Bonum Certa Men Certa

Time to Rename the Linux Foundation's Linux.com and Maybe Call it Linux.NET

Publicity rights (or personality)

Publicity rights



Summary: The "Linux Foundation" has nothing to do with Linux anymore; it's just an opportunistic and tax-exempt marketing agency looking to squeeze bucks out of the Linux trademark of Linus Torvalds

THE Linux Foundation is killing the Linux brand. It's misusing it or "lending" it to things that have nothing to do with Linux. Similarly, as an associate of ours put it this morning, Forbes has, as recently as yesterday, resorted to "brand dilution, "open-source" vs "open source", OSI is too quiet..."



I've pointed this out to OSI; but they rarely respond when I raise such concerns or register complaints with them. From the article's summary: "Open-source relies on collaboration between contributors and companies - but profits make things more difficult. Part one of two."

"The Linux Foundation is killing the Linux brand. It's misusing it or "lending" it to things that have nothing to do with Linux."Notice they're not even speaking about code! This is pure openwashing.

Yesterday we wrote about how Zemlin's PAC had been selling (or licensing) the "Linux" brand to dying/unpopular projects ("The Corporate Linux Foundation [LF as Agent of Microsoft and Other Serial GPL Violators]") while outsourcing almost everything to Microsoft. Thomas B. Rücker wrote in response that "LF is an industry association and pay-for-play is their raison-d'etre. At some point it was supposedly 'just' about paying Linus, but those days are *long* gone. A lot of the projects that get labeled "LF project", there's a vendor paying for this fronting. They've been doing this for years. I've seen this first hand and was privy to meetings."

Someone has just pointed out this article to us. It's about "LF Edge" and it says: "Two open-source foundations - IOTA Foundation working in the sphere of blockchain and the open-source Linux Foundation have come together for Edge computing, specifically the LF Edge."

"What other 'snake oil' is the Linux Foundation willing to be associated with?"What does that have to do with Linux? The Corporate Linux Foundation doubles down on marketing as a business model, misusing the "Linux" brand for quick profit (never mind the dilution of the brand). A few hours ago this site published news entitled "IOTA {MIOTA} Foundation teams up with Linux; may facilitate mainstream interest" (got that? It's about brand recognition, right?)

Nonsensical sites such as these aren't even about Linux. To quote the summary: "IOTA is ranked at #16 above Dash but underneath Huobi Token in the market. The price declined at a rate of 11.73% in the course…"

"As for the site known as Linux.com? Forget about it. It's 'sold'..."What other 'snake oil' is the Linux Foundation willing to be associated with?

As we noted over the weekend, corporations are taking over both "Open Source" and "Linux" (their identity); Microsoft now pays people to relay the lie that Microsoft is authority or commands its competition. As for the site known as Linux.com? Forget about it. It's 'sold'... its soul is sold because all editors and writers got fired back in April; all that's left is a Microsoft-friendly stenographer.

"And now we have a so-called 'Linux' Foundation which does more or less the same (you must create an account with Microsoft to participate in "LF" projects) while its news site, Linux.com, promotes .NET."Welcome to Linux.com? No. Should we call it Linux.NET? Seems reasonable in light of this latest story from Swapnil ("AWS Joins the .NET Foundation"). Whose agenda is being served here? What does that even have to do with Linux?

Need we mention again how the 'Linux' Foundation outsources pretty much everything to Microsoft? The code is hosted by a proprietary software platform called GitHub and check out what Pete Zaitcev (Linux developer) published only hours ago:

A job at LinkedIn [owned by Microsoft] in my area includes the following instruction statement:

Don't apply if you can't really write code and don't have a github profile. This is a job for an expert level coder.

I remember the simpler times when LWN authors fretted about the SourceForge monopoly capturing all FLOSS projects.

P.S. For the record, I do have a profile at Github. It is required in order to contribute to RDO, because it is the only way to login in their Gerrit and submit patches for review. Ironically, Fedora offers a single sign-on with FAS and RDO is a Red Hat sponsored project, but nope — it's easier to force contributors into Github.


We previously covered examples where sponsorship or invitation to events was limited only to those with a GitHub account, i.e. those imprisoned by proprietary software of Microsoft. It's totally absurd. And now we have a so-called 'Linux' Foundation which does more or less the same (you must create an account with Microsoft to participate in "LF" projects) while its news site, Linux.com, promotes .NET.

Recent Techrights' Posts

Why I Continue to Believe That at the End Software Freedom Will Win
a short and incomplete list of factors which I believe contribute to the sentiment that we can - and will - win the battles over hearts and minds in the "Tech" realm
Technology: rights or responsibilities? - Part X
By Dr. Andy Farnell
 
