Bonum Certa Men Certa

Openwashing Report: The Linux Foundation Champions Openwashing of GPL-Violating VMware

Weekly openwashing report



Summary: The Jim Zemlin/PR-led Linux Foundation is profiting from openwashing services (for VMware) and at the same time it's banishing critics of VMware, in effect proving just how corruptible (for a fee) the Foundation really is

THE first part about IBM and the previous (second) part about Microsoft highlighted the fact that the Linux Foundation (LF) is little more than a Public Relations (PR) operation. Sure, LF pays the salaries of a few software developers, but those are less than 5% of the Foundation's expenses. Jim Zemlin himself is a high earner; his wife too receives massive salaries, sometimes as a General Manager at close partners of Microsoft. Never anything FOSS...

"Sure, LF pays the salaries of a few software developers, but those are less than 5% of the Foundation's expenses."Speaking of companies that almost never do anything FOSS... how about VMware? Well, VMware is a helluva lot worse because it's one of the best known cases of serial GPL infringements (for many years). Microsoft did that too, but Microsoft is Microsoft and many expect it not only to violate the GPL but actively attack the GPL, usually through proxies such as Black Duck.

Let's look at what the LF does to 'naughty boy' VMware for its violations of the GPL and also recall some crucial history/background.

VMware



For those who don't know, VMware paid the Linux Foundation a lot of money and got rid of Sandler (community). She's no longer in the Board. Nobody from the community is in the Board, which is stacked by large corporations. LF is nothing but a corporate front group now. VMware paid, whereupon all those 'undesirable' community folks were removed or could no longer be elected.

But it gets worse; It also managed to defund the employer of Sandler, which actively defends the licence of Linux. What is the Linux Foundation good for or who is it good for? Of course this entire scandal about GPL enforcement is old. It's clear that the Foundation is actively hostile towards GNU-type stuff it builds upon. That's where we are today. The Linux Foundation not only tolerates GPL violations (Bruce Perens called the LF "an infringers' club"). Due to bribes it became an advocate for the biggest GPL violators. The LF works for companies that actively attack the GPL. Those who don't see a problem with it and participate in this abuse are trolls at best.

"The LF works for companies that actively attack the GPL."We shouldn't be surprised by the latest from TFiR. The Linux Foundation-connected Swapnil is again promoting proprietary software PR for a GPL violator. VP Product Management at VMware gets a platform for "Major Announcements" (proprietary obviously). He's in their pockets, so what else can be expected? It's a whole raft of nonsense from their event. Proprietary obviously...

It's not just Swapnil by the way; The Linux Foundation-connected 'news' sites are also openwashing this serial GPL violator. Swapnil has already admitted that he received sponsorship from the LF to do this (and we know VMware funds the LF, so join the dots).

The LF staff is very well aware of VMware's abuses (it's a serial GPL violator like Microsoft), but it helps the violator leverage other people's FOSS for openwashing purposes, as can be seen here (one week ago).

"The LF staff is very well aware of VMware's abuses (it's a serial GPL violator like Microsoft)..."Open Source isn't the only buzzword/hype wave that this GPL violator is misusing. Blockchain also (another example from the same day).

More vomit-inducing openwashing could be found here last week. Headline: "Pat Gelsinger vows to upgrade VMware's once 'bad' open-source rep to the 'very' best by 2021"

Promises, promises. Didn't they promise GPL compliance of some sort about a decade ago (people had been pointing out these infractions since more than a decade ago)? That never happened. To quote this article/puff piece: "Ahead of day-two of VMware's VMworld 2019 conference in San Francisco, CEO Pat Gelsinger promised to further overhaul the virtualization giant's reputation in the open-source world."

What reputation? There's none.

How does VMware plan to improve its 'open' image?

"They corrupt journalism and we know who facilitates (and profits from) it."Complying with the GPL?

No.

Liberating its products?

No.

Bribing more groups like the Linux Foundation in exchange for shallow openwashing PR (from LF associates like Swapnil) and hiring FOSS-affiliated people like Dirk Hohndel to tell lies to LF associates (on camera). They don't try to actually improve their reputation but to buy reputation. They corrupt journalism and we know who facilitates (and profits from) it. These people are an affront to facts and truth. They're the 'Donald Trumps' of FOSS.

