3 ms·

IBMer here, opinions are my own. You are totally free to not like IBM and I won't try to change your mind, but please read up on IBMs involvement in linux, ope

by Lutzb 3y ago

IBMer here, opinions are my own. You are totally free to not like IBM and I won't try to change your mind, but please read up on IBMs involvement in linux, open source, open source stewardship, apache, linux foundation SCO vs IBM, IBMs no attack pledge against Linux (2004), Linux S390, 1000s of developers getting paid to contribute to open source, istio to just name a few. The reality is not as black and white as you make it out to be.

hdjjhhvvhga 3y ago
Thank you for taking the time to respond. For me there was one decisive moment that changed my perspective on IBM: when they joined the recent crusade against Stallman. You see, when Red Had started, they very much needed our (let's call it 'Linux community') help. At the beginning people made fun of RH, there were jokes running it's for the people who can't really use Linux, their initial security history was quite bad etc. It was unthinkable that at the time of Bob Young etc. they could attack RMS (and he wasn't much different then, maybe worse even in social terms), not to mention the fact that they were making money selling the software that he inspired to create or just created. Now that the power balance shifted, they felt more courageous and decided to follow the hating crowd. When you think about it a bit, it's really sad.
- Lutzb 3y ago
  Just to make sure, you are talking about RH resignation from the FSF? https://www.redhat.com/en/blog/red-hat-statement-about-richard-stallmans-return-free-software-foundation-board https://www.redhat.com/en/blog/red-hat-statement-about-richa...
  - hdjjhhvvhga 3y ago
    Yes, more or less: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26596378 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26596378 After Selam Gano's hate piece there was a crusade against RMS, with many media outlets repeating untrue information ("Stallman defends Epstein" etc.). And then Red Hat/IBM decided to chime in. In spite of the fact they had been profiting from his work and will continue to do so. Historically, RMS and RH had good relations, though: https://www.linuxtoday.com/infrastructure/richard-stallman-in-defense-of-red-hat/ https://www.linuxtoday.com/infrastructure/richard-stallman-i...
    - Lutzb 3y ago
      RMS is a complex character. However, I tend to side with Bradley M. Kuhn's view. http://ebb.org/bkuhn/blog/2019/10/15/fsf-rms.html http://ebb.org/bkuhn/blog/2019/10/15/fsf-rms.html

by Lutzb 3y ago

hdjjhhvvhga 3y ago

Thank you for taking the time to respond. For me there was one decisive moment that changed my perspective on IBM: when they joined the recent crusade against Stallman. You see, when Red Had started, they very much needed our (let's call it 'Linux community') help. At the beginning people made fun of RH, there were jokes running it's for the people who can't really use Linux, their initial security history was quite bad etc. It was unthinkable that at the time of Bob Young etc. they could attack RMS (and he wasn't much different then, maybe worse even in social terms), not to mention the fact that they were making money selling the software that he inspired to create or just created. Now that the power balance shifted, they felt more courageous and decided to follow the hating crowd. When you think about it a bit, it's really sad.

Lutzb 3y ago
Just to make sure, you are talking about RH resignation from the FSF? https://www.redhat.com/en/blog/red-hat-statement-about-richard-stallmans-return-free-software-foundation-board https://www.redhat.com/en/blog/red-hat-statement-about-richa...
- hdjjhhvvhga 3y ago
  Yes, more or less: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26596378 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26596378 After Selam Gano's hate piece there was a crusade against RMS, with many media outlets repeating untrue information ("Stallman defends Epstein" etc.). And then Red Hat/IBM decided to chime in. In spite of the fact they had been profiting from his work and will continue to do so. Historically, RMS and RH had good relations, though: https://www.linuxtoday.com/infrastructure/richard-stallman-in-defense-of-red-hat/ https://www.linuxtoday.com/infrastructure/richard-stallman-i...
  - Lutzb 3y ago
    RMS is a complex character. However, I tend to side with Bradley M. Kuhn's view. http://ebb.org/bkuhn/blog/2019/10/15/fsf-rms.html http://ebb.org/bkuhn/blog/2019/10/15/fsf-rms.html