this post was submitted on 05 Feb 2026
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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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I wrote an article about Luddism and Linux. (thelibre.news)
submitted 19 hours ago by Maerman@lemmy.world to c/linux@lemmy.ml
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I am now a published author.

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[–] ageedizzle@piefed.ca 9 points 18 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago) (1 children)

Look, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but you are treading into virtue signalling territory and your article has the superior tone of those who bought electric cars in the late 2010s

Except electric cars are hella expensive and linux is free. It is true that OP is making a moral judgement but I don’t think thats the same as ‘virtue signalling’. Open software is a morally charged topic. Some the main reasons why people like open software are moral reasons (the goods of collaboration without profit incentive, the harms of big tech, etc.). So bringing morality into the discussion seems appropriate.

Using Linux is not going to stop your doom-scrolling,

Linux itself might not prevent doomscrolling (though it can help a bit, since default Windows and MacOS settings are always trying to push news and other articles onto the user to plug their respective news aggregation services). But other FOSS software (like the ActivityPub protocol) can for sure make a very sizeable dent in the amount of doomscrolling in one’s life. I agree that OP could have done more to distinguish the Linux project from other FOSS projects, but I think the point still got across.

nor is using Linux by itself telling the big corpos anything at all.

Microsoft is a big corpo. If one of its biggest competitors were free and open source linux distributions with libreoffice suite installed would that not be telling it something? Same goes for Apple as well

Edit for typos

[–] non_burglar@lemmy.world 1 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago) (1 children)

Except electric cars are hell expensive and linux is free.

That was literally my point. Some people bought electric cars because the could, not because they wanted to effect any social change.

But other FOSS software (like the ActivityPub protocol) can for sure make a very sizeable dent in the amount of doomscrolling in one’s life.

Is activity pub only used on Linux desktop apps? Can't a Mac or windows user participate in mastodon? Fediverse use and Linux are separate issues.

This false equivalence between Linux itself and the path of our collective salvation from social media, corporate manipulation, etc, etc is a big problem for Linux, because Linux is just a tool.

btrfs is widely praised... and also a product of Facebook. Google has poured Fons of money into FOSS development. Should we shun these tools?

Especially now, with a sizable influx of users to Linux, articles like the one Op posted create a completely false us v them narrative that just isn't there.

You want to fight the evil social media? Drop them.

[–] ageedizzle@piefed.ca 8 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago) (1 children)

That was literally my point. Some people bought electric cars because the could, not because they wanted to effect any social change.

Okay. Then don't really see the relevance here. OPs point was clearly about trying to effect social change.

Is activity pub only used on Linux desktop apps? Can't a Mac or windows user participate in mastodon?

I wasn’t trying to suggest that they couldn’t.

Fediverse use and Linux are separate issues.

Literally speaking they are different projects, but they are also similar in that they are both open source projects, often both FOSS, so the underlying philosophy behind their development is the same

product of Facebook. Google has poured Fons of money into FOSS development. Should we shun these tools?

Shunning doomscrolling is not the same thing as categorically shunning everything that Google or Meta has ever output. I think its great they contribute to open source projects, I hope they do continue to do so

Op posted create a completely false us v them narrative that just isn't there.

Personally speaking I didn't find OPs post to be especially divisive, it I didn't make me feel compelled to go harm some Windows users or anything like that, but your mileage may vary

[–] non_burglar@lemmy.world 0 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

it I didn't make me feel compelled to go harm some Windows users or anything like that, but your mileage may vary

I'm happy to let the conversation take its course, but I take exception to this. You damn well know that's not what I meant.

[–] ageedizzle@piefed.ca 4 points 15 hours ago

I was being hyperbolic but the point is the article didn't point any real negativity towards the users of big tech, just the corporations or CEOs or whoever behind big tech