this post was submitted on 21 Apr 2024
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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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This has to do with encryption protocols. Offhand my assumption is either they are trying to be extra cautious as the rules are incredibly complex, or they have a different algorithm included by default that would be subject to those rules.
It is my limited understanding that encryption beyond a certain level is illegal to export from the US. For example one of the positives of OpenBSD being based in Canada ~~was~~ is the ability to include crypto at a level that that the US wouldn’t permit to export.
From https://www.openbsd.org/crypto.html
Edit: tense
It hasn't been illegal for a while now. Encryption is protected under free speech. (The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in our favor)
Wouldn’t at the time. A lot of the restrictions on encryption algorithms themselves were loosened in the 90s after successful court cases ruling that source code was free speech.
Huh, TIL... That's cool!
There are no legal restrictions on cryptography in the US as software is protected under free speech.
That's not what a quick search and Wikipedia says. To be fair, I didn't fact check all their references:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Export_of_cryptography_from_the_United_States
https://www.eff.org/cases/bernstein-v-us-dept-justice
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernstein_v._United_States
SuSE and RH have their own legal teams who have combed through all of this and have decided not to chance it. Personally, I wouldn’t base a significant part of the foundation of any product on something as fickle as a Supreme Court ruling, especially when the product is something major from a group like SuSE or RH.
There isn't much to "chance". The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has the authority in the matter.
Some organizations just don't take no for an answer
It helps to actually read the wikipedia pages.
I did, that doesn't change anything
Cryptography is protected under the first amendment
A while back the NSA tried to argue it was a weapon and subject to weapons export restrictions but that was shot down in court
Out of curiosity, would they be subject to these laws/protocols/regulations if they are (developers or organization) based in the US, but offer releases hosted elsewhere in the world AND/OR develop the product with code hosted elsewhere in the world?
It's one of those bureacratic things. You could download OpenSUSE in a restricted country and install it, but if you were in the USA and transfered the data to a restricted country you would be in violation of ETAR restrictions, even without the EULA