Bonum Certa Men Certa

This is How GNU Finally Dies

By figosdev

Vegas at night



Summary: "Brace for when GNU falls the way that OSI, FSF, FSFE, Mozilla, and the Linux Foundation did."

These three paragraphs speak volumes:



"The goal of the GNU Social Contract is to state the core values GNU maintainers who have endorsed it are committed to uphold. It is both an agreement among us, GNU contributors, and a pledge to the broader free software community.

Additionally, we think it can be a first step towards formalizing a transparent and collective governance of the GNU Project.

"Ultimately they spell out the takeover of the GNU Project by IBM and Red Hat."The process followed by this initiative is not supported by Richard Stallman. Nevertheless, we consider it a legitimate action by and for GNU maintainers to collectively define the core values we believe GNU stands for."

Those three paragraphs are a vicious and narcissistic lie. Ultimately they spell out the takeover of the GNU Project by IBM and Red Hat.

If you look into the history of OSI, a similar tragedy happened under the directorship of Simon Phipps. Today, OSI is stifled and staffed by GIAFAM.

They did the same to ESR that they did to Stallman. This does not mean I like ESR, but I believe the people in charge now are even worse.

"Today, OSI is stifled and staffed by GIAFAM."Today, the Linux Foundation is stifled and staffed by GIAFAM. They did the same to Torvalds. I definitely do not like Torvalds, but I believe the people in charge now are even worse.

Today, Mozilla is stifled and staffed by GIAFAM. They did the same to Eich. Although the opposite is a famous political slogan, I do Not like Eich. But I will note that after he left, Mozilla did become a horrible corporate shadow of its former self. Credit where credit is due, Eich was obviously the piece that had to be removed for Mozilla to be gutted.

This happened to Stallman as head of the FSF. I believe some of these people tried to fake Stallman's resignation from the GNU Project, and they have tried to take over GNU several times. Technically, they failed. But what people don't realise is they haven't stopped. They are still taking it over, gradually.

Brace for when GNU falls the way that OSI, FSF, FSFE, Mozilla, and the Linux Foundation did.

"Brace for when GNU falls the way that OSI, FSF, FSFE, Mozilla, and the Linux Foundation did."These are fascist, surveillance-state corporations taking over grassroots movements and non-profit organisations. They do it by weaponising useful idiots to do their bidding in the name of "progress", but it is nothing more than Social Justice Theatre.

Stallman was supposed to Resign. He didn't.

In the general pattern of these takeovers, that just means they will hit harder.

These people do not stop, and people are not resisting them -- they are making them welcome, instead of ejecting them from the GNU Project. Believe me, I know that's never going to happen. And by the time enough people realise the need is there, it will have slipped out of their hands.

I'd really like to be wrong about this. I'm pretty damned tired of my concerns being vindicated by history. People need to worry more about IBM. They're just as bad as Microsoft.

Rest well, GNU. I think you will make another appearance, when all this corporate destruction is over. Whenever that is.

"These bastards have spent the past few decades rewriting history, trying to scrub out Stallman and write in Torvalds, but it's bunk."Linux is already dead, and GNU has precious little time left. But it has a 36-year legacy that will not soon be forgotten. The software world was changed forever on September 27, 1983. It was far more significant than anything that happened in 1991 or 1998. These bastards have spent the past few decades rewriting history, trying to scrub out Stallman and write in Torvalds, but it's bunk.

They will try very hard to destroy the legacy, and they will certainly cause some damage. But what these useful idiots are doing is rewriting the constitution that governs the GNU project -- and the result will be takeover by corporations.

People say that can't happen because of the license. If that were true, then the GPL would protect the Linux kernel.

They've done a lot to work around the GPL to co-opt Linux. I'm not saying the GPL isn't powerful or necessary, it's both. But from lobbying against the GPL to lobbying against GPL3 adoption, to taking over the Linux Foundation, to simply violating the GPL whenever it pleases them, Microsoft has shown that the GPL is not invincible.

