this post was submitted on 01 Apr 2026
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If you implement that, I switch to a fork that removes it.
Or even leverage the Ageless Linux OS project in protest
I love this so much
Any systemd fork or distro that exists just to remove the birthDate field will be dead in a few weeks.
There ain't no way someone is going to maintain an entire fork and distro to remove one optional field in a user's profile.
That would heavily depend on whether a fork splits systemd's developers off. Controversial changes have spilt FOSS development teams before. The entire point of forks is to allow taking projects in different philosophical or technical directions.
I understand the process, I simply have not seen a single fork that has any kind of traction or support outside of the individual running the repository.
The people who are making a big deal out of this are not the same people who have both the technical capability and willingness to take on a project as big as systemd.
At best someone will create a script that deletes the lines from userdb and a user can run that and then compile and install systemd themselves.
This is not the kind of technical disagreement that leads to actual forks. This is a flash point of outrage that will disappear as these people move on to new topics.
Any one serious about fighting Age verification laws are politically aware enough to understand that it is laws and politicians that need to be changed and not optional JSON fields.
I mean, it's also one field. Wouldn't be hard to automate its removal and do a quick test.
Sure, it's very easy to remove.
It's also very easy to ignore and not use. A lot easier and less security comprimising than downloading and compiling a custom fork of systemd from an untrusted source.
These 'forks' are performative activism and not a serious attempt at maintaining a systemd fork. Once the outrage mob moves on to the next target the forks will disappear.