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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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Is the FOSS world in danger of a corporate takeover, thanks to pushover licenses? (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 day ago by ZkhqrD5o@lemmy.world to c/linux@lemmy.ml

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I ask this because I think of the recent switch of Ubuntu to the Rust recode of the GNU core utils, which use an MIT license. There are many Rust recodes of GPL software that re-license it as a pushover MIT or Apache licenses. I worry these relicensing efforts this will significantly harm the FOSS ecosystem. Is this reason to start worrying or is it not that bad?

IMO, if the FOSS world makes something public, with extensive liberties, then the only thing that should be asked in return is that people preserve these liberties, like the GPL successfully enforces. These pushover licenses preserve nothing.

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[–] zaki_ft@lemmings.world 6 points 1 day ago (1 children)

You don't understand.

It's not a problem if corporations profit off of it. It's a problem when they extend a program without giving the public access to those changes.

[–] Oinks@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Sure it's a problem when that happens. It's not the only problem, and honestly in the case of coreutils it's not really the most relevant one.

Do you think it's likely that corporations will take over UNIX-likes with proprietary coreutils extensions forked from uutils? Because that's the one thing that is legal to do with an MIT/BSD licensed coreutils but not with GPL licensed ones.