It's never enough to simply establish freedom -- it has to be defended. Licenses and freedom both need defending. Free software projects need defending. Their little coup is basically strapping charges to the governance of the GNU Project. When those blow, Stallman effectively won't run the GNU Project anymore, and the history of the Middle East, the history of OSI and countless other organisations (and other countries) already tell us what happens when this power vacuum is created.

"This isn't just a corporate takeover of GNU, it's a fascist takeover."Corporations will swoop in to rebuild the thing in their image. This isn't just a corporate takeover of GNU, it's a fascist takeover.

So you people that claim you are against fascism, but you let this happen, you cheer it on -- maybe your heart is in the right place, but frankly you suck at this.

Watch and see. Nothing precludes people in the future fighting to restore the GNU Project. But for now, it is as good as dead.

The clock is ticking -- say Goodbye before it's gone.

Remembering GNU will be the most important thing you can do for software freedom.

I've compared Stallman to Einstein, but Tesla also fits. Tesla worked for Edison, and was shafted all of his life. This didn't prevent Tesla from practically creating the 20th century. That motor that's spinning your drive -- you can thank Tesla. You can sort of thank him for the solid state components as well, I'm not saying he invented every aspect of them.

"You aren't progressives, kids. You're fascists with progressive branding."On the software side, you can thank Linus Torvalds. But that would be kind of stupid at this point. Stallman is the person you should thank. You can and should also thank Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie, obviously.

IBM can thank these useful idiots and their idiot wiki page, for helping them finally kill the GNU. Keep count of the people from Red Hat, I bet there will be one from Google as well.

I'm so incredibly disappointed in you, Ian. I honestly thought you were on our side.

You aren't progressives, kids. You're fascists with progressive branding.

Goodnight.

Licence: Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International

Recent Techrights' Posts

IBM's Kyndryl in Trouble: Mass Layoffs, Payroll Problems, Buybacks (in Company Whose Debt is Almost Twice Its Total Value), and Soon $9 Per Share (Down Over 80%)
Kyndryl is done. Stick a fork in it.
ICYMI: GNU/Linux Did Not Start in Finland
If we're honest/true to ourselves, we need to recognise history for what it is, not what some corporations (like GAFAM) want it to be
Codecs and Software Patents - Part VII - Entering Phase II, the Battle Against Companies That Normalise Taxed (by Patents on Mathematics) Codecs
In the next few part we'll deal with the impact on Free software, including the GNU Project
 
