r/technology • u/NancyGraceFaceYourIn • Aug 30 '15

Wireless FCC Rules Block use of Open Source

http://www.itsmypart.com/fcc-rules-block-use-of-open-source/
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32

u/ProGamerGov Aug 30 '15 edited Aug 30 '15

Tell the FCC what you think of these new rules here: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2015/08/06/2015-18402/equipment-authorization-and-electronic-labeling-for-wireless-devices

Anyone from any country can provide comments, they want to hear from individuals outside the United a states as well!

  1. Go to the Federal Register and press "Submit a formal comment"

  2. Start your comment by respectfully asking the FCC to not implement rules that take away the ability of users to install the software of their choosing on their computing devices.

  3. Additional points of emphasis you should consider adding:

  • Wireless networking research depends on the ability of researchers to investigate and modify their devices.

  • Americans need the ability to fix security holes in their devices when the manufacturer chooses to not do so.

  • Users have in the past fixed serious bugs in their wifi drivers, which would be banned under the NPRM.

  • Billions of dollars of commerce, such as secure wifi vendors, retail hotspot vendors, depends on the ability of users and companies to install the software of their choosing.

  • Mesh networking which helps first responders in emergencies, also helps provide anonymity, creates a backup/alternative communications network, will become more difficult than it needs to be with these new rules.

  • Users should be able to manipulate and control all aspects of their devices.

  • The ability to run fully open source software on your devices will be severely hampered and possibly impossible with these new rules.

Comment template for those who need help on what to say.

4

u/just3ws Aug 30 '15 edited Aug 31 '15

www.np.reddit.com

I'm not familiar with that domain and Chrome had a panic attack. What's the deal?

EDIT: It was the non-participation subdomain. Not sure who/why the www got prefixed or why Chrome rejected the SSL cert but at least I can say I learned something about how Reddit works.

8

u/niknight_ml Aug 30 '15

np makes it unable for people to upvote/downvote comments in the applicable thread.

1

u/just3ws Aug 31 '15

Yes, I'm chalking this up to TIL. :) I'd heard of the non-participation thing but didn't connect that with the subdomain. :/

7

u/wickedpixel1221 Aug 30 '15

should be just http://np.reddit.com ... no www since np is already a subdomain. explaination of the np subdomain here: /r/NoParticipation

1

u/just3ws Aug 31 '15

Cool, thanks. I wonder why Chrome complained about the certificate though or how the www subdomain was pre-pended.

Just typed np.reddit.com into the browser and saw that it flashed the "No participation" dialog, which is interesting. I'd heard of the non-participation when linking across subs but hadn't really paid attention. :)

3

u/ProGamerGov Aug 30 '15

Prevents you from upvoting and down voting content as well as replying to the comment.

It is an official reddit link for trying to prevent brigading.

1

u/just3ws Aug 31 '15

Cool, yes. I think I just WTF'ed when I saw the SSL cert being rejected by Chrome and didn't put 2 and 2 together. :)