this post was submitted on 25 Jul 2026
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Linux
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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I think the key point with Linux is that at least no single corporation has enough control over it to dictate the direction of the project on its own. Sure, modern Linux is fairly corporate and somewhat beholden to capitalist interests in general, but there's a lot of different actors pulling things in different directions, and the community (by that I mean non-corpo interests) still plays a role in decision making.
The definition of FLOSS mandates that software authors relinquish control over how and by whom their software is used, see for example the JSON licensing controversy. But I agree that we should rethink this somewhat libertarian approach and at least try to prevent our software being used for evil.
Yeah that one was a yikes. Especially given it wasn't even prompted by any legal threats, it was just the Linux devs complying with an unjust law prematurely.
Wait, is that a thing?? Unless you mean the out of tree modules, in which case the MIT ones are not the worst offenders (looking at you NVidia)
Yeah, out of tree modules... For now.
It's too bad that Stallman is just a neckbeard ancap.