This is not a good trend [LWN.net]

This is not a good trend

Posted Mar 2, 2025 21:51 UTC (Sun) by Wol (subscriber, #4433)
In reply to: This is not a good trend by PastyAndroid
Parent article: Fedora discusses Flatpak priorities

> Finally, FOSS applications which have trademark issues (legal threats) can be dropped from distributions to avoid legal issues, ensuring that users only obtain the software from official and authorized sources.

Why? Are you advocating punishing upstream, because downstream is being a jerk? All you need to do is abide by the GPL, take responsbility for your own actions, and then there won't be a problem.

This all boils down to the fact that much of Fedora's downstream doesn't realise that this is a Fedora-modified project, and hence upstream gets blamed for Fedora's blunders. To punish upstream, because Fedora screwed up, is completely unacceptable.

At the end of the day, if YOU screw up, OWN IT. Just try it - you'll be amazed. It'll do your reputation (amongst decent people) no harm whatsoever. And if it WILL harm you, to be blunt, that's society I'd rather avoid, thank you very much ... (and if it's work, I'd be looking to jump ship!).

Cheers,
Wol

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This is not a good trend

Posted Mar 3, 2025 13:26 UTC (Mon) by PastyAndroid (guest, #168019) [Link] (1 responses)

Not at all. Ultimately, if you risk being sued for redistributing a piece of software (modified or not), it is unwise to redistribute it - why take the legal risk?

Also, this does not 'punish' upstream in the slightest. It simply gives them control over their project, if they wish to be the sole distributor then they can be by eliminating the middle man and thus protecting their reputation and project, in this way people are not redistributing it in a form they are unhappy with.

Personally, I'm against the concept of FOSS being treated this way, but I can see it is something some FOSS devs need.

This is not a good trend

Posted Mar 3, 2025 17:43 UTC (Mon) by Wol (subscriber, #4433) [Link]

> if they wish to be the sole distributor then

But they don't.

People keep on attributing other things to upstream, but all upstream wants is *not* to be blamed for downstream's mistake!

That is it!

Cheers,
Wol