Post #3865397

2026-07-16 18:24 UTC

And the Linux kernel is far from unique in that regard, the full embrace of age verification and LLMs by systemd is another example (if one I have way more quibbles about) These attitudes are pervading the core layers of critically important projects, and we need counters.

Replies (2)

@redsakana@infosec.exchange 2026-07-16 19:43

@sarahjamielewis@mastodon.social systemd's shark-jumping has now gone further with Poettering et al. forming a startup called Amutable, where the general idea appears to be promoting read-only-but-modifiable VMs/containers/whatever. Read-only is often good, but adding a general-purpose -but-modifiable bit tends to add a _ton_ of complexity of everywhere [1] and is IMO a counterproductive idea [2]. Whatever the case, now everyone gets to deal with all the related features/problems they upstream into systemd. I have been pretty ok with systemd's original scope viz. as an init system, but at this point I'd just like to throw all of it out. [1] The systemd approach appears to be largely following the pattern set by Android's APEX thing which added a ton of complexity on top of the already rather extreme complexity of AOSP. [2] Unless you do it cheap&cheerful like the OpenWRT packages-overlay thing, which is fine if not particularly conducive to security.

Open ##3866754
@NebulaTide@mastodon.bsd.cafe 2026-07-16 21:03

@sarahjamielewis@mastodon.social Then there’s not much left, except of the BSDs, which are great but also not the perfect solution for everyone.

Open ##3871384