4 ms·
I was poking around the Rocky Linux website, and wondering where to download the latest source code for Rocky 9.2? Let's say IBM decides not to burn up the eco
by axus 3y ago
I was poking around the Rocky Linux website, and wondering where to download the latest source code for Rocky 9.2? Let's say IBM decides not to burn up the ecosystem, will Oracle / Alma start using the source that Rocky exfiltrates?
Related question, as a Red Hat subscriber can I still distribute Red Hat ISO and source code? It seems like I should be able to distribute ISO images and source after obtaining them.. but not repackage it? I don't plan to impose any restrictions on the people I distribute to.
- EvanAnderson 3y agoRed Hat can't stop you from exercising your rights under the GPL to redistribute the code. You also can't compel them to do business with you. They've structured their support agreements such that if you do exercise your rights under the GPL they will stop supporting you (and decline to offer you future subscriptions). The value proposition for RHEL is ostensibly support (and a "throat to choke", for whatever that's actually worth). Red Hat's gamble is that no "legitimate" Red Hat subscriber would risk their support entitlement (and the ability to contract with Red Hat for support in the future) by exercising their rights under the GPL. It's a clever hack. It runs counter to ideals of Free software (and I find it personally repugnant) but it's clever.
- Arnavion 3y agoTo be clear, it's not yet known for certain if the chilling effect of a terminated contract violates the "no further restrictions" clause of the GPL or not. Evidently IBM's lawyers think it doesn't. But it would be good to test it in court first.
- paulryanrogers 3y agoGRSecurity started down this road. IBM though has deeper pockets
- bonzini 3y agoIt's not grsecurity's idea, it started on the 90s when Spender was in kindergarten or so. It's always been the way free software companies made money.
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]
- toyg 3y agoMore importantly, IBM has the best of the best in terms of lawyers. The likelihood of them ever losing a case is basically nil. They sustained and won a proxy war with Microsoft, when Microsoft was the richest company on the planet.
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]
- zingplex 3y agoMuch like GPLv3 was written to counter tivoization, I’d love a GPLv4 to kill what RedHat is doing before they do irreparable the entire free software ecosystem.
- worthless-trash 3y agoIn this case, is the change you imagine GPLv4 would say "you cant prevent anyone, at any point from downloading the source code from a project you create" because that is super slippery slope? I'd also like to ask, what damage do you see this change in behavior doing to free software ecosystem ?
- happymellon 3y agoIt seems pretty mad. Apparently Redhat doing all of their work as GPL'ed OpenSource and upstreaming everything so that everyone benefits, and anyone can take the software and build their own, sell it, etc, isn't good enough. Is literally the only thing that would make people happy is to give away RHEL for free for people to run their production servers on?
- geerlingguy 3y agoPart of the open source social contract is downstreaming too. You can't just take, promise to give back, and then hoard what you've built.
- happymellon 3y agoThere is no hording though. What changes have they made to RHEL that isn't available?
- mackca 3y agodownstreaming ? How is the open source social contract anymore than making source code available?
- 3y ago