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Google Doubles Down on Linux and Open Source (zdnet.com)

Posted by msmash on from the how-about-that dept.

Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols, writing for ZDNet: Google couldn't exist without Linux and open-source software. While you may not think of Google as a Linux company in the same way as you do Canonical, Red Hat, or SUSE, it wouldn't be the search and advertising giant it is today without Linux. So, it makes sense that Google is moving up from its Silver membership in The Linux Foundation, to the Platinum level. With this jump in status, Google gets a seat on the Foundation's board of directors. This position will be filled by Sarah Novotny, the head of open source strategy for Google Cloud Platform. Earlier this week, Chinese tech giant Tencent joined the Linux Foundation as a platinum member.

84 of 162 comments (clear)

  1. Microsoft by darkain · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Why do I get the feeling this is less about Google doubling-down on Open Source / Linux, and has more to do with the fact they don't want to be out-done by Microsoft, who is already a Platinum level member. This is just more of a corporate pissing contest.

    1. Re:Microsoft by jellomizer · · Score: 5, Insightful

      That and if you have millions/billions of dollars invested in a Linux Infrastructure. Do you really want your competitors make decisions on what direction the product takes?

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    2. Re:Microsoft by Cassini2 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      If you are Google it pays to purchase some cheap insurance against Microsoft doing something that could screw you.

      Once you get to Google, Microsoft, Apple size, then you need people on all the key committees. These people purchase connections and goodwill. When an important decision comes up, you have the connections and goodwill to ensure it goes your way.

    3. Re:Microsoft by geekmux · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Why do I get the feeling this is less about Google doubling-down on Open Source / Linux, and has more to do with the fact they don't want to be out-done by Microsoft, who is already a Platinum level member. This is just more of a corporate pissing contest.

      Google couldn't exist without Linux and open-source software...

      Uh, given this fact, Google should have recognized the relationship and upped their membership (and contributions) long ago. Cheap bastards.

    4. Re:Microsoft by Tough+Love · · Score: 2, Insightful

      At the same time, it is pathetic that Google was not at the highest level of membership already. See, there is a significant faction at Google that hates Linux and everything GPL. This faction has largely had the upper hand so far because of apathy in the executive suite. The usual theory "we are so rich so everything we do must be right". Including treating Linux as a second class citizen in favour of their BSD stable. Now they are forced by Microsoft to take a position. Ironic indeed.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    5. Re:Microsoft by alvinrod · · Score: 1

      It's open source. If they really don't like it, they can always fork it. I will admit it's a brilliant idea on the part of the Linux Foundation to get more Platinum members and more money.

    6. Re:Microsoft by slashmaddy · · Score: 1

      Without discounting contributions of Google to linux, I am concerned about presence of these mega-corporations in such influential positions within Linux Foundation and open source world in general. Somehow, it feels more likely that linux will be driven in a direction more favorable to corporations than the community in general. Android and Chromium browser are perfect examples... even though they are open source, they are heavily focused on serving Googles best interest as opposed to core principles of open source movement.

      systemd is another good example of that... something that made distro makers life easy was chosen readily and almost universally, regardless of poor design choices.

    7. Re:Microsoft by jrumney · · Score: 1

      True, but in this case, Google is responsible for a large proportion of the software installed on devices using the Linux kernel. But it seems they don't acknowledge that, and are putting their cloud team in charge of the Linux relationship rather than their Android team.

    8. Re: Microsoft by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      Probs how system d got accepted. Cruel trick by m$.

      Almost right. It was a cruel trick by Red Hat, the "Microsoft" of open source.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    9. Re:Microsoft by Zontar+The+Mindless · · Score: 1

      Only APK thinks that $random_link = $proof.

      Please provide actual evidence, or go home.

      --
      Il n'y a pas de Planet B.
    10. Re:Microsoft by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      You have been informed. Now find your own proof or refutation.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    11. Re: Microsoft by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      Hi Chris.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    12. Re:Microsoft by Zontar+The+Mindless · · Score: 1

      I have not been informed of anything, because you have provided no relevant information.

      It is not my responsibility to find proof for your claim; it's yours. Provide said proof or STFU.

      --
      Il n'y a pas de Planet B.
    13. Re:Microsoft by exomondo · · Score: 1

      If you are Google it pays to purchase some cheap insurance against Microsoft doing something that could screw you.

