FSFLA: Linux kernel is "open core"

FSFLA: Linux kernel is "open core"

Posted Nov 9, 2010 19:21 UTC (Tue) by sfeam (subscriber, #2841)
In reply to: FSFLA: Linux kernel is "open core" by jebba
Parent article: FSFLA: Linux kernel is "open core"

So this stuff in the linux-2.6.xx.tar is just fine with you? Anyone suggesting they be removed is just playing politics?
Yes, on both counts.

If someone is self-motivated to do the work to split them out into a separate directory tree, whether in the cause of ideological purity or for other reasons, that's also just fine with me. If they then take the next step of removing them altogether in order to fork and distribute a less functional kernel - well, I think that's very foolish but ultimately harmless. That small number of people who feel that their karma is increased by following this route to ideological purity will cheer, while the rest of us will continue to use a distribution that actually runs on the machines we use.
What's not "just fine" with me is to actively hinder the continued improvement and popularity of linux by imposing unnecessary hurdles to adoption. The FSF is IMHO guilty of this many times over; the FSFLA rather less so. Leading by example is a good thing. So while I am dubious that a large community will gather behind the banner of linux-libre, I wish them well. By contrast the FSF seems to have lost it's way entirely. They are admonishing rather than creating, and proselytizing rather than leading.

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