[lock-free]

Consumers are free to buy other things, like yourself. It doesn't sound like regulation was necessary, as the free market provided products that fit your needs.

I fundamentally disagree with the notion that government should have a say in design decisions for consumer products past safety and environmental concerns. I don't design things to support every consumer use case, I don't document it so those use cases can be supported, and I don't take it personally if a consumer chooses a competing product because it fits their use cases better. If enough consumers do that, I support those cases.

There is plenty of consumer freedom in consumer electronics. We don't need the government telling us what they think our customers want.

[oarsinsync]

The regulation doesn’t have to prohibit the existence of the product, but it can ensure that consumers are made explicitly aware before / during purchase: this product requires an internet connection, and may not function without one.

There’s nothing obvious at purchase time that this new breed of Apple laptops require an internet connection to reinstall. That’s what will cause some consumers material harm. If informing your customers up front about your product’s limitations causes your business material harm, maybe your product needs a rethink.