      What could they do? Actually more to the point why would they do it? Microsoft and Google both use Linux to run critical parts of their cloud infrastructure which is one of the biggest and most profitable parts of their respective businesses. Anybody thinking Microsoft has any interest in destroying Linux needs to get with the times and stop living in the early Ballmer-era of Microsoft.

      These days there is very little overlap between Windows and Linux, they simply aren't competitors in the vast majority of spaces that they are used.

    14. Re:Microsoft by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      You refute it or STFU. For the rest of you with eyes to read, you have been informed. Now research this guy and learn the ugly truth.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    15. Re:Microsoft by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      Linux foundation pays Linus's salary and they pay for the parties. Otherwise, they are a just a bunch of circle jerking wankers as you would expect.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    16. Re:Microsoft by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      Red Hat only has a Silver membership

      That just means, the issue has not appeared on a powerpoint in Raleigh yet. It does not take a rocket scientist to realize that that will soon change.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    17. Re:Microsoft by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      Yer yer [sic] just fork the kernel, so simplez. No implications. So cheap because open source.

      The Linux kernel has been forked many times and is forked now. Many embedded device vendors fork the Linux kernel to name just one significant sector. That is perfectly OK, so long as they provide their patches and build instructions when asked, or even better, without needing to be asked.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    18. Re:Microsoft by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      Microsoft and Google both use Linux to run critical parts of their cloud infrastructure which is one of the biggest and most profitable parts of their respective businesses.

      For Microsoft, they also have a huge fraction of their Azure customers wanting to run Linux vms, not Windows.

      Anybody thinking Microsoft has any interest in destroying Linux needs to get with the times

      Don't kid yourself, Microsoft would still love to destroy Linux and rule the world. But they already tried their hardest and failed hard. Now they are trying the next best thing. If they ever perceive an opportune moment to strike again, they will.

      These days there is very little overlap between Windows and Linux, they simply aren't competitors in the vast majority of spaces that they are used.

      That is completely wrong as any idiot can see. Microsoft would love to own the webserver, data center, HPC and embedded spaces that Linux rules, don't kid yourself. They still attempt, feebly, to do so, though at least they seem to have finally gone uncle on HPC. They have not yet given up on web servers, though the world would be a much better and safer place if they did. And as everybody knows, Microsoft still viciously fights to keep its hold on the desktop, though even that is starting to crack. Linux guys have certainly not given up competing in that space, the Plasma desktop I am posting this from says otherwise, in large beautiful, antialiased, free and open fonts.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    19. Re:Microsoft by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      Google should have recognized the relationship and upped their membership (and contributions) long ago. Cheap bastards.

      You didn't know that about Google until now? Welcome to the land of the enlightened.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    20. Re:Microsoft by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      I am concerned about presence of these mega-corporations in such influential positions within Linux Foundation and open source world in general.

      Linux Foundation is not influential in the Linux world, they just provide the party fund. Otherwise they are widely regarded as a bunch of ineffectual, self important PHBs. If Jim Zemlin ever worked up the spit to try to tell Linus what to do, Linus would instead tell him what to do in very clear terms and Zemlin would just have to say, thanks Linus, I needed that.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    21. Re:Microsoft by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      Google is responsible for a large proportion of the software installed on devices using the Linux kernel. But it seems they don't acknowledge that...

      You only just now realized that Google guys are intellectually dishonest?

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    22. Re:Microsoft by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      They'll use tar and gzip.

    23. Re: Microsoft by loufoque · · Score: 1

      Patching the kernel is not the same thing as forking.

    24. Re: Microsoft by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      Yes it is.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    25. Re: Microsoft by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      Just out of interest, how do you think the kernel gets changed? How do you think the kernel gets changed into a fork? How are these not the same? Are you really as clueless as you seem?

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    26. Re: Microsoft by loufoque · · Score: 2

      No, it really isn't.

      Forking means you have no plans to ever rebase your changes, because you aim to become the new upstream.

    27. Re:Microsoft by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      Even ubuntu's kernels are not 100% upstream, they have their own kernel engineers.

