Linux Foundation: Monopolies Versus Monopolies, Always at the Expense of Communities of Volunteers

TechRights ^ | 18 December 2022 | Dr. Roy Schestowitz

[ShadowAce]

THE vast majority of the public does not understand that “Linux Foundation” has very little to do with Linux (a very minuscule portion of its budget is in fact devoted to Linux). Put another way, Linux Foundation just exploits the powerful Linux brand to sell its openwashing (PR) services.

The Linux Foundation is hardly new to us. We’ve been covering it since its birth in 2007 (not 2000 as Wikipedia erroneously claims) and wrote about 500 articles about it. In more recent years things got a lot worse. The Foundation was actively helping Microsoft against Linux and against activists for patent reform (e.g. abolishing software patents). This Foundation is financially connected to Microsoft also through the Zemlin family, which engages in fraud [1, 2, 3].

Over the past couple of days we’ve gathered nearly a dozen headlines and articles about a new Microsoft-, Facebook-, and Amazon-led front group. It’s being falsely described in the media as “Linux” and TomTom is only sometimes mentioned as a participant. The “journalism” about this has been so shallow (it boils down to parroting really) that it can easily qualify as misinformation, as the video above explains. As Ryan said in IRC a few moments ago (in reference to this shoddy ‘journalism’): “An operating system kernel teams up with its partners to kill Google Maps!” MinceR said that “someone suggested that this might be aimed at killing OSM [OpenStreetMap] [...] knowing the “Linux” Foundation, it sounds entirely plausible.” He called it “Alliance of Monopolists in the Defense of Monopoly”.

A rename of the Linux Foundation is long overdue. The same is true for FSFE.

“The “journalism” about this has been so shallow (it boils down to parroting really) that it can easily qualify as misinformation, as the video above explains.”The video reminds people what the OSI’s cofounder Bruce Perens said about the Linux Foundation — a trade association that shuns the community (people who built GNU/Linux) whilst proactively wooing Microsoft.

Nowadays, in this age of “Microsoft loves Linux” (lie) the misinformation writes itself and then reposts itself across the Web. We’ve found many headlines that say “Linux” instead of Linux Foundation and we need “to correct those headlines,” an associate has remarked. “The Linux Foundation, despite the name, does not represent or advance Linux but instead represents corporate interests inside Linux. It has had a hostile, antagonistic relation with the community since disposing of community representation back in 2016,” this associate has noted. It “then gave a voice to Linux’s most aggressive competitor *on the board of directors*” (we covered this before). █

[ShadowAce]

[daniel1212]

And it essentially supports sociologically corrupt code:

Open source is all about #inclusivity, #diversity, #freedom, #equality, and #love. The Linux Foundation is proud to support the LGBTQI+ community around the world – this month and always! #Pride #PrideMonth2022

https://twitter.com/linuxfoundation/status/1532053871635447809

[Openurmind]

Never considered it, thank you.

Also... Never heard of Geminispace...

Needs more looking into Ace!

[Campion]

I took a Linux Foundation course on Kubernetes. It was basically worthless; it mostly tested how fast I could memorize and type command invocations (i.e., have you become a human "man" page yet?).

I did get a nice coffee mug.

[Mlheureux]

Have used Linux since 1998 and never pay any attention to institutes or associations, just the flavors.

[Openurmind]

They have no right to impose themselves as the official steward and speak for all users of open source. Open source can be used for socially moral ideology just as well, they don’t own it like they think they do. Supporting open source should not be assumed as the same as supporting the statements and self ordination of the Linux Foundation.

[ShadowAce]

Yup—I don’t belong to, or pay attention to, any Linux organization.

[Openurmind]

“Yup—I don’t belong to, or pay attention to, any Linux organization.”

And that is the beauty of open source, you don’t have to. You as an individual can be independent to do what you like with it without any dependencies, bylaws, or loyalty requirements. Make it what you want it to be... :)

[daniel1212]

Yes, but flying and or saluting the LGBTQ flag is increasingly required to be considered an approved entity, a version of the mark of the beast.

And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. (Revelation 13:16-18)

"Who is on the Lord's side, who will serve the King?" is the question.