Good news for a change.

California lawmakers pushed a new bill to exempt open-source projects from age verification law.

That would include Linux and BSD.

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1856

#AgeVerification #California #OpenSource #FOSS #Linux #BSD

I am exploring MATE and XFCE more now. I used to use Ubuntu MATE, but haven't really "daily driven" XFCE.

If you had to choose between the two, what would you prefer for a Linux or BSD desktop environment:

#Linux #BSD #MATE #XFCE

Reply to share more of your thoughts on this.

Embedded content

The Duke and the Beastie - Improving OpenJDK support for FreeBSD - Harald Eilertsen
by foss-north on PeerTube

My presentation from @FOSS North conference 🇸🇪 about improving OpenJDK for FreeBSD is now public!

#FreeBSD #BSD #OpenJDK #FLOSS #FreeSoftware #mywork

New #blog #post: Package Manager Tier List

https://rldane.space/package-manager-tier-list.html

1521 words

Note: this is a very off-the-cuff tier list, using speed as the main qualifier, but the article explains exceptions to that as it goes on.

cc: my wonderful #chorus: @joel @dm @sotolf @thedoctor @pixx @orbitalmartian @adamsdesk @krafter @roguefoam @clayton @giantspacesquid @Twizzay @stfn

(I will happily add/remove you from the chorus upon request! :)

#rlDaneWriting #blost #DeadLikeMe #Linux #BSD #RunBSD #FreeBSD #OpenBSD #NetBSD #Debian #Arch #pacman #AUR #Fedora #homebrew #flatpak #snap #OpenSuSE #RPM

@FreeBSDFoundation

Looking forward to watching the replay! It was one of Deb's talks from a few years ago that got me interested in #BSD to begin with. :)

@stefano

@foufoutos By the same rules, any Israeli ship in international waters should be fair game for anyone who wants to take it.
It is long past time to teach then this one lesson.
They do not own international waters, nor do they own Lebanon, Palestine, or even they land they call "Israel".
#BSD #USA the real problem since Truman's #Genocide

[This is fine.] 🔥

#OpenBSD #LLM #LLMs #slop #NOAI #AInt #AI #BSD

Catching up on my #TuxJam backlog, currently listening to Episode 120: "[Tunnels & Texts]"

I'm listening to Dave explain his Pangolin/[Fosrl] setup, and (not throwing shade on anyone, here), I couldn't help but think of two things:

1) This all sounds very impressive
2) This all sounds incredibly complex

I'm allergic to complexity. That's why the only thing I currently self-host is #Syncthing, and you could barely even call that self-hosting. It's fully automagical. No open ports, no DMZ, no VPN, no relay setup, no potentially sketchy containers, just a single executable and if need be, a single apt source (otherwise, just use your distro's / OS's own repo, if it's reasonably up-to-date.

I started to wonder what a #minimalist #BSD or #Plan9 - style setup for something like Fosrl would be. Just a simple SSH reverse tunnel? Just tailscale? Port-knocking? (Is that still a thing?) Something completely different?

I'm not hating on Fosrl, nor indeed the awesome Tuxjam folks. I'm just wondering what an out-of-the-box, minimalist solution for admittedly a complex technical problem would be.

@raster @darth

Quite. Linux has been 35 years of "throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks," and that has honestly given it a tremendous power of progress for that time, but it's also led to a crapton of fragmentation, confusion, and more or less the death of good documentation.

#BSD has been 37 years of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," and while that has obviously led to a little bit of stagnation, it also makes it quite the respite for those who are sick and frickin' tired of Linux reinventing the wheel with bigger, more complex and worse wheels every other stinking year.

I use Linux when I just want my computer to work. I use just about anything else (#FOSS, of course) when I want my computer to make sense.

#TIL that time(1) (not the "time" shell built-in) can tell you how much RAM a process used. Syntax varies between OSes, though. /usr/bin/time -v (something) on Linux, and /usr/bin/time -l (something) on #BSD

@horia

Redpilling #BSD should't have to be that painful. 😂

#RunBSD #OpenBSD #Puffy #TheFish #UnixSurrealism

For *BSD fans, I wish to understand something that truly bothers me.

You are a fan of one or more BSD os. Is that BSD (doesn't matter which one) your daily driver, your primary OS on your main computer?