For Effective 'Finlandisation' (Digital Sovereignty) Finland Needs to Think Like GNU (Software Freedom), Not Linux (Openwashing Source, Plus LLM Slop and Killswitches)
What is 'Finlandisation'?
Links 15/05/2026: UK antitrust regulator is officially investigating Microsoft Office, Anthropic’s Fraudulent Lies About Mythoslop Don't Withstand Scrutiny
Links for the day
IBM is Googlebombing the Media With Fake Numbers to Promote Fake Technology
a classic example of why much of today's media cannot be trusted (anymore)
Up to 10,000 Microsoft Layoffs in a Couple of Months
Many ways to skin a cat
Truth Hurts. People Hurt by Truth Aren't Entitled to Compensation.
Family members aren't exempt
SLAPP Censorship - Part 77 Out of 200: They Never Knew How to Handle Women (Except to Attack Them)
The case against us was really quite simple
Update on Sirius Open Source in 2026 (When Your Former Employer Commits Crimes and Nobody is Held Accountable)
I did not envision myself spending several years (even 4 years after leaving that company) challenging the system for tolerating and even covering up corruption
The Corrupt Lecture the Non-Corrupt - Part XXIII - Cocaine Use at the EPO's Top-Level Management "Adds Up" and Worsens Things "Over Time"
"cocaine use knocks the IQ down permanently a tiny bit with each use. Over time that adds up."
Gemini Links 15/05/2026: Slop Fatigue and Banning LLM Use
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Thursday, May 14, 2026
IRC logs for Thursday, May 14, 2026
Links 14/05/2026: Health Science, Cheeto Meets Pooh, and Facebook Staff Loathing the CEO
Links for the day
Gemini Links 14/05/2026: Early Morning Practice and Number to Roman Numeral Converter
Links for the day
FSF Advertises the Father of Software Freedom Giving a Talk in Germany (a Digital Sovereignty Interest Hub, Sponsor of Free Software)
Free Software vs malware and the need for reverse engineering
Cybershow (UK) Shaping Up to be a Neat and Very Large Gemini Capsule
If only more platforms did the same, plenty of energy would be spared, "old" machines would be totally suitable (even with 20 tabs open), as we'd focus on substance, not bells and whistles
SLAPP Censorship - Part 76 Out of 200: The Problem With the United Kingdom Allowing Americans to File Lawsuits by Proxy (Relayed by "Hired Guns")
Solicitors in UK warned not to act as ‘hired guns’ to silence critics of super-rich
When Microsoft's LinkedIn Goes Offline All Your Fake Friends/Connections and Manufactured 'Status' Will be Gone
Many people quit social control media because they recognise it for what it truly is
Major Setback for IBM in the Courtroom, the Demolition of IBM is Proving Costly
Kyndryl is a sign of how IBM ("mother ship") is run and where IBM is heading
Links 14/05/2026: Willful Ignorance and Mass Layoffs at Microsoft
Links for the day
Gemini Links 14/05/2026: Rewatching V for Vendetta, JPEG XL, and Platform Migrations
Links for the day
The Corrupt Lecture the Non-Corrupt - Part XXII - What the Science Says About Cocaine in the Workplace (EPO President, Mr. Campinos, Please Take Note)
What the science says
European Patent Office (EPO) President, Mr. Campinos, Ignoring Its Staff While Protecting His Friends
the President is covering up cocaine use while ignoring his own workers
Slop Cannot Replace Everybody (the Story of Perl and Universities)
Quantity where abundance exists is without merit; quality is what people opt for as they have limited time and patience
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Wednesday, May 13, 2026
IRC logs for Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Links 13/05/2026: Sudan War Enters Fourth Year and Strait of Hormuz Leaves Safe Passage a Gamble
Links for the day
Gemini Links 13/05/2026: Useless Protests and Foofaraw on Geminispace
Links for the day
Mainstream Media: Microsoft Says No Layoffs. Microsoft: OK, There Are Layoffs.
Where is Waggener Edstrom/Frank Shaw now?
IBM's Kyndryl Down Almost 20% in 5 Days, IBM Down 35% in About 6 Months, Further 'Staff Reductions' at Red Hat (Problems Paying Salaries!)
Will this year's festivities be Krishna's last?
More Mass Layoffs at Microsoft, Only Weeks After the "Buyout" Nonsense (Glorified Severance to Highest-Paid American Staff)
Next up it is LinkedIn
IBM is in a Freefall, When Will IBM's CEO Fall on His Sword?
Since he controls the Board, is anyone in a position to fire him?
At GitLab, "AI" is "All India"
It says "as much as 30%," but they also hire and it's clear what demography is targeted
Verified Accounts of Microsoft Offering 'Retirement' (Layoffs) to People in Their 40s, Over Two Decades Earlier Than Retirement Age
It's not even about performance, it's about age (or "cost" as well as location; they cheapen the labour)
Links 13/05/2026: Slop Turns Into 2008-Style Subprime Bubble, Mass Layoffs at Starbucks
Links for the day
They Don't Like the Layoffs, So They Are Rebranding Them
Layoffs are layoffs
IBM Downgraded as the Shares Sink to New Lows
The current strategy of IBM is financial engineering, wage reductions, and mass layoffs that the corporate media refuses to even write about
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, May 12, 2026
IRC logs for Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Gemini Links 13/05/2026: TUIs and Internet Radio
Links for the day
How the European Patent Office Became a Crime and Corruption Hub, One of Europe's Biggest
incomplete outline