linux-kernel - Politware vs Free Software [WAS [PATCH] Remove Huawei]

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Message-ID: <70148bf0-389c-4942-a34f-7ceb5449aebb@gmx.de>
Date: Wed, 30 Oct 2024 14:17:49 +0100
From: metux <metux@....de>
To: Theodore Ts'o <tytso@....edu>, quake <quake.wang@...il.com>
Cc: linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, phoronix@...ronix.com, redaktion@...em.de
Subject: Politware vs Free Software [WAS [PATCH] Remove Huawei]

On 24.10.24 18:49, Theodore Ts'o wrote:

> These exemptions may not apply in different countries, and for

The *may* - so you aren't exactly sure ?

We're still waiting to the exact legislation that's prohibiting
Russians from taking part in international scientific discourse
or even just mentioning them in the CREDITS file (that part is
probably the worst).

And if so, how can Linux still call itself "free software" ?
Or shall we better call it politware ?

> different sanctioned entities.  I will note that China is not
> currently attacking Taiwan militarily at the moment, while Russian
> misiles and drones, some of which might be using embedded Linux
> controllers, *

*might* be using it.

Do you have any actual evidence ?

And if so, does banning those Russian maintainers has any practical
impact on the SW running on that drones ?

What's coming next ? Geoblocking on kernel.org ?

> are* actively attacking another country even as we speak.

Sure. Did we ban maintainers from US/NATO when they attacked
other countries ?

> Finally, please remember that kernel developers don't make the rules.

Unless we're seeing actual evidence of the corresponding legislation
and how exactly it forbids Russians being maintainers, we all have to
assume that the LF clique is making these rules.

OTOH, if we have that evidence, then at least every US citizen who
values free software and free speechs now knows whom to vote against
in a few days.

In chess that's called a fork:

a) the Linux leadership takes the guilt and is responsible for all of
this - and thus a danger for Linux community and FOSS as such

or

b) it's pointing fingers directly to the US govt., and so accepting that
we're dealing with a rogue govt. that's an existential thread to FOSS
as such and thus needs to be removed on election day.

choose your poison :P

> P.S.  This has always been the case, even before one country invaded
> another;

Linux didn't exist *before* that. The US is built on genocide and wars
of aggression.

Just one of many interesting examples: the attack on the spy ship
USS liberty - coordinated between US WH and Isreal - that was a set up
to blame Egypt and bring the US into war against Egypt - there even were
plans for using nuclear bombs (!!!). Other examples are several wars of
aggression against Iraq, Serbia, etc with using weapons of mass
destruction. (yes, by UN definition DU munition *is* a WoMD).

Let's be realistic: Russia isn't the only bad actor in the world.
And "the West" isn't the good guys.

Turning the once greatest FOSS project of known history into politware
doesn't help making peace and stop the dying. It just errects an iron
curtain and so making things even worse, for the whole world.

--mtx