[Meme] When the People Who Falsely Accuse You of Pedophilia Turn Out to be Projecting
When you attack something or someone using falsehoods, as happens a lot to Richard Stallman (RMS), there's risk that the attacks will backfire, badly
In Some Countries, Such as Greece, Almost 80% of Windows Users Are on Vista 10 and About 85% Need to Move to GNU/Linux for Security Patches
Vista 11 was a failure
Saving What's Left of Decent and Independent Journalism on the Web
We increasingly (over time) try to make local copies (hosted on our server) of important documents; it's hard to rely on third parties
[Meme] They Don't Want the Public to Know What "Responsible Encryption" Really Means
They also blame "China" for their own back doors (because China learned how to exploit those)
The Linux Foundation's Certificate Authority (CA) Significantly and Suspiciously Raises the Number of Certificates It Issues (Quantity Increase/Inflation) by Lessening Their Lifetime in the Name of 'Security' (That Barely Makes Sense!)
LE made 3 months the "standard" for most, soon to become just 6 days instead of 6 months?
Links 17/12/2024: More China Sanctions, GOP Scheming to Prop Up Fentanylware (TikTok)
Links for the day
Gemini Links 17/12/2024: The Streisand Effect and Productivity-systems Desiderata
Links for the day
Links 17/12/2024: More "Tesla Autopilot" and "Hey Hi" (AI) Blunders
Links for the day
Instead of Promoting GNU/Linux (or Ubuntu) Ahead of Vista 10's EoL Canonical is Marketing Microsoft's Proprietary Software
It's like Canonical employs people who work for Microsoft, not for Canonical
Links 17/12/2024: Many Abuses by Microsoft and War Updates From Ukraine
Links for the day
Content Management Systems (CMS) Bloat/ Static Site Generators (SSG) Trouble
some Web site management stories
DEI Room at fedoraproject.org Pretty Much Dead
We're not against diversity but against its weaponisation by greedy people who do not value diversity at all
The "Latest Technology News" at BetaNews is Slop About Slop
This is at the very top of the "news" (front page) at the moment
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Monday, December 16, 2024
IRC logs for Monday, December 16, 2024
Gemini Links 16/12/2024: Invisibles and 20 Years of GNU/Linux on the Desktop
Links for the day
Microsoft's Windows Fell From 98% to Less Than 15% (in 15 Years in Africa)
Operating System Market Share Africa
Swaziland: GNU/Linux Leaps to 7.24%, Based on statCounter
Remember that Microsoft had many layoffs this year in Africa
A Birthday Wish
My birthday is a few hours away
[Meme] Definitely Not Your Role Models
Hypocrite Neckbeard Meme
Changes or Variation of Logo at the FSF as 40th Anniversary is Near (Months Away)
Next year the FSF turns 40
Mobile Usage Nearly 90% in Maharlika (Philippines)?
Microsoft has become just a footnote
Push Back and Become More Vocal for LLM Abuse and Misuse to Stop
We hope that more people out there (sites too) will call out the people who saturate particular topics on the Web with machine-generated junk
The Media Failed to Hold GAFAM Accountable (and Now It Suffers From It and For It)
This recognition of the problem emboldens us to carry on
Botswana: New Highs for GNU/Linux, All-Time Lows for Microsoft
No wonder Microsoft has so many layoffs in Africa this year
Links 16/12/2024: Skinnerboxes ("Smart" "Phones") and Control Social Media Blamed for Fights
Links for the day
Reminder: The Microsoft Person Who Used OpenAI for En Masse GPL Violations Told the Whistleblower to Kill Herself
The evidence (real message)
Links 16/12/2024: emacs, Drawabox, “You Should Have Your Own Website”
Links for the day
In Some Parts of the World, Like Central America and South America, Microsoft is Irrelevant on the Web
Nadella has bet the farm on a Ponzi scheme
[Meme] Microsoft is Not a Country
Reporting crimes is essential for democracy
There's Not Much Time Left for President Biden to Pardon Julian Assange and Signal to Journalists That Exposing States' Crimes or Rich People's Misbehaviour is Lawful
Apathy towards this is part of the problem
Image Fusion is Not 'AI' (LLMs Aren't Either)
Such fakes can (and always could) be done by a digital artist, it's just a little more expensive and time-consuming
GNU/Linux at New Highs in Bosnia And Herzegovina
Quite a few Balkan nations show high adoption rates for GNU/Linux
From Scientists to Pigeons: The EPO Has Turned Patent Examination Into a Process Made by Computers and Improperly Trained Staff Which Doesn't Meet the Requirements of the European Patent Convention (EPC)
Might as well abolish this entire system if this is the current trajectory
Razik Menidjel Will No Longer be Chief Operating Officer Operations at the EPO
What does the EPC say about slop and should it be updated to deal with trouble such as slop?
Underpaid and Inexperienced Workers Overwhelm the EPO, Granting Many Invalid Patents and Placing Pressure on Veteran Examiners
So-called "production" (giving monopolies) pressure is "compromising the quality of our products" [sic] according to a new report
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Sunday, December 15, 2024
IRC logs for Sunday, December 15, 2024
Links 15/12/2024: Social Control Media Disarray and Software Patent Eligibility Attempted by Litigation Maximalists
Links for the day
Links 15/12/2024: "Internet Era Might Be History's Least-Documented Period", Microsoft’s Telecom Biz Practically Dead
Links for the day
Links 15/12/2024: SQLite Bootstrap, More Terminals, Helix Themes
Links for the day
Two Laptops Up and Running (No Reboots) Since 2023
my main laptops, "vonick" and "bubi", haven't been rebooted since 2023
Links 14/12/2024: Yoon Impeached, "Intel's Death", and "Hey Hi" Hype Causes Warming and Pollution
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Saturday, December 14, 2024
IRC logs for Saturday, December 14, 2024