#BSD #FreeBSD #OpenBSD #NetBSD

Something that I'd love to be able to do, but haven't figured out how, yet:

You can run somecommand 2>&1 > log.txt to get STDOUT and STDERR together, but you won't know which is which.
You can run somecommand 2>err.txt >log.txt to get STDOUT and STDERR separate, but you won't know the timing, or which error messages happened between which STDOUT messages.
I'd like to figure out some way to combine both, so you end up with a file like this:

1: this was a STDOUT message
1: this was a STDOUT message
1: this was a STDOUT message
2: this was a STDERR message
2: this was a STDERR message
1: this was a STDOUT message
2: this was a STDERR message
1: this was a STDOUT message
1: this was a STDOUT message
1: this was a STDOUT message
1: this was a STDOUT message
1: this was a STDOUT message
2: this was a STDERR message
2: this was a STDERR message

Any ideas? @mirabilos?

#Unix #UnixShell #Linux #BSD

New #blog #post: I Loved Computers Before the Internet was a Thing

https://rldane.space/i-loved-computers-before-the-internet-was-a-thing.html

611 words

cc: my wonderful #chorus: @joel @dm @sotolf @thedoctor @pixx @orbitalmartian @adamsdesk @krafter @roguefoam @clayton @giantspacesquid @Twizzay @stfn @ay

(I will happily add/remove you from the chorus upon request! :)

#rlDaneWriting #blost #computing #privacy #autonomy #DigitalAgency #Linux #BSD #Haiku #RetroComputing

So I was not expecting a ratio that was that large. But on the other hand MATE's, let's call it a slowdown, wasn't known to me either when I created the poll, and that may have had an effect.

Thank you, everyone who voted.

#Poll #Linux #BSD

You can choose one desktop for your collection of Linux and BSD computers, a mix of laptops and desktops. Your only choices are MATE or Xfce. All of your computers will use that same desktop.

Your computers are at most ten years old, and their operating systems are no more than a year old.

What do you install?

Feel free to add nuance below.

#BSD #DesktopEnvironment #Linux #MATE #Xfce #Poll

@lunduke is bang on about #ageverification

#linux #freesoftware #defectivebydesign #bsd

History will remember what they achieved here. 🗿 ⚔️

#ageverification #linux #bsd #privacy

Alt...

The picture shows a round table, with armored warriors surrounding it. The ones on the table have pointed their swords on the table's center. The warriors are: Garuda Linux, Slackware Linux, GrapheneOS, Devuan Linux, DB48X, Ageless Linux, MidnightBSD, Arch Linux 32, FreeDOS, Void Linux, and Artix Linux. They are all pointing towards the same decision of "rejecting OS-level age verification."

@mirabilos @jns

I need to spend some time to sit down and read/process the very thoughtful email Michael Dexter wrote me a couple years ago w.r.t. BSD licensing. (I was going to make it into a blog post, but then ran out of time due to family medical stuff).

I don't totally understand the #BSD licensing mindset. In a historical perspective, I totally get it, as it was a University project, but I don't personally understand why a person wouldn't want their license to basically say, "don't use this code to abuse human beings."

Tried to avoid overly rhetorical and drum-beating language in the previous paragraph to limited success. 😅

@phf

My only encouragement to you is to arm you with even more incendiary verbiage....

"What are you complaining about! If I could pick all that cotton myself, I totally would! Using indentured servitude allows me to keep running my household and doing all the good things we do! You should be thankful!"

Yeah, I just do a mental s/A.I./slavery/g on all arguments.

Just so done with all this bullshit.

As for Linux and all of the supposedly "free" crap out there, I am, as I've said elsewhere on fedi recently, trying to "carve out my own little garden of bliss amidst the technodystopian madness."

That means exploring #BSD and retrocomputing as much as I can, although I'm still running Debian and Fedora in many places.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

How #Linux and #BSD #Distros Are Responding to the New #AgeVerification #Laws
Age verification laws could change how operating systems work. See how major Linux and BSD distributions are reacting to the new regulations
Some distros are planning to comply
Some distros are resisting
Much of Linux ecosystem traces back to Debian, Arch, Ubuntu, and Red Hat (Fedora). Whatever technical approach these major players adopt will likely influence dozens of downstream distributions.
https://itsfoss.com/news/distros-response-age-verification-laws/

MidnightBSD has updated its license to ban users in regions mandating OS-level age verification, starting with Brazil (March 2026) and California (January 2027) 🌍.

