3 ms·
idk, i just read this article from top to bottom https://www.linuxjournal.com/content/what-linux-journals-resurrection-taught-me-about-foss-community https://ww
by johnmarcus 7y ago
idk, i just read this article from top to bottom https://www.linuxjournal.com/content/what-linux-journals-resurrection-taught-me-about-foss-community https://www.linuxjournal.com/content/what-linux-journals-res... and quite frankly from the attitude expressed in that article, I'm not too surprised at the outcome. There is a very elitist and condescending tone - which is vaguely masked by "learnings", but if you continue reading, is still clearly there at his heart. New people coming to "Foss" are still "frat party like keggers" apparently that spit on nerds and need to learn how to dork out harder, while there are supposedly still "nerds" that lack the proper skills to socialize with others. That was his final takeaway.
I think the opposite is true - millennials (if I may) appear to be one of the most compassionate demographic groups in society. If you worked for any modern startup, you would see they care deeply about minorities of every angle in society - LGBT, Women's equal Pay, Black Lives Matter, etc...these are all initiative of the "newcomers" whom haven't been around since 1996.
In contrast, he writes "These days, you're just as likely to see popular kids, jocks and MBAs using technology and writing software. There's even a "brogrammer" designation given to software developers who culturally are more akin to fraternity members. "
Are there brogrammers? For certain, they exist - but they are actually a tiny minority, if you pay attention. It's a stereotypical cliche that is humorous, but by far are not representative of most software developers in 2019.
I think the hostile attitude that somehow we're "not cool enough purists" because we still need to work for closed source companies in order to pay the rent and feed our families. It's that sort of attitude that sinks Linux ships. The linux that has thrived is the linux that realizes it needs to co-exist for a very long tail journey until business models - the way capitalist systems work at their very core - are able to transform.
I wish we could all work for altruistic companies like Purism, but the truth of the matter is the past 25 years of Linux Journal's existence was paid for by subscribers, that get this, worked for non-FOSS companies. That's the reality.
I'm not trying to take away from Kyle's contribution from the Linux Community, or say that Linux Journal shutting down is a good thing in any way. I just think it needs to be said that Linux Journal failed because Linux Journal failed - it didn't appeal to enough people in enough ways. Didn't attract modern developers to be interested in it's articles. And heck, didn't appeal to people outside of programming - which, btw, is actually the key to successfully moving Linux in the upward direction. You can't expect all of society to "top level nerds". Some people need to dance. Some people need to paint. Some people need to pick up the heaps of commercial trash at 5am. All of these people have computers, and any failure to appeal to them is the authors faults, not their own. Linux thrives when it recognizes this - Ubuntu, Mint, Manjaro, PopOS!...these are the platforms becoming the most popular desktops - and for the first time making Linux desktops feasible for the dancers of the world - because they put down their elitist 'hollier than though because I was there at the start' and 'you must obey the 10 Commandments of FOSS in all parts of your life' attitudes.
Sorry to be such a *ick here, I don't intend to rub salt in the wound. I hope it's received more as constructive feedback than a low blow. Just calling it as I read it.