Misses the big picture completely
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| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| Mafrano Sep 20, 2019 4:05 AM EDT |
There's tactics, and then there's strategy. Microsoft's current tactical moves involve cosying up to Linux. But it's a company that makes its living from proprietary software! Its long-term strategy is to crap on the free-software movement. Today it's "embracing" Linux; that's step 1 of a tried-and-tested plan, "Embrace, extend, extinguish" or "Embrace, extend, exterminate" (google for these terms if you're too young to remember). Other tactical moves involve promoting the misleading term "open source" instead of "Free software", and encouraging the use of weak licenses instead of the GPL licenses that really protect our freedom. It's sad to see respected journalists swallowing the Microsoft bait. |
| mbaehrlxer Sep 20, 2019 1:40 PM EDT |
so what exactly is the danger of windows running on top of the linux kernel? it's sure a lot better that not doing that. how will that extend and extinguish step look like? microsoft can't extend the kernel without releasing their code under the GPL, so we'll get access to all their extensions. microsoft might become a dominant kernel contributor and decide the future direction of kernel development. so what? the kernel is already complete. in how many directions can it go now? there is only one that would be a problem. bloating the kernel to make it unusable. that sounds like something microsoft could do. but for what purpose? what would they gain from it? microsofts business is selling proprietary software. if in the future they sell proprietary software running on linux, where exactly is the problem? you don't have to use it. i'd much rather though use that than be forced to use the same software on todays windows. microsoft may try to join and subvert the community. but i have strong doubts that they would succeed, because in order to subvert us, they have to become us. and that is going to affect them more than us. greetings, eMBee. |
| nmset Sep 20, 2019 2:37 PM EDT |
>microsoft might become a dominant kernel contributor .... in how many directions can it go now?... but for what purpose? what would they gain from it? While I agree that Microsoft selling licences for their software (closed or not) running on Linux is not a fundamental problem per se, I don't think we should feel comfortable at their buying their place in deciding the future of Linux. They don't see GNU/Linux as a competitor but as a foe, and a foe is an entity to kill. I think we should not be naive here. |
| mbaehrlxer Sep 20, 2019 6:30 PM EDT |
people keep making that claim. i want to know how they will be able to do it? they can't kill Linux. noone can kill Linux. they can't kill GNU either. they can't even touch GNU. yes, i am making a distinction here. the only way they can take a way our free operating system is by making it illegal. that's not going to work. the only way they can get rid of Linux as a competitor is by joining it. that's not going to kill it either. the only way to kill a competitor is by providing a better product than said competitor or by buying and burying them, or somehow making them bankrupt. none of these tactics work with Free Software. so i beg you please. tell me what i am not seeing. how will Microsoft do this? greetings, eMBee. |
| cr Sep 21, 2019 12:10 AM EDT |
At this point, Lennart Poettering is a more immediate EEE threat: "Systemd-homed: Systemd Now Working To Improve Home Directory Handling" (Slashdot via Alterslash) |
| nmset Sep 21, 2019 5:23 AM EDT |
>so i beg you please. tell me what i am not seeing. how will Microsoft do this? Microsoft does not have a survival problem, but a domination one. The root reasoning is : "We must be above anything and anyone else. Nothing can be done without our consent.". If you dig through the hardware of your computers, you'll definitely find a Microsoft key. Whether you disable secure boot or not is not important, they have enough power to force OEMs around the world to comply to their will, however useless it is. This is just to illustrate the preceding phrase. By being of influence in the Linux Foundation and in the Linux ecosystem in general, their next step will be a console line like "Booting by the grace of Microsoft". That will mean "Total control acquired". I'd rather see "systemd" as a boot message. Mechanisms and operational tactics are not worthy of discussion, because they are designed, adapted and refined on the way. There's no need to picture a friendly Epstein in your household affairs. |
| jdixon Sep 21, 2019 9:54 AM EDT |
> they can't kill Linux. noone can kill Linux. they can't kill GNU either. they can't even touch GNU. Linus has already taken one leave of absence from kernel development. Stallman is out at MIT and the FSF. Killing Linux, in a practical sense, is entirely possible. The existing code will always be available, but without the driving forces behind it, it will stagnate and not keep up with changes in computing hardware. |
| jdixon Sep 21, 2019 9:59 AM EDT |
Speaking of the above: https://jackbaruth.com/?p=16779 I've submitted it to the newswire, but it's possible it won't be accepted. |
| nmset Sep 21, 2019 10:46 AM EDT |
>Speaking of the above: https://jackbaruth.com/?p=16779 Very nice and thruthful article, newswire has published less valuable writings than this one. |
| Scott_Ruecker Sep 21, 2019 2:24 PM EDT |
I accepted your submission nmset. I am not about to get into a debate regarding how I feel about RMS's recent comments but I saw nothing in the article that was 'over the top' for me. But I will defer to Bob W on these things.. |
| mbaehrlxer Sep 21, 2019 6:37 PM EDT |
i reject the idea that the future of Linux and GNU entirely depend on Linus and RMS. if that were so then we would be doomed. because no-one lives forever. they would have to step down sooner or later. and the sooner we learn not to depend on a single person to bring us forward the better off we will be. if we allow Free Software to die with its founder then THAT would be what successfully could kill GNU and Linux. we must learn to make the community be the driving force. greetings, eMBee. |
| cybertao Sep 21, 2019 7:11 PM EDT |
There's a problem with the community though. Many have joined the community from a 'practical' approach rather than ethical. A lot of users are attracted to the price, performance, and stability of free-software but want it to be more like (and support) proprietary software they won't let go of. |
| jdixon Sep 21, 2019 11:52 PM EDT |
> i reject the idea that the future of Linux and GNU entirely depend on Linus and RMS It's doesn't, but at any given time there will be only be half a dozen or so primary drivers. If you can negate those half a dozen, you can cripple the community for several years. |
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