The open-source BSD project cites privacy and legal risks, warning that more areas like Colorado and New York could follow 🔒.

🔗 https://itsfoss.com/news/midnightbsd-age-verification/

#TechNews #MidnightBSD #BSD #OpenSource #Privacy #Security #FOSS #Regulation #Compliance #UserRights #Freedom #Software #Internet #Policy #Innovation #DigitalRights

Linux and BSD distributions are taking varied approaches to new U.S. age verification laws requiring OS‑level age attestation during setup 🧩.

Ubuntu and Fedora are planning privacy‑respecting local APIs, while MidnightBSD and Adenix reject compliance, citing risks to open‑source freedom and user privacy 🔒.

🔗 https://itsfoss.com/news/distros-response-age-verification-laws/

#TechNews #Linux #BSD #OpenSource #Privacy #Security #Regulation #Compliance #Software #Freedom #FOSS #Ubuntu #Fedora #System76 #UserRights #AgeVerification #US

#TIL that there is a command "units" for units conversion exists. In the #BSD world it was appeared in the #NetBSD then ported to the #FreeBSD 2.2.0, according to the "History" section in the manpage.

https://jlsksr.de/notes/24100102/

At least, for now I known that 19 liters equals to 30.89 vodka bottles, or 154.47 charkas (чарок, от «чарка»), or 308.94 shkalikoff (шкаликов, от «шкалик»), or 1.55 vёder (вёдер, от «ведро»).

Conversion rules lives in the simple text file in the /usr/share/misc/definitions.units and the own rules could be written in some text file in the same manner.

@rf

Alt...

Screenshot of Xterm window with some examples of units conversion with "units" command. Commands issued: "units -t '19 liters' vodkabottle", "units -t '19 liters' charka", "units -t '19 liters' shkalik", "units -t '19 liters' vedro". Their output already described in the main toot.

@Zenie @peteorrall

You have to check support for the big three BSDs, because they're not the same. NetBSD supports the most architectures, but sadly has the least polish, due to resource constraints (human and financial).

But yes, x86_64 is usually the best bet with the BSDs, or at least x86. For other machines, you should investigate support on a case-by-case (and BSD-by-BSD) basis.

I haven't tried #BSD on anything but x86_64 so far.

@pixx @spaceraser @peteorrall

Yeah, driver/hardware support and stability.

I've had OpenBSD kernel panic on me when I was trying to probe for battery threshold settings, and FreeBSD will freeze when pulling up a heavy website, even on a (merely) not-quite ten-year-old laptop. 😅

I don't doubt that OpenBSD has way better security features than linux, and that the FreeBSD network stack can outperform Linux in many ways. But in my own (dinky) experience on nothing other than laptops, it hasn't been perfect.

That said, I've seriously loved the #BSD experience, and continue to daily drive (Free|Open)BSD on my personal machines. I only have one Linux laptop now, and while it's the nicest laptop I own, I use it the least.

Also, there are small things like KOReader not being available for FreeBSD, even though it's written in Lua and there's plenty of Lua support in FreeBSD. Also, OpenBSD (which, again, is amazing for what it is, and what they're wanting to concentrate on) still has no Bluetooth, nor any modern fs options. And I have yet to figure out how to get audio out of my headphone port on FreeBSD, let alone bluetooth.

I'd just love to see the #Linux community embrace the kind of OS-building that the BSD guys do every day, and not just ship an amalgam of disparate parts.

To say it in a meme form,

Me: "Why can't Linux be an OS, for crying out loud?"
Systemd: exists
Me: "No, no, no, not like that. 🫣"

@spaceraser @peteorrall

Yes. Exactly.

But a bit more feature-rich.

So, maybe #FreeBSD, basically. XD

Basically, I want a Linux distro that has the attitude of a #BSD.

And optimally be pretty easy to install and use, and be well-documented.

And make me hot tea in the morning and tuck me in at night.

'Tis the dream 😅

@golemwire

> When I find something I like, I end up feeling like a salesman and I don't like it 😆

No shame in that, I'm still waiting for my fat commission check from Big #BSD. 😂

SkiftOS : https://skiftos.org/

It's not a *NIX!

