06.10.22
Gemini version available ♊︎Linus Torvalds Still Loves the GNU General Public License
Aalto Talk With Linus Torvalds
Summary: One fact that the media did not pay attention to at the time of the talk was, Torvalds (unlike his Microsoft- and VMware-infiltrated employer) strongly supports the GPL
EARLIER this week we reposted (embedded) "The Code" (2001 film), which has been mentioned and recommended. It’s available in full online. As an associate explains, “it starts out with RMS intro to the recipe analogy for code; it is interesting how the public awareness and attitudes have since been dampened so effectively during the intervening years…”
“The founders are important to note. A few years later some of them were infiltrated by microsofters at the *very* *top*…”
One aspect in the movie (“The Code”) that we highlighted was the importance of the GPL to Linux and to other projects.
As Linux Magazine put it: “The GNU General Public License was born of the simple idea that freedom matters. Yet this simple tool for protecting freedom has another important feature that makes it even more powerful, and that is the ability to build communities.”
The media focused on Torvalds showing the finger to NVIDIA in the Aalto talk, but it missed — or conveniently skipped — him saying: “I love the GPL and see it as a defining factor in the success of Linux…”
As this publication, eWeek, noted back then: “GPL is what is known as a reciprocal license and requires any code adjustments to be contributed back to the community and made freely available. Torvalds said that the GPL enforces the need to give back, which makes fragmentation less likely.”
To quote further: “Torvalds also commented about new operating systems, including Google’s Fuscia, which is now being built to enable internet of things (IoT) devices. Fuscia is not being made available under the GPL, and as such Torvalds doesn’t think it will grow a community like Linux’s. “The GPL says a company may be big, but no one will take advantage of your code. It will always be free, and that can’t be taken away from you,” Torvalds said.”
Given the way that the Linux Foundation snubs the licence while taking millions from companies which actively attack the GPL, it’s important to remember the stance of Torvalds on this matter. ‘Linux’ Foundation is a for-profit company and Linux is just one of its products. Torvalds is merely staff/employee. He already received a warning/disciplinary action from the company’s bosses.
As associate has thus suggested that we link “to the clip showing Linus confirming that the best decision he ever made was to release the kernel under the GPL…”
“The media/press has a history of trying to incite Torvalds.”It’s invaluable to have such clips, including a more recent one. We have one for Keith Packard (also quite recent) and that helps combat anti-GPL noise/misinformation.
As the associate recalls, “I think it was during the same talk when he slammed Nvidia the opponents made hay with the slam to distract, above all else, his (re-)endorsement of the GPL” (as can be seen in the full clip, too; YouTube | Invidious; or time-adjusted).
The media/press has a history of trying to incite Torvalds. █
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