08.20.20
Gemini version available ♊︎OSI’s Chief Steps Down, Canonical Advertises Windows Again, and Red Hat Gives Award to Microsoft
The only one in OSI who takes a salary, apparently (latest tax form here [PDF]), has left; as the ‘sellout’ or handover to monopolists accelerates so does the corporate revenue the OSI nowadays depends on (that money grew tenfold in a decade, just like at the Linux Foundation)
The Official Ubuntu Blog is again boosting Microsoft’s attack on GNU/Linux, along with ZDNet and Phoronix. Again and again this happens as if Canonical is not pro-Linux and instead pro-dud. Why are they bothering with articles on WSL2 when very few people use it and it is an attack on GNU/Linux?
This new blog post from Red Hat shows they’ve come to depend on and suck up to Microsoft [1, 2]
Summary: Patrick Masson leaves OSI, Canonical promotes Windows in its Ubuntu blog, and Red Hat continues to act like it refuses to even compete with Microsoft
THINGS deteriorate further. This is entryism.
The OSI GM has resigned (not fired, based on the wordings [1,2]) and one starts wondering whether the whole thing collapsing is a desirable end. There’s nobody even to replace him, except interim (typically suggestive of an unexpected power vacuum with little planning or foresight). Given the funding sources of the OSI, where money buys power, the next GM will likely be a very corporate person like the OSI’s President, Josh Simmons. He comes from the company that so viciously attacked RMS and suggested that the FSF should oust all who support RMS, thereby creating an unprecedented power vacuum and witch-hunt. Remember that both of the OSI’s co-founders are no longer there; one resigned in protest at the start of the year and Simmons et al banned the other. Maybe that partly led to Masson’s exit. It does not say why he left. Monopolists are always happy to exploit power vacuums, created as they intended so they can infiltrate everything. Microsoft initially infiltrated the OSI — with its shoddy licences — because of Mac Asay inside the Board (he’s still a Microsoft apologist and he tried working for Microsoft). Groklaw protested strongly against this.
“Assimilation tactics only need apathy and silence to prove effective. The further they progress, the harder it becomes to undo them.”So what does “Open Source” even stand for now? Monopolies? WSL? Windows? GitHub? Yes, it’s proprietary.
Putting this together with yesterday’s blog posts from the official Red Hat and Ubuntu blogs (screenshots at the top), at least we have a rough idea what we’re dealing with here…
Assimilation tactics only need apathy and silence to prove effective. The further they progress, the harder it becomes to undo them. █
Related/contextual items from the news:
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Deb Nicholson to Join Open Source Initiative as Interim General Manager
Deb Nicholson has been serving as our Director of Community Operations for just over two years and is now leaving to Conservancy to take on the role of Interim General Manager at the Open Source Initiative (OSI). Although Deb will no longer be on our staff, she’ll remain part of the Conservancy community, most formally as a volunteer on our Evaluation Committee that reviews applications from potential new member projects.
In the two years since she became the Director of Community Operations, Deb has helped Conservancy welcome six new member projects, put on two Copyleft Confs, run two fundraising seasons and contributed over 50 posts to our blog.
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Announcing OSI’s New Interim General Manager
The Open Source Initiative is bringing in Deb Nicholson as its new Interim General Manager. Nicholson will be supporting the organization through a period of growth and introspection over the upcoming year as stakeholders continue building on the non-profit’s past successes. She will be overseeing day-to-day operations, including marketing, staffing and infrastructure, as well as supporting board and volunteer activities.
OSI’s President, Josh Simmons elaborates, “We’re thrilled to welcome Deb as an Interim General Manager at OSI. Her credentials are top notch, and she’s well respected within the free and open source software communities… I couldn’t ask for a better partner as OSI works through its second major transformation! Deb’s roots in the software freedom community and at Conservancy bode well for our movements as we strive to present a more unified front to advance our shared goals.”
We would also like to take this moment to thank Patrick Masson for seven years of service as OSI’s General Manager and Director. He leaves behind a powerful legacy as OSI’s first full-time employee. Masson will be continuing his work as an outside consultant to support this transition as well as supporting FLOSS Desktops For Kids. We wish him all the best, both inside and outside, the open source community.
ᶃ Gemini Space
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