"skiftOS isn’t POSIX. It’s a fresh API and userland inspired by Plan 9, Haiku, and Fuchsia. Familiar ideas, different contracts."

Problem: the GPL is poison. It has polluted Linux and the Linux userland software so that only large corporations can afford to monetize it. BSD License or MIT License would be much better allowing small players to produce unique work without then being forced to share their source code with the AI hegemony racket.

#SkiftOS #Tech #Linux #OS #Plan9 #Haiku #Fuchsia #Computing #SoftwareFreedom #AIHegemony #GPL #License #BSD #MIT

This is the antithesis of the philosophy of programming for people. Really disappointed with this direction.

#BSD #FreeBSD #OpenBSD #GhostBSD
#Linux #KDE

https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/26/plasma_6_6_systemd_login/

Dear Cupid,

Can you please aim a quiver's worth of arrows at some companies so they would send me a job interview invites? Please. I'm a lonely heart still looking for work (in all the wrong places), but no one is sharing the love. I know a variety of languages like English, French, #C, #Erlang, #C#, #Java, or #NodeJS. Been looking to #Go polish some #Rust too. I make for a great work date on any flavour of #BSD or #Linux, but #NoAI (it never works like in the commercials and eats batteries galore).

Send me a job love letter for Valentine's Day, please?

http://www.snert.com/resume/

#GetHired #GetFediHire #JobSeek

@cmccullough

You're speedrunning the #BSD neckbeard transition, I see. 😂 💗

LOVE the café.

I've been running one Linux distro or another (mostly Debian) for 30 years, so how hard can it be to get a FreeBSD 15.0 ISO or memstick.img on a USB thumb drive for installation? Apparently, for me, very hard. 🤣

I'll figure this out. This is quite the humbling experience. 👍️

UPDATE: Using the dd command worked. I now have the FreeBSD ISO on the thumb drive. Should have tried this earlier.

Yet another UPDATE. ISO is on the thumb drive but still won't boot on the X1 Carbon. I have an older laptop I can try this on. The Boot Menu recognizes the thumb drive but won't boot.

#FreeBSD #BSD

@Tutanota Missing the BSDs as OS alternatives.

#BSD #RunBSD

New #blog post: Monocultures Considered Harmful or: Why Linux Nerds Should Give BSD and Other "Weird" OSes a Try

https://rldane.space/monocultures-considered-harmful-or-why-linux-nerds-should-give-bsd-and-other-weird-oses-a-try.html

545 words

cc: my wonderful #chorus: @joel @dm @sotolf @thedoctor @pixx @orbitalmartian @adamsdesk @krafter @roguefoam @clayton @giantspacesquid @Twizzay @stfn @ay

(I will happily add/remove you from the chorus upon request! :)

#rlDaneWriting #blost #Linux #BSD #RunBSD #FreeBSD #OpenBSD #EdsgerDijkstra #Dijkstra #monoculture #monocultures #ConsideredHarmful

@peteorrall

If you want a recommendation, the x260 is dirt cheap right now, and it takes to #BSD quite well. XD

(Just be smarter than me, and avoid the TN panels. They're... not nearly as bad as old STN screens, but not great)

New #blog post: Why You Need A Stack of Thinkpads

https://rldane.space/why-you-need-a-stack-of-thinkpads.html

Thankful to Nanoraptor/Dana (will tag her elsewhere) for inadvertently reminding me to write this down. XD

Welp, I'm back in the saddle, I guess? Writing this gave me some nummy dopamine, so thank God for that!!!
Also, man is imgur ever a dreadful webshite. Just horrifying to use. XD

cc: my wonderful #chorus: @joel @dm @sotolf @thedoctor @pixx @orbitalmartian @adamsdesk @krafter @roguefoam @clayton @giantspacesquid @Twizzay @stfn

(I will happily add/remove you from the chorus upon request! :)

#rlDaneWriting #blost #Thinkpad #Thinkpads #Linux #BSD #RunBSD #eWaste #LossyPNG (in the blost)

@cmccullough

Good luck! A lot has changed, but at the same time, most is still the same.

#BSD #FreeBSD

I've been spending most of this morning working on my new FreeBSD server. I think the last time I worked with a BSD was 10 years ago? So much has changed. I have a lot to learn.

#BSD #FreeBSD