05.05.20
Gemini version available ♊︎GNU is Not Linux and Microsoft’s Linux Entryism Does Not Directly Impact GNU
Linus Benedict Torvalds was only 14 when GNU started and nowadays several of his bosses work for Microsoft
Summary: The destination of the GNU Project, led by its founder Dr. Stallman (RMS), does not depend strongly on what happens to Linux, a project still (mostly) led by Mr. Torvalds, whose control over it slips away
THE Linux Foundation has just announced a new survey (we put that in Daily Links a moment ago), which is funded and managed by VMware, a GPL violator that the Foundation helps in exchange for money. Those violators come from Microsoft.
“Very few GNU projects come ‘in contact’ with Microsoft through GitHub.”The way we see it, Linux is in some sense ‘compromised’, but GNU can still remain independent and it’s mostly separate(d) from Microsoft, as we noted in part 1 and part 2 of an ongoing series that’s separate. Very few GNU projects come ‘in contact’ with Microsoft through GitHub. Hopefully that number will remain small; the FSF is working on a libre social media-like alternative to GitHub. Better late than never, right?
GNU does not depend on Linux. It never did.
“All we can do is highlight these issues, hoping that broader exposure of all those underlying dangers will discourage the perpetrators.”Torvalds no longer has much of a say inside the Foundation. In 2018 he received a ‘warning shot’ and he has been a lot more docile since then. As for RMS? Well, Dr. Stallman still speaks to people and he’s starting to appear in public again, albeit his talks are being delayed/cancelled due to the pandemic.
We hope that Linux developers will manage to ‘shake off’ these entryism attempts (takeover by Linux foes), but judging by recent events we’re not too optimistic. All we can do is highlight these issues, hoping that broader exposure of all those underlying dangers will discourage the perpetrators.
GNU stands for “GNU is not UNIX” — a recursive acronym. But it’s important to also remember that GNU is not Linux and GNU programs aren’t “Linux commands” — a common misperception/misconception/misrepresentation trotted forth by misleading media.
If Microsoft manages to undermine Linux, GNU will certainly have a number of contingencies. Linux is GPL (copyleft) and the licence is compatible with GNU. So hypothetically even a fork is feasible (shall the need for it arise, whereupon many developers can ‘defect’ to it).
So, in summary, don’t think that the attack on control/leverage over Linux impacts GNU directly. GNU, still led by RMS, is going strong. █
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