Will FreeBSD be available in California in 2027?

The courts could strike or put it in abeyance under the 'void for vagueness' doctrine, or under contract law between buyer and seller of, or coder and user of, the product under contract unfeasability clause rulings. For starters. [[
/usr/ports/net-age-verif-routers/calif-debootstrap/ CAN YOUR os DO THIS! UPGRADE TODAY! ]]
 
vmb said:
When asking Duck-Duck-Go the following question:

California age assurance act: what is the definition of an app store?

I received this answer:

Definition of an App Store​

An app store is defined as any publicly available internet website, software application, online service, or platform that distributes and facilitates the download of applications from third-party developers to users of a computer, mobile device, or any other general-purpose computing device.

Key Characteristics​

  • Public Availability: The app store must be accessible to the general public.
  • Distribution of Applications: It serves as a platform for users to download applications developed by third parties.
  • Device Compatibility: App stores cater to various devices, including computers and mobile devices.

This definition is crucial for understanding the obligations and regulations imposed by the California Digital Age Assurance Act, which applies to these platforms in the context of age verification and user safety.

So when using this definition:
  • The FreeBSD pkg system uses a software application run on a computer that runs the FreeBSD operating system.
  • The FreeBSD pkg repository is an online service, publicly available on the internet.
  • The FreeBSD pkg packaging method, version control and service form a platform that distributes and facilitates the download of applications from third-party developers to users of a computer running the FreeBSD operating system.
I reckon that quacks like a duck!
Click to expand...
Except... you don't need an appstore 'account' to install software using 'pkg'. I think that is the essential difference. With apple or android, you need an 'account', and to 'log in', and to provide them with payment details, card number etc. What you have on freebsd or linux is just a software repository, without any user 'accounts'. So I don't think freebsd's pkg system can be said to be an 'appstore' as such. There is no user registration or payment system.
 
I frankly think that the law is aimed at Microsoft and Apple to begin with. They are the ones with the questionable practice of using OS-level accounts to tease out real, personal information on people who may turn out to be minors. The BSD/Linux camp is generally safe in that regard.

Microsoft owns Teams. Apple owns iTunes. Both are connected to OS-level accounts. Both Microsoft and Apple also own services for which they can charge a subscription fee. And if you sign up to pay for something that's owned by Microsoft and/or Apple - that's when you get your OS-level account tied to your real information. BSD and Linux camps don't do that.

Microsoft also teased out my real information and tied it to my OS-level (on Windows, of course) account because I used my personal email to sign into Teams (which I do kind of need IRL).

When that kind of playbook is used on a person who turns out to be a minor - yeah, that's a problem. And that's the point of that California law to begin with.

BSDs and Linux have nothing to worry about. In fact, this very well can turn out to be in their best interests, the userbase will actually increase as people seek an escape from the highly questionable practices (by Microsoft and Apple) that I have just described.

😏
 
You may remember some time ago, when I pronounced the prophecy that only Windows and MacOS (and maybe some kind of commercial linux) will remain permitted to connect to the internet, while the other OS, and specifically those with open source that can be compiled (and controlled) by the users themselves, will be banned from use (by private people, at least).

I didn't think this would become reality so quickly.

Most people have lost track on how modern IT actually came to be and how it works (or were never interested in such, to begin with). Specifically politicians have no longer any idea about anything, except their own agenda (money for nothing, chicks for free). So when they are told there is an issue (like parents abandoning their children to the internet, which was promised to them as the new babysitter), they will simply ask their advisors what to do.
Practically all of these advisors are lobbyists pursuing the interest of the big corps.

So, in terms of IT, the advisors come from Google and Apple, and they will advise so that their smartphones get properly treated as desired, while anything else they want to get rid of anyway, since only smartphones can make sure the users have no rights and do properly pay for their advertisement feeds.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top