this post was submitted on 15 Mar 2025
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Linux

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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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[–] feanpoli@lemmy.ml 120 points 3 days ago (6 children)

While shifting to Rust might be a good idea for improving safety and performance, adopting the MIT license represents a fundamental change that will enable large tech companies to develop and distribute proprietary software based on the new MIT-licensed Core Utilities. This shift moves away from the original vision of the project which was to ensure that the software remains free and open as enshrined in the GPL's copyleft principles. The permissive nature of the MIT license also will increase fragmentation, as it allows proprietary forks that diverge from the main project. This could weaken the community-driven development model and potentially lead to incompatible versions of the software.

[–] LeFantome@programming.dev 1 points 1 day ago

That explains all the fragmentation with Xorg, Mesa, libxml, and Haiku OS.

[–] WarmApplePieShrek@lemmy.dbzer0.com 24 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Open source has been captured and corporatized.

But Ubuntu has always been extremely corporate.

[–] kittenzrulz123@lemmy.blahaj.zone 7 points 2 days ago (1 children)

That doesn't mean we should make it easier for them, if anything that means we need a V4 of the GPL that addresses and combats that

[–] WarmApplePieShrek@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] kittenzrulz123@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

No I mean less permissive, a license that can ensure major corporations cant just take someone's work and overshadow them

It's called AGPL

[–] pmk@lemmy.sdf.org 9 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Do large tech companies contribute a lot to the GPL coreutils?

[–] feanpoli@lemmy.ml 26 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (4 children)

Yes, they do. The GPL's copyleft clause requires companies to release the source code of any modifications they distribute, ensuring contributions back to the community. The MIT license, however, allows proprietary forks without this obligation. In other terms, the MIT license is effectively permitting companies to "jump out" of the open-source ecosystem they make use of.

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[–] InvertedParallax@lemm.ee 3 points 2 days ago

This is stupid,, businesses just use busybox and move on.

Nobody is freaking out that their smart toaster doesn't have the full version of troff.

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[–] azvasKvklenko@sh.itjust.works 23 points 3 days ago (5 children)

What you’re referring to as Linux is actually Uutils/Linux…

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[–] mactan@lemmy.ml 79 points 3 days ago (1 children)

genuinely my only problem with it is the license. I really hate how much stuff is mit or apache now. I've seen some really nice projects get taken over and privatized in the last few years and nobody has learned

[–] bunitor@lemmy.eco.br 31 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

sadly, i think that's exactly the reason why so many gnu coreutils/libc/compiler competitors keep croping up: people want to get rid of the gpl as much as possible. if they could replace the linux kernel with a non gpl variant they would

not that the people creating the projects necessarily have this intention, but the projects are certainly being picked up and sponsored mainly for that reason

Imo thats also why its devolped as well, people genuenly like permissive licenses because apparently coporate leeches arent an issue to them.

[–] krolden@lemmy.ml 17 points 3 days ago

Fuck Ubuntu fuck MIT fuck everything

[–] Mwa@lemm.ee 33 points 3 days ago

Can't wait for proprietary apps to not work on distros that still use gnu core utilities.

[–] that_leaflet@lemmy.world 96 points 4 days ago (3 children)

Clickbait. The VP Engineering for Ubuntu made a post that he was looking into using the Rust utils for Ubuntu and has been daily driving them and encouraged others to try

It’s by no means certain this will be done.

[–] 0_o7@lemmy.dbzer0.com 17 points 3 days ago

Clickbait

With mental outlaw, it's usually that or ragebait, to rile up his audience.

[–] lengau@midwest.social 20 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Yeah this particular guy also loves doing insane things to his machine. He's absolutely mental in a wonderful way.

My personal take on anything Jon does based on my experience with his delightful antics is that the only thing we can say for sure is if it doesn't work for him it's just not going to happen. His blog is pretty great to follow.

[–] that_leaflet@lemmy.world 16 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

Huh, he mains NixOS. Always a bit funny to see someone daily driving a distro different than what they professionally work on.

I thought I recognized that blog, I remember reading his blog TPM+FDE for NixOS back when I was trying NixOS.

[–] cypherpunks@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

The "VP Engineering for Ubuntu" being a NixOS user is hilarious and reminds me of the CEO of Ford saying he's been driving a Xiaomi EV "for six months now and I don’t want to give it up".

[–] cypherpunks@lemmy.ml 12 points 3 days ago (7 children)

Clickbait. The VP Engineering for Ubuntu made a post that he was looking into using the Rust utils for Ubuntu and has been daily driving them and encouraged others to try

It’s by no means certain this will be done.

Here is that post. It isn't certain to happen, but he doesn't only say that he is daily driving them. He says his goal is to make them the default in 25.10:

My immediate goal is to make uutils’ coreutils implementation the default in Ubuntu 25.10, and subsequently in our next Long Term Support (LTS) release, Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, if the conditions are right.

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[–] adrianhooves@lemmy.today 4 points 3 days ago (3 children)

this means ubuntu is no longer a linux distro?? because if linux hardcore people think that linux is kernel+gnu then that means both android and ubuntu are not distros!! i believe the opposite, linux kernel? linux distro of course!! and ubuntu is the android of linux distros even if android is a linux distro itself

[–] JustVik@lemmy.ml 12 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Ubuntu is no longer GNU/Linux distro. Linux is just a kernel.:)

[–] lengau@midwest.social 3 points 2 days ago

It using glibc still distinguishes it as more of a GNU system than, say, Alpine.

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[–] olosta@lemmy.world 14 points 4 days ago (1 children)

One of the main developers presented this project at FOSDEM.

https://fosdem.org/2025/schedule/event/fosdem-2025-6196-rewriting-the-future-of-the-linux-essential-packages-in-rust-/

(He is a Mozilla employee but made a point to tell it was not affiliated with Mozilla and was working on it on his spare time)

Then it's not too late to tell him it must be GPL.

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