this post was submitted on 10 Nov 2023
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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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[–] [email protected] 74 points 1 year ago (3 children)

The author is exited but I'm not. I am not a big fan of corporations taking the free work of FOSS developers and turning it into a proprietary dystopia.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I think that having a strong public domain is good for everyone. For instance properties like Sherlock Holmes really took off once it was in the public domain and people could write spin-offs and whatnot without worry that a copyright lawyer would come along and sue them.

Linux is the same thing, Amazon using the kernel and stuff to build an OS on doesn't take anything away from anyone else who uses Linux as a desktop or server environment, and in fact can lead to some good pass back, even if it is just that the devices are easier to root. Take a look at the Open-wrt project, where Linksys built their router on top of a Linux kernel and it led to a whole ecosystem of open routers. People went out of their way to buy a WRT-42G just with the intent of rooting it, and Linksys got their money either way.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Amazon using Linux isn't the concern. What OP was referring to are things like their use of Elasticsearch. It's basically Amazon's version of embrace, extend, extinguish. It got so bad, that the devs of Elasticsearch changed their licensing as a way to fight against Amazon's tactics.

https://www.elastic.co/blog/why-license-change-aws

Open source is great. But when other companies take the open source code as their own to the detriment to the original open source devs, that's not sustainable. That behaviour will kill open source.

[–] [email protected] -4 points 1 year ago (2 children)

If it were anyone other than Amazon or Apple.

Speaking of which, isn't MacOS Linux based these days? How much have they contributed back? (Genuine question)

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

A quick search confirms that MacOS is based from proprietary BSD UNIX code. It is not compatible with Linux

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

It's pretty annoying you replied to someone's nice, well thought out comment with your own bullshit. Then speculated about something you could have googled in 7 seconds max.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

This is the correct response.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

GPLv3 fixes that