      And Red Hat kernels are massively forked from mainline. It's actually really ugly, but that is Red Hat's business model in a nutshell: 1) fork old mainline kernel by backporting a massive number of patches from more up to date kernels 2) do this as quickly as possible with as little testing as possible 3) ship it 4) charge customers big money for chasing the many resulting bugs.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    28. Re:Microsoft by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      And to avoid getting caught at this and continue to lure new unsuspecting victims, make the RHEL Buzilla subscriber-only so nobody outside gets to see just how buggy the RHEL kernels really are.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    29. Re: Microsoft by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      So "plans" are the difference between forking and patching, according to you? Good luck with that.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    30. Re: Microsoft by loufoque · · Score: 2

      Intention is also what makes the difference between a lifetime in jail or not.
      It's crazy how the world works, isn't it?

    31. Re: Microsoft by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      Let me get this straight, you are seriously making an equivalence between forking and a lifetime in jail? Please.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    32. Re: Microsoft by loufoque · · Score: 1

      I am making a parallel between the difference between murder and manslaughter and the difference between a fork and a patch.

      Both are a matter of intention, which you said was irrelevant.

    33. Re: Microsoft by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      Forks and patches have nothing to do with murder.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    34. Re: Microsoft by loufoque · · Score: 1

      I never claimed they did. Why are you making irrelevant statements?

    35. Re: Microsoft by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      I'm having a bit of fun with you because your argument is so idiotic. Every time you make a change of any kind to a code base, you fork it. Whether you keep it forked or not is up to you. If you had ever used git you would know this, so I assume that you have not.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    36. Re:Microsoft by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      you don't know for sure whether there is anti-GPL 'faction' in Google

      There is and I do.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    37. Re:Microsoft by Zontar+The+Mindless · · Score: 2

      "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence."

      The burden of proof lies on the one making the claim.

      And you can fuck right off. We're done here.

      --
      Il n'y a pas de Planet B.
    38. Re: Microsoft by loufoque · · Score: 1

      I have branched the Linux kernel (but never managed to get my patches merged), I know how to use git.

      This is not what forking a project means. The only one making idiotic statements is you.

    39. Re:Microsoft by jellomizer · · Score: 1

      Forking isn't always a viable solution. Lets say you fork a solution, because you need a particular feature. The application isn't static, time changes and the main line app gets a lot of good features also, which you will need to incorporate in yours. It is easier to push for that particular feature then having a separate code base to be maintained.

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    40. Re: Microsoft by lsatenstein · · Score: 1

      Linux development is free. Some people have to earn a living and the living that they earn is writing Linux internals code. It also takes a large number of eyes to review new Linux code. It takes a large number of eyes to see how the coat integrates into the kernel. And it takes a lot of money to host all those competing distributions. I'm extremely grateful for the Platinum members and their financial contributions.

      --
      Leslie Satenstein Montreal Quebec Canada
    41. Re:Microsoft by geekmux · · Score: 1

      Or maybe this "fact" had nothing to do with any of their decision making process.

      Back before Google was little more than a tiny search engine and didn't have billions in the bank to blow, I highly doubt their decision to go with Linux and open-source software had nothing to do with cost.

      And in business, every fucking decision making process has to do with cost.

    42. Re: Microsoft by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      I have branched the Linux kernel (but never managed to get my patches merged)

      Well, now that you have put in the effort to create a fork of Linux, you can enjoy it yourself if it does something useful enough to live. If you want to call it a branch, go right ahead, but everybody except you understands that fork and branch are synonyms with respect to a code base.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    43. Re:Microsoft by marcel_in_ca · · Score: 1

      cpio and bz2?

    44. Re:Microsoft by geekmux · · Score: 1

      Or maybe this "fact" had nothing to do with any of their decision making process.

      Back before Google was little more than a tiny search engine and didn't have billions in the bank to blow, I highly doubt their decision to go with Linux and open-source software had nothing to do with cost.

      And in business, every fucking decision making process has to do with cost.

      Google has RAPED linux and continue to do so (Android).. to claim they support open source is a sad and bad joke... they are EVIL as are Microsoft, Amazon, Apple and Facebook.

      No doubt mega-corps ultimately end up doing "evil shit" in the eyes of someone out there, but when you can find a mega-corp that's completely innocent of this, then I'll believe it's somehow not a basic given trait of US Capitalism. There's zero sense in calling some companies out on this when every damn one of them is guilty.

