The Open Source Initiative (OSI) is in Trouble, May Soon be Out of Business
The "Repo" below is days old, see https://codeberg.org/OSI-Concerns/election-results-2025.
We will soon revisit the Open Source Initiative (OSI) 'election' (previous chapter still relevant). It'll be really damning. We have previously-unpublished material to show.
The Open Source Initiative (OSI) really, REALLY needs a distraction right now. The Microsoft operative came back to the OSI's blog and is now shilling the diploma mill of the Linux Foundation (links omitted intentionally). But don't pay attention to that mindless fluff. Instead, see "An Election Under a Shadow of Doubt" by the developer of Linux-libre, who wrote during Easter: "These initial intentional or unintentional irregularities set the tone for the entire election. They created uncertainty and eroded the crucial trust for any fair election. Instead of a smooth, transparent process, the OSI election was marred by inconsistencies that have fueled suspicion and distrust. These early problems laid a troubling foundation for the later, far more controversial, decisions that would further compromise the election's perceived integrity."
He's promoting this "Petition to the Open Source Initiative: Publish the Full 2025 Election Results" (that's not even the biggest scandal).
We've taken a look at the material we intend to publish this month and next month. We believe that the OSI can be shut down. My outline at the moment says: we shall first finish all the privacy stuff (until the complaint is properly dealt with*), revisit the election/bans, then deal with lobbying/status. That last part will come out some time in May.
We're checking with sources and associates if this timeline for publication is OK to ensure all parties are satisfied.
"Sounds good!" one of them said. Another asked: "What can replace it and take over as steward for the licensing while also 1) remaining robust to take over or corruption and 2) adding some kind of licensing or certification programme?"
We'll cover all this next month. There's a plan for what to do when OSI goes the way of the dodo. The label "open source" (or nowadays "open-source") already lost the meaning it once had. We need something newer and more robust. Openwashing needs to end. Enough is enough. █
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* "Wow," the complainant said, "check it out. They’re sending it to The enforcement division for review." Yes, there's merit to it. Why would they brush it aside?