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More information might help here? Do you want the entire OS time limited or just the user account? If so, what kind of access does the user have? physical? SSH? SFTP? etc?
I am sure it could probably done in some method... I don't think any basic method however... nothing I can think of really I am afraid in that situtation of the entire system being a full trail...
I would think that this is restricted by the GPL. One of the basic tenets is that you pass on the freedoms you receive. So if you take on a piece of free software licenced by the GPL and then lock it down, you breach the licence. As well, you will have to distribute the source code and so users can work around your restrictions by hacking the code (legally).
Finally, if I am offered a distro that is time limited I will simply say "no" and install a fully free one. What benefits does your locked down distro offer me (whether as a personal or busines user) over other distros that will make me want to use yours?
XavierP said pretty much what I was thinking. So- aside from the dubious legality, why would you even want to have a time-limited/restricted Linux distro?
I can see the need for a time limited LiveCD that has propriety software outside of the GNU/GPL. In effect propriety software could piggy back with the GNU/Linux distribution without inhibiting the OS. The maintainer would just time lock or encrypt the software package not the OS.
This is done for a lot of live systems in use today. The devices are allowed to function after the time out but most are crippled in some functionality form or just disabled some way. Encryption and just time locking can be done for any application. But the OP should be aware there are means to defeat these techniques.
If you have to ask a 'LinuxQuestion' forum about how to do this form of protection then your not really able to carry them out anyway.
I for one won't be giving advice other than what I've given on this subject.
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