      Tux is on the floor bleeding from his little penguin butthole ... and has been ever since Android was created.

      So don't come here and defend Google and their "dedication to open source"... that is just pure bullshit!

      Uh, I was the one calling them cheap bastards. I don't know how the hell that translates to defending them. That being said, can you tell me exactly what the fuck the point of OPEN source software is other than for the masses to USE it? And when I say USE, I mean abuse the shit out of it in any way you want, because that's what being OPEN is all about. One of the consequences of giving something away for FREE is someone coming along and taking advantage of that exact generosity. If people don't like that, then stop giving shit away for free.

    45. Re:Microsoft by exomondo · · Score: 1

      That is completely wrong as any idiot can see. Microsoft would love to own the webserver, data center, HPC and embedded spaces that Linux rules, don't kid yourself.

      What company wouldn't love that? Fact is they don't and they really can't, they gave up on trying to compete in markets that they clearly can't compete with Linux in and instead are leveraging Linux as a tool to run their business just like everybody else. Destroying Linux makes no sense and in fact even when Ballmer famously said 'Linux is a cancer' quite clearly he wasn't even referring to Linux at all but the viral nature of the GPL, not to mention at the time quite a lot (though less than what they have now) of Microsoft's own infrastructure was running on Linux.

      And as everybody knows, Microsoft still viciously fights to keep its hold on the desktop, though even that is starting to crack. Linux guys have certainly not given up competing in that space, the Plasma desktop I am posting this from says otherwise, in large beautiful, antialiased, free and open fonts.

      Right but Linux is hardly a competitor to Windows on the desktop for the same reasons we've seen countless decent mobile operating systems fail to disrupt the incumbents. If Linux (or anybody for that matter) offers something truly innovative in the desktop space like what the iPhone did for the smartphone space then disruption will occur but the lack of that kind of innovation is why this still hasn't happened in the desktop. There will always be a minority that will find just about anything appealing in some way as is the case with Linux on the desktop...personally I use macOS primarily, Linux for all my highend GPU stuff, Windows for gaming and my fileserver still runs BSD.

  2. I'll believe it when... by sremick · · Score: 4, Interesting

    ...we finally get a Linux client for Google Drive.

    1. Re:I'll believe it when... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      It exists! Sort of. With Ubuntu: Settings > Accounts

    2. Re:I'll believe it when... by jon3k · · Score: 4, Insightful

      It's such a massive, glaring omission it's kind of mind boggling. They have a Google Music Manager client for linux for christ's sake. I realize linux users are a rounding error and writing client software costs a lot of money, but we're talking key users. That's a lot of developers you'd ideally want in your ecosystem. But I'm sure Google knows more about this than I do and they've made the decision to omit linux for a reason.

    3. Re:I'll believe it when... by DamnOregonian · · Score: 1

      Not trolling-

      Are the existing Fuse/KDE/Gnome VFS plugins not what you'd like to see?

    4. Re:I'll believe it when... by F.Ultra · · Score: 1

      Not free but there exists a 3:d party client that I use myself: https://www.thefanclub.co.za/o...

    5. Re:I'll believe it when... by grinchier · · Score: 1

      ...we finally get a Linux client for Google Drive.

      Why? Dolphin and other clients can interact with it, wrapping all your file needs into 1 app without the need for more apps to be open. I can access Google drive, dropbox, mega and other SSH locations all from one app.

    6. Re:I'll believe it when... by dkgasaway · · Score: 1

      Why?

      Because people what a tool that will work no matter how they are accessing the files: Dolphin, Konsole, ssh session, whatever. And they want to access them offline. And they want to include the files in system backups.

    7. Re:I'll believe it when... by Bearhouse · · Score: 1

      Disagree; Linux and *cough* BSD "key users" know better than to use Google drive; we have our own servers, thanks...
      We don't use Gmail either...

    8. Re:I'll believe it when... by jon3k · · Score: 1

      You grossly overestimate developers *cough*javascript*cough*

  3. With Chromium/ChromeOS Google's a major player by mykepredko · · Score: 2

    I'm trying to find a consistent number for ChromeOS in terms of new PC sales - trying to research the number, it ranges from 80% to 300% of Linux installs according to different sources. Obviously, ChromeOS is not used in servers but I suspect that it is the largest distribution of the Linux kernel in new PC (primarily laptop) sales.