Recent Techrights' Posts

Confirmed in the Mainstream Media: A Lot of Microsoft "Workloads" Were Just LLM Slop (Helping to Fake Growth for Years, as Microsoft Had Paid "Open" "AI" to Become a "Client") and Demand is Rapidly Waning, Datacentres Canceled and/or Shut Down
Anything to facilitate further accounting fraud
Taiwan's Media Covers Closure of Microsoft's "AI" Lab, It's Time to Talk About the Gradual Death of Windows and Implosion of the "AI" Bubble
Earlier this week we showed that mostly Asian media had the 'nerve' to mention Microsoft silently shutting down its 'AI' lab
More Gains for GNU/Linux, Based on Web Surveys
the Steam site shows rapid growth for "Linux" this month
 
StatCounter: Microsoft is Masking a Disaster, It's Way Behind DeepSeek Already and Interest in LLMs Has Waned
it turns out the money "raised" for "Open" "AI" may not even exist at all
Links 03/04/2025: SoftBank Money for Microsoft "Open" "AI" Probably Doesn't Even Exist, Wikimedia Foundation Blasts LLM Nuisance While Microsoft Admits Demand Has Shrunk
Links for the day
Gemini Links 03/04/2025: Patch Panel and Pictures
Links for the day
Islamic Republic of Iran: GNU/Linux at All-time High This Month, Windows Falls to 12%
Vista 10 is up this month despite being "end of life" (EoL) soon
Indonesia: All-Time Highs for GNU/Linux
What's noteworthy right now is the growth of GNU/Linux
statCounter Says GNU/Linux Usage is Up Again (Internationally)
some preliminary April data
Only on April 1st Can the Free Software Foundation Associate With Microsoft's Open Source Initiative (OSI)
We saw some pranks that day linking the FSF to Microsoft (e.g. "endorsing" Windows)
IBM Gets Rid of Kelly Chambliss as Mass Layoffs Reported in IBM Consulting, IBM Loses Key Contracts/Graft
IBM Consulting has been in disarray lately
Slopwatch: Anti-Linux Articles, Not Even Written by Humans
Why aren't Web sites more vocal about this problem?
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Wednesday, April 02, 2025
IRC logs for Wednesday, April 02, 2025
Links 03/04/2025: Apple Fined Over Secret Surveillance, "Elegant Writer For A More Civilized Age"
Links for the day
Gemini Links 02/04/2025: Books and Cold Tea
Links for the day
Links 02/04/2025: More Layoffs, Nokia Again Takes Advantage of Illegal and Unconstitutional Patent Court With Nokia Staff as 'Judges'
Links for the day
Links 02/04/2025: Seizures and Returns to Windows of 24 Years Ago
Links for the day
LLM Slop Helps Obscure and Distort News About Layoffs (IBM, GAFAM)
It's hard to find accurate information
Links 02/04/2025: Microsoft Developers Are Threatening to Go on Strike, World Backup Day Noted
Links for the day
Gemini Protocol Has Growing Appeal (the Web Got Too Bloated and Full of LLM Slop)
For any "data plan" with bandwidth limits or "tiers" it would be cheaper to use/browse Geminispace
The Web Can Survive LLM Slop, But Only If We Collectively Shun and Discourage Serial Sloppers
Doing nothing ought not be a possibility
Amid Secret Shut-downs and Mass Layoffs at Microsoft (4 Waves of Layoffs in 3 Months of 2025) Some Microsoft Staff Expected to Go On Strike
workers going on strike
Gemini Links 02/04/2025: No more on Mastodon and Gemini Mention Script in Go
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, April 01, 2025
IRC logs for Tuesday, April 01, 2025
My Motion Disbarring or “Striking Off” Brett Wilson LLP for Enabling Violent Americans Who Try to Crush Microsoft Critics in the United Kingdom by Multiple SLAPPs
"Guns for hire" (for Microsoft people who received Microsoft salaries)
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Hijacked Again by Patent Litigation Industry, as President Cheeto Prioritises Aggressors
The "mafia" has taken over the "industry" and the Federal system (justice and constitutions trampled upon)
Ubuntu Slop and FUD Manufactured With LLMs and Funded (by Oneself) 'Studies'
Slop and FUD are ruining the Web
Gemini Links 01/04/2025: Games and More
Links for the day
Links 01/04/2025: Apple Fined $162M for Privacy Abuses, Disinformation Online a Growing Concern
Links for the day
Why We're Reporting Brett Wilson LLP for Apparently Misusing Their Licence to Protect American Microsofters Who Attack Women
For those who have not been keeping abreast
Newer Press Reports Confirm That Microsoft Shuts Down 'Hey Hi' (AI) Labs Despite All the Hype
The "hey hi" (AI) bubble is not sustainable
Links 01/04/2025: Mass Layoffs at Eidos and "Microsoft Pulls Back on Data Centers" (Demand Lacking); "Racist and Sexist" Slop From Microsoft
Links for the day
Stefano Maffulli and His Microsoft-Funded OSI Staff Are Killing the OSI and Killing "Open Source" (All for Money!)
This is far from over
Gemini Links 01/04/2025: XKCDpunk and worldclock.py
Links for the day
50 Years of Sabotage and a Gut Punch to Computer Science (and Science in General)
Will we get back to science-based computing rather than cult-like following?
Techrights Headlines as Semaphore
"If you are hearing this, thank you"
3 Months in 2025, 4 Waves of Mass Layoffs at Microsoft, Now Offices Shut Down Permanently
"A recent visit by the South China Morning Post confirmed that the office was dark, unoccupied, and had its logo removed."
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Monday, March 31, 2025
IRC logs for Monday, March 31, 2025