Summary: The Linux Foundation is gradually becoming a shadow of Microsoft, just like the Open Source Initiative, where most of the money comes from Microsoft and the official blog promotes Microsoft, its proprietary software, and Microsoft’s side in a class action lawsuit over GPL violations (with 9 billion dollars in damages at stake).
‘Linux’ Foundation increases number of Microsoft employees in the board of directors to THREE, the only geek in the board has left (or got removed)
3 years ago by Jure Repinc to c/linux
mo_ztt 37 points 3 years ago
Right, this source is just weird. The story is 100% real, and honestly probably a problem to the extent that Microsoft and the Linux Foundation are even relevant anymore, but everything in this is told in this hyperbolic style that makes it hard to even make sense of.
just like the Open Source Initiative, where most of the money comes from Microsoft
Is this true? This doesn't sound true.
and the official blog promotes Microsoft, its proprietary software, and Microsoft’s side
https://www.linuxfoundation.org/blog
What is this even talking about? Where does whichever of these blogs this is talking about promote Microsoft's proprietary software?
in a class action lawsuit over GPL violations (with 9 billion dollars in damages at stake).
I was really curious because I hadn't heard of this. It turns out it's the Github Copilot lawsuit. I could be wrong, but I've looked and I couldn't find this $9 billion number anywhere else; it sounds like it's arrived at by simply assuming that 1% of code that Copilot produces is infringing, and computing DMCA damages based on that 1%. It's not really clear to me whether that argument was just an illustrative example of the scope of the problem, or whether they're actually asking for $9 billion, but I tend to assume the former. In other venues when the litigants have been asked what remedy they want, they've said things like, "We’d like to see them train their AI in a manner which respects the licenses and provides attribution," as opposed to "we want $9 billion."
Etc etc. I picked out a little excerpt, but the whole article is written like this which makes me look at it sideways.
ladyanita22 2 points 3 years ago
Exactly. At this point I think it's practically impossible to change the license
Gleaming0167 11 points 3 years ago
It's not like the foundation has any technical say in the kernel.
Cube6392 10 points 3 years ago
Linus Torvalds acts as dictator for life. The problem is, and this is what Vim is currently grappling with, what happens when your open source software project with a dictator for life nears end of life? One might assume the Linux foundation becomes the new governance structure. That certainly seems to be what some people think Microsoft is banking on.
Here's my prediction: three kernals will arise competing for who gets to be the continuation of Linux. One by the current Linux foundation, one by a current individual contributor to the kernal, and one by a new organization founded to be a grass roots development effort of Linux. Following this fracturing, another existing project will gain prominence as an alternative kernal. Maybe that's FreeBSD, maybe that's Redox, I don't know. The point is the fracturing of no one knowing what the canonical Linux kernel they should be contributing to will give another kernel an opportunity to gain new users and contributors. The most likely winners are whatever new continuation project I described are, or the alternative kernel that already exists
TheTrueLinuxDev 2 points 3 years ago
Thing is, there is a line of succession for Linux Kernel, Linus is more of a Q/A manager for determining whether to merge code or not, and they most likely never yield to Linux Foundation, because why the hell would they want to let some corpo suits tell them what to do especially if they don't have the technical literacy to do the job in the first place? If corpo try to meddle with the development process of Linux Kernel into something of a hostile environment, then developers of Linux would just fork off and spin off their own version right there and then.
Gleaming0167 2 points 3 years ago
Linus, Greg and the pyramid of subsystem maintainers.
meat_popsicle 8 points 3 years ago
Nobody has the fortitude to turn down a check with big numbers on it. So, no.
squaresinger 0 points 3 years ago
Be irrelevant or embraced. That are the options.
wiki_me 5 points 3 years ago
They have a revenue of 139 million in 2021, so they have some relevance, but yeah i would try not to put too much trust in them, and try to put in funding to the linux ecosystem that is "cleaner".
AshenPaladin 8 points 3 years ago
I know that the Linux Foundation exists to support and standardize Linux, but does it have any actual authority over it or the kernel?
mo_ztt 1 point 3 years ago
No. They fund important projects and events, pay Linus personally which I was a little surprised by, and potentially malicious members have control over some important things (e.g. github). So, it's not really harmless, but that said, in terms of actual control over the software I don't think there's much they can do.
BarrierWithAshes 5 points 3 years ago
I mean, I guess I'm just surprised it's Microsoft taking over the foundation and not IBM.
CookieJarObserver 1 point 3 years ago path: 0 421787, hotness: undefined, score: 1, children: 0
sentient_loom -3 points 3 years ago
Okay somebody quickly code up a free alternative to Linux
linux
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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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linux
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
Rules
- Posts must be relevant to operating systems running the Linux kernel. GNU/Linux or otherwise.
- No misinformation
- No NSFW content
- No hate speech, bigotry, etc
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While I'm as concerned about historic EEE tactics re-emerging, I'm as equally concerned about FUD. The statement "but could not change the license of Linux, only pressure Linus Torvalds to reject GPLv3 after a campaign of lobbying" is just such a statement. Linus always had personal reservations regarding GPLv3 but that's beside the point. LINUX is licensed as GPLv2 and lacks the "or later" clause of many projects. It cannot be relicensed as GPLv3 without ALL contributors re-licensing their individual contributions.
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