Bonum Certa Men Certa

Today, After More Than 15 Years, I'm Deleting 'Open Source' From My RSS Feeds

'Open Source' became everything its fiercest critics worried it would eventually be

Entryism
Wikipedia on entryism



Summary: The Open Source brand -- like the Open Source Initiative (OSI) -- stands for monopolies now, with few exceptions here and there; there's no compelling reason left to support "Open Source" anymore (focus on software freedom instead)

THE "OPENWASHING" thing isn't a growing trend; it's becoming the norm. As I look over Google News results (as RSS/XML only; this is the only Google service I still use!) I realise that there's nothing of value in it. Almost nothing. Maybe less than 10% of the whole. I see mentions of Microsoft, Google, Facebook... or projects that are GitHub-hosted, i.e. entrapped in a proprietary software cage. Lots of the results are pure marketing spam that's FUD from Microsoft proxies such as Black Duck, demonising Free software to push proprietary stuff. We know who amplifies that stuff and why...



What on Earth is this nonsense?!

"I'd rather write more articles than pick links about how Facebook is now "open", "Google will save us from COVID" and Microsoft "fights the bad guys..." (yes, that's the gist of it)."Why do I still spend about 6 hours a week following and keeping abreast of this nonsense?

It's tiring, both emotionally (exhausting!) and technically. I'd rather write more article than pick links about how Facebook is now "open", "Google will save us from COVID" and Microsoft "fights the bad guys..." (yes, that's the gist of it).

"And shame on you, OSI leadership (people from companies like IBM). You did this to yourselves..."Today, for the first time since 2004 or 2005, I've decided to just delete all the crap and never receive that again. Ever.

RIP, "Open Source".

And shame on you, OSI leadership (people from companies like IBM and Google). You did this to yourselves...

You're only 1 or 2 years behind the Linux Foundation when it comes to the sellout. No wonder your two co-founders are out this year, unwilling to associate with you anymore. And what next on your agenda? A "clearly defined" merger with InnerSource Commons (ISC)? Because "Open Source" is, after all, just (being) reduced to mere "collaboration" (sharing code snippets or components on GitHub)?

"Well, "Open Source" was never a genuine attempt at making Free software more widespread and popular; but at least there was that claim (from the likes of Bruce Perens)."A couple of years ago Simon Phipps repeatedly assured me nothing would change after he accepted Microsoft's money on behalf of the OSI, soon thereafter leaving the OSI in the hands of a Microsofter (in the Board); nowadays the OSI's official blog is routinely used to promote Microsoft job ads, proprietary GitHub and even worse things. And it's not limited to Microsoft. Look who nowadays speaks on behalf of OSI (in public events as recent as this year's). Look who those people work for.

I love the GPL. But the media told me to say I'm with 'Open Source' so I took the dive...
Linux founder in the pool. Credit: Photo published by Thayvian, 17 January 2004 (linux.conf.au).



Well, "Open Source" was never a genuine attempt at making Free software more widespread and popular; but at least there was that claim (from the likes of Bruce Perens). If there was ever any sincerity, it's now all lost and/or hijacked. You threw out RMS along with his baby and the bathwater. You threw up in our collective faces. We vomit back at 'cha.

“My 25-year-old child, the Free Software Movement, occupies most of my life, leaving no room for more children...”

--Richard Stallman (around 2008)

Recent Techrights' Posts

IBM's BS (Bait, Switch) Regarding Ways to Stay Onboard
PIPs, RTOs, and forced relocations are just an illusion of choice (or ability to recover)
Banned evidence: Ars Technica forums censored email predicting DebConf23 death, Abraham Raji & Debian cover-up
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Intimidation, Threats, and Bullying Not Tolerated by Techrights
When it comes to our reporting, safety always comes first
 