    Chromium and ChromeOS are "based on Linux" and use a pretty big piece of the code base - this along with the footprint they have would make them a major player in the Linux world and it would be appropriate for Google to have a seat at the Linux table.

    --
    Mimetics Inc. Twitter
    1. Re:With Chromium/ChromeOS Google's a major player by DamnOregonian · · Score: 1

      Well, it *is* Linux, in that it uses the Linux kernel.
      Its userspace is also very similar to a busybox userspace (actually uses toolbox, which is their own version of busybox) which is pretty similar to GNU...
      I have no problem calling ChromeOS Linux. I'm also completely sure that you're correct that only a tiny fraction of new non-server PC sales come with a flavor of Linux that isn't ChromeOS.

    2. Re:With Chromium/ChromeOS Google's a major player by dwpro · · Score: 2

      Thre's value in having mindshare, but I think the open source community should be careful about how much it embraces/affiliates itself with a walled garden approach to an OS, even if it significantly incorporates the linux kernel. Hell, windows 10 runs a 'linux subsystem' now. Most users on android phones have no root access to their systems and have a myriad of corporate entities tracking and controling their every move with applications they can't uninstall, which seems very much unlike what I perceive most Linux users to value.

      --
      Millions long for immortality who do not know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon. -- Susan Ertz
    3. Re:With Chromium/ChromeOS Google's a major player by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      I'm trying to find a consistent number for ChromeOS in terms of new PC sales...

      One data point: ChromeOS is now over 60% of US K12 sales. Microsoft is a distant second and Apple has been squeezed to oblivion.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    4. Re:With Chromium/ChromeOS Google's a major player by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      Doesn't that make Samsung the number one Linux distributor? After all, Samsung does not distribute vanilla Android, they distribute their own forked version, much as any Linux distributor does.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    5. Re:With Chromium/ChromeOS Google's a major player by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      I'm also completely sure that you're correct that only a tiny fraction of new non-server PC sales come with a flavor of Linux that isn't ChromeOS.

      A tiny fraction, but still large in absolute numbers, and rapidly growing. For example, check this out.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    6. Re:With Chromium/ChromeOS Google's a major player by DamnOregonian · · Score: 1

      I don't disagree with your assertion that there's value in having mindshare... and I share your dislike of locked down systems.
      I wouldn't say open source is embracing locked down systems, but the success of those systems is also an advertisement for open source.
      I think Linux benefits from the WSL. It increases mindshare, and increases use of the GNU/Linux ecosystem, particularly for developers who are using Windows. It could be their preparatory course for making the switch.
      ChromeOS is an actively supported platform. They make improvements to the kernel (as well as things that are useless to mainline- but who cares about that) and they offer the knowledge and fixes gleaned from experience bye having a large installed attack surface.

      So really, I don't know. I get what you're saying. But we have benefited from the exposure.
      At least in the case of ChromeOS, they have a good reason for locking down the system (It's essentially supposed to be a cloud thin-client with absolute security) *and* every single model provides a developer mode with unfettered access to the OS.
      Android... That's a bit sadder of a situation, and I do agree it sucks.

    7. Re:With Chromium/ChromeOS Google's a major player by DamnOregonian · · Score: 1

      and rapidly growing

      It sure is, and I have monetarily supported their experiment, and will continue to do so.
      I wasn't aware the Aspire line now had officially supported linux models- that's awesome. What I'd really like to see though are some ultra-light Linux celeron laptops with silly battery life. I'm currently using a ChomeBook that's been converted to running Kubuntu natively, and I've absolutely fallen in love with it. All it needs is a real keyboard. This Bay Trail Celeron may be pretty gutless, but it gets the job done for my work and home use, and whether I'm watching movies on it, browsing, or working- it goes forever. I haven't pulled out the beefy i7 laptop in almost 2 months.

  4. dumping the linux kernel on Android by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    And scaling back ChromeOS product developement.

    Yea, I don't understand how that's increasing the support for Linux.

    I'd describe it as lining the pockets of The Linux Foundation and installing an insider that can steer Linux towards what Google wants, which apparently includes the destruction of Linux. (see above)

    in short - Google and The Linux Foundation are full of shit.

  5. Well... Open source software anyway. by fahrbot-bot · · Score: 1

    Google couