Sure, but util-linux and the BSDs won't suddenly cease to exist. If you don't like what Ubuntu is doing, just don't use it.
And then websites and applications stop working if you're not using a verified, attested, locked-down OS and you're stuck with your nice free software system that will not do your online banking, let you chat with your friends, or access your company resources.
At that point I'll just move into the woods with a typewriter and chat with my friends via HAM radio
Edit: Also, why would some userspace components in a slightly-less-free license cause this to happen? if the powers-that-be want to shut you out of the internet, they can do it now; lots of proprietary software already exists.
Also, why would some userspace components in a slightly-less-free license cause this to happen?
It won't, in itself, but it appears to be yet another little push forward on the slippery slope that probably will end where it appears to inevitably end.
but again, the bsd userspace already has a permissive license. if the mustache twirling villains want to lock down stuff, they can do it now. they don't need any push forward.
Yeah, but people don't really want to use the BSD userspace. A lot of the Linux stuff people want to build on assumes a GNU userland and it's not trivial to build a BSD/Linux that actually does relevant computer stuff.
But in places where that stuff isn't relevant, we already see a lot of locked-down devices like the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation based on BSD precisely because they can leverage free software but still lock it down. macOS with its BSD userland is also kind of like this -- the OS is getting gradually more locked down over time, but the frog boils slowly.
If you tighten the screws too hard and fast then people will scream and yell and maybe leave your business for a competitor -- even though it's technically feasible, that means you can't disallow access to banking websites for generic-browser-on-generic-OS now. But we are, brick by brick, building a foundation where that will seem inevitable.
The argument is basically that making it easier to lock down general purpose computing devices like desktop computers (by, for example, making a non-GPL drop-in replacement for GNU *utils) will eventually aid in making it happen. The powers that be will use tried-and-true arguments about security and think-of-the-kids etc to make it seem like running a mutable, untrusted OS is an unacceptable risk.
>that means you can't disallow access to banking websites for generic-browser-on-generic-OS now. But we are, brick by brick, building a foundation where that will seem inevitable.
If you have too much non-standard stuff going on in your browser or mobile device, this is already happening, to a degree. Not a hard block, but increasing difficulties
People give away their freedoms all the time. Most people are walking around with facebook and tiktok tracking their every move. they don't care.
Some linux users aren't going to stop this sort of thing from happening. If Chase Bank wants to only allow MacOS and Windows 11 computers to access their website, the 1% of their userbase that uses something else isn't going to move the needle, and 99% of their users won't care (or even notice).
If this was going to happen, it would have already happened. The pieces are all there already.
People give away their freedoms all the time. Most people are walking around with facebook and tiktok tracking their every move. they don't care.
This is absolutely true. I'm saying someone should care, because it does matter.
Some linux users aren't going to stop this sort of thing from happening. If Chase Bank wants to only allow MacOS and Windows 11 computers to access their website, the 1% of their userbase that uses something else isn't going to move the needle, and 99% of their users won't care (or even notice).
For some businesses, losing 1% of your customers is actually a lot of customers and a lot of money, and all else being equal they would prefer to not lose them.
If this was going to happen, it would have already happened. The pieces are all there already.
No, they really aren't. Again, it's perhaps technically feasible to flip the switch, but it doesn't make business sense yet.
How many people are doing online banking without running on a fully cryptographically verifiable/attestable OS? This means everyone not using a TPM, Secure Boot, etc. This means grandpa with an old Windows 10 machine or an old Mac that perhaps he should not still be using but he doesn't care, he just wants to pay his bills. I don't have numbers of course but I bet you this starts looking like a hell of a lot more than 1% of the userbase.
There are web APIs for this sort of thing in all major browsers but no one is really using them yet. But they exist for a reason, much like Windows 11 requires a TPM for a reason, and this tech will at some point be deployed for things like online banking. Of course it will.
> If this was going to happen, it would have already happened. The pieces are all there already.
Same things were said for:
- Removal of DRM from music: Happened.
- Age verification in the internet: Happening.
- Locked down personal devices: Happened.
- Total surveillance in cities: Happened.
- Not being able to buy but only rent: Happened in many digital formats.
- Internet activation of software: Happened.
- Tracking individual persons real-time: Happened.
- Browser attestation: Google is trying hard.
- Attestation for Internet Banking: Reality in S. Korea.
This resonates. The after effects of age verification and the general exclusion of freedom loving coders is going to leave me standing here in the tumbleweeds with my 90s toyota and laptop with solar panels and unregulated radio frequencies my only communication with the outside world.
Its like those movies coming true. I've already had casual user accounts frozen just for accessing via VPN, or some other inscrutable reason.
I'm with you and the only solace in this dystopia is the fact that I increasingly feel like I just don't care. I don't really like using computers anymore. I liked them when they represented freedom and creativity.
So fine, exclude me from all your platforms, there's nothing there for me. It's all bad content from bad people (or increasingly: not even people) running on bad software. I'm not giving up my freedom to partake in that, I'd rather just stop using your shit.
(But I would very much like to be able to pay my bills and buy my train tickets, so I'll play your game and have a smartphone. Fine. You win this round.).
I don't use Ubuntu anywhere, so there's no actions I need to take.
> Upstream debian has been much more stable for as long as Ubuntu has existed...
Well, I use Debian before Ubuntu has existed, and it was never unstable to begin with. I understand the value of more eyes looking into something and its advantages, but let's say, Ubuntu has acted with selfish reasons towards Debian in some cases. I personally taken side in one of these debates, even.
Yes, I follow debian-devel, and even leaded a Debian derivative distro for some time.
Meandwhile the Canonical employee who's responsible for some aspects of apt has decided to insert rust code. Because of this, and just this, Debian dropped 4 entire architectures. https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2025/10/msg00285.html
>I plan to introduce hard Rust dependencies and Rust code into APT, no earlier than May 2026. This extends at first to the Rust compiler and standard library, and the Sequoia ecosystem. ... If you maintain a port without a working Rust toolchain, please ensure it has one within the next 6 months, or sunset the port. It's important for the project as whole to be able to move forward and rely on modern tools and technologies and not be held back by trying to shoehorn modern software on retro computing devices.
If you think Canonical isn't going to lead Debian around by the nose on this you haven't been paying attention.
```
Rust is already a hard requirement on all Debian release
architectures and ports except for alpha, hppa, m68k, and
sh4 (which do not provide sqv).
```
It seems to me that the APT change was just a nail in the coffin of these older architectures, which would have eventually been sunset anyway, due to sqv not being available. If you really want to run some kind of Linux on these very old machines, godspeed, but you can't expect them to be maintained by a project with it's fingers in so many pies forever.
Look at how the proposal for making netplan the default network manager in Debian went. Not good, from Canonical's perspective.
Making /tmp behave the way systemd guys want also went not according to plan. The behavior is modified somewhat because of the discussion.
Rust's influence doesn't come from Canonical per se, but from its promise to eradicate memory related bugs. The initial hype was off the charts, but it's coming down, and the shortcomings are becoming obvious.
Canonical is trying to affect Debian, that's true, but it's not always a given.
The fact that Canonical has always been happy to ship software that they know fully well shouldn't be shipped doesn't fill me with hope that it will even work decently without causing massive issues to everyone (remember when they started to use pulseaudio? In the end it was such a mess that the solution was to abandon it).
It was rough for a while, but my debian machine still runs pulseaudio and it works pretty well. I agree that ubuntu doesn't do enough testing before releasing stuff, but I am grateful that so many people are willing to grind themselves against the bugs before they hit more conservative distributions
Upstream debian has been much more stable for as long as Ubuntu has existed...