Let's say that age assurance / verification / whatever comes in for computers.

[neil@mastodon.neilzone.co.uk]

Let's say that age assurance / verification / whatever comes in for computers.

Not just in one state in the USA, but more broadly.

And let's say that the UEFI/BIOS gets locked down, to inhibit circumvention by Linux-using weirdos.

My pile of old ThinkPads looks rather attractive now, doesn't it?!

[neil@mastodon.neilzone.co.uk]

I don't want an appliance.

I want a computer.

A machine this is mine to own and pwn.

[arutaz@social.n2.mikronod.se]

@neil
According to this post the law seems misunderstood:
https://infosec.exchange/@david_chisnall/116160637051672728

[pmdj@mstdn.social]

@neil Between those restrictions and spiralling cost of new hardware, I’m genuinely thinking I’ll be best off investing in more solar panels and batteries to cover the higher power consumption of old high-end hardware if I need to expand my pool of devices.
(Our shed roof leaks, so we’re planning on re-roofing it this Spring; seems a good opportunity for whacking a bunch of panels on there at the same time.)

[gumnos@mastodon.bsd.cafe]

@neil

Dear wife-of-gumnos who has lamented the small mountain of laptops on his desk…these are for the rebellion and one day they will be incredibly valuable.

[lanodan@queer.hacktivis.me]

@neil Annoying part about this is liberticide laws seem like they have more longevity than computer hardware.

[neil@mastodon.neilzone.co.uk]

@arutaz The slope is a slippery one.

[simonzerafa@infosec.exchange]

@neil

As long as you don't update the UEFI firmware on anything out today, which attempts to install such stupidity, then you should be fine!

Older model ThinkPads are nice. Even the modern Lenovo models are quite nice

[arutaz@social.n2.mikronod.se]

@neil thats true

[ekari@mementomori.social]

@neil You just described my computers — a pile of old ThinkPads

[mal3aby@mastodon.smears.org]

@neil Yes!

Except when it comes to fridges.

Then I *do* want an appliance!

[lacey@mastodon.gamedev.place]

@neil That's the thing right... there's not much old machines can't do if you don't run bloated software on them.

[_hic_haec_hoc@fosstodon.org]

@neil a character in the late Vernor Vinge's Rainbows End lugs around for all the book an old laptop because he refuses to use the locked, hyper-controlled, DRM-ed-to-the-gills modern wearable hardware everybody else is using. At the time (2006) I was like "no way, it will never come to that," but I'm starting to have doubts now...

[gumnos@mastodon.bsd.cafe]

@Tubsta @neil

Though to be fair, most of this hardware is "vintage" to be generous…the RAM is likely something ancient, and possessing drives that would make most folks cry.