Open Source Initiative (OSI) Privacy Fiasco in Detail: An Introduction
Perhaps tomorrow or perhaps next week we'll share more information about what happened and what was reported to the California Privacy Protection Agency
Links 29/03/2025: More Crackdowns on Science, "Hey Hi" Slopping is Flopping
Links for the day
Costa Rica Almost Bankrupt Because of Microsoft
the incidents in Costa Rica are Windows incidents
Gemini Links 29/03/2025: Art of Looking, Wireguard, EMacs
Links for the day
Links 29/03/2025: Attacks on Social Security and War Updates
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Friday, March 28, 2025
IRC logs for Friday, March 28, 2025
A World Without Rules
We're long insisted on better laws and actual enforcement of them (applicable to all, not selectively applied)
statCounter Sees Microsoft Windows Falling to New, Unprecedented Lows in Palau
Taking Android into account, Windows is now down to an all-time low of 14%
Google News Lost the Fight to LLM Slop (While Google Itself Sells Slop, Nowadays Under the Name "Gemini")
Many people say that "Google is getting worse"; that's almost an understatement
Links 28/03/2025: AirAsia Trouble Again, UMich Culls All DEI Programs
Links for the day
Gemini Links 28/03/2025: Alexa is for Gullible People, Rant About Feature Overload
Links for the day
The SLAPPs From the Microsoft Strangler (and Sidekick) No Better Than Patent Trolling
one must never settle with trolls
Something to Celebrate in Gemini Protocol
More capsules and users join in
Links 28/03/2025: Last Reminder "to Delete Your 23andMe Data", "UK's First Permanent Facial Recognition Cameras Installed"
Links for the day
Microsoft Canonical Continues Its FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt) Campaign, Reveals Google Too Sponsored It
They're paid-for lies from a Chinese company that takes GAFAM money to write puff pieces about them
Android Rises Above 76% in Mozambique, Leaving Windows in the Dust
Windows may soon be measured as smaller than Apple's iOS
IBM, Red Hat and Microsoft Probably Also Manipulate Metrics (It Helps Con the Shareholders)
Wall Street's credibility will depend on enforcement of "checks and balances"
Slopwatch: trendhunter.com and Other Pure Junk From "Google News"
The need to vet sources is hardly new; anyone can spew out anything, anywhere. There's a need for vetting.
Gemini Links 28/03/2025: Rewatching The X-Files, Slop Concerns, and NOSTR Censorship
Links for the day
Links 28/03/2025: Australia at Risk, EPO Grants Illegal Patents With Illegal Effect
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Thursday, March 27, 2025
IRC logs for Thursday, March 27, 2025
Links 27/03/2025: Obituary to a Shop, Russia Trying to Buy Time
Links for the day
Links 27/03/2025: Slop, Autosuggestions, and Nostr
Links for the day
Apparently Confirmed: IBM Layoffs in Canada Today, Hundreds Affected
Impacting "177 people", says one person, "in Ottawa"
When Windows Was Dominant (1990s) Browser Monopoly Meant MSIE, But Now Google Android is Dominant and the Web in a 'Webapps' Era Works With (or Is Designed for) Chrome-isms
We've been there before
Slopwatch: BetaNews, LinuxSecurity.com, and the Attack on Web Search Using Fake and Likely Plagiarised Pages
Changing a few words here and there won't change the fact that it's not properly authored
Links 27/03/2025: U.S. Honeybee Deaths Reach Record High, Legal Occupation Next in Line After War on Science
Links for the day
Using Courts for 'Revenge' is Always a Losing Strategy
Trying to cause someone you dislike to spend a lot of money
IBM CFO James Kavanaugh Refers to Firing of Almost 10,000 Americans as "Workforce Rebalancing" (Shifting IBM's Centre of Balance to Low-salary Contracts/Countries)
The scale of IBM layoffs is getting too large to evade WARN Notices
[Video] Dr. Richard Stallman's Keynote Speech in Kerala Finally Uploaded
In non-free format and proprietary YouTube, but perhaps that's better than nothing
Islands Are Leaving Microsoft Behind, According to statCounter
Android has had a very strong year
EPO Management Fails to Deny That the Office is Discriminating Against Women
Europe's second-largest institution isn't just exceedingly corrupt but also immoral
In Some Countries the Market Share of Vista 11 is Going Down, Not Up
despite being released in 2021
Rumour: Mass Layoffs in IBM Canada Today
Maybe later today some people from Canada will say something firmer and maybe some media will even talk about that
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Wednesday, March 26, 2025
IRC logs for Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Gemini Links 27/03/2025: X-Files' "Kill Switch", Orlando, and ASN (Autonomous System Number) 'Hack'
Links for the day