to say that people don’t want to have computer, which they need to install operating system before they can use it. And because almost every computer has Windows or macOS when you buy it, why would they want to start installing anything other? Only people who are keen on computers are willing to do that. I use Linux BTW.
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Does this mandate include OS's with no GUIs? Are the asshats writing this aware that there's more than just Windows and Apple?
I think these laws are written with focus on Mobile where such os and app/website signalling is more prevalent
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Whats up with these sudden age check laws being introduced everywhere?
Literally Israel
It’s part of the tech bro mass surveillance oligarchs and Israel tightening the freedom of speech noose worldwide
Governments wanting to identify and regulate speech under the guise of protecting children
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Hit everything at once, cause confusion and anger, distract from Epstein files and rising prices.
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Fucking raise hell and cause chaos. Age checks are bullshit. All while our government is filled with corruption and pedophiles. Maybe stop listening to such an immoral entity.
This is the way. Come to the anarchist side. We have less cookies and a lot of FOSS
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