this post was submitted on 20 Jul 2023
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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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Wasn't Red Hat just complaining that Alma and Rocky didn't add value because they weren't submitting fixes upstream?
There goes the narrative. Didn't last very long, did it?
Its funny how podcasters and commenters seem to have taken Redhat's spin about "contributing value to the community" seriously, while to the rest of us the whole thing was obviously only about money (same as all the follow-ups from other parties... I would say "including Alma" but that would probably deserve its separate debate).
Exactly. "Oracle freeloading" isn't through some loophole they're exploiting. It's the core premise of the license to allow them to do exactly that.
Red Hat saying that argument in-particular shows they've pivoted their philosophy significantly, it's a seemingly subtle change but is huge - presumably due to the IBM acquisition, but maybe due to the pressures in the market right now.
It's the classic argument against FOSS, which Red Hat themselves have argued against for decades and as an organisation proved that you can build a viable business on the back of FOSS whilst also contributing to it, and that there was indirect value in having others use your work. Only time will tell, but the stage is set for Red Hat to cultivate a different relationship with FOSS and move more into proprietary code.
— "we don't like people ripping off our work without any added value"
— "Here, let me push this to your staging environment, totally breaking your quality process"
— "No"
— "Well, what the hell do you want broo?"
I don't think they have ever hidden the fact this is about money. I don't like the fact this is about money, but the fact that others were cloning and selling their efforts for a cheaper price is awful.
they are not breaking any law. This is totally allowed. You can use FOSS to create a commercial product.
they are major contributors to the Linux space. And they'll keep contributing.
It's their effort, they created a business around it, and it cycles back to push Linux forward.
this isn't even going to affect average users. This is going to take money from companies that probably have the money to pay. For other companies, there are other distributions available.
Well, the re-builders would be breaking the law now that the source code isn't available for non-paying customers. They weren't breaking the law before.
So, do you expect every company to release the source code of their products just because they used a FOSS web framework or a FOSS programming language like Python? Or by the same logic, for companies to release the source code of their products if their developers use Linux in their development machines? Or if they use Linux to deploy their applications in the cloud? That's such an unreasonable position.
OK, so is Redhat breaking any license? Do you really think a company like Redhat would open itself to thousands of lawsuits like that. The CEO already explained that this is totally legal and covered by GPL. They are in fact distributing the source to the people receiving the product. This is exactly what GPL says. They are not forced to open the source code to people who aren't getting the distributed software.
What is your complaint then? They are not breaking any law and they are following the GPL license.
I was using the webframework/language as examples because you said this wasn't a matter of law but a matter of principle. So why does the principle apply to Redhat but not the million other products that totally depend on FOSS on their core?
So many projects do in fact distribute the FOSS, but they use more permissive licenses like MIT, Apache or LGPL. BUT you're saying the law is not relevant, what matters is the principle. So why don't everyone release their code if they depend on FOSS on their core products? Because they aren't breaking the Apache or MIT licenses? Well, that's great! Redhar isn't breaking the GPL license either. Why must Redhat follow whatever subjective principles you have?
— "hey there's this company creating a commercial product around FOSS. They aren't breaking any license."
— "Nice, as long as the licenses aren't compromised"
— "It's Redhat"
— "Those mofos! How dare they!"
RedHat is not breaking any licenses, but neither are people who acquire the source code and redistribute it. This is also covered under GPL.
Bro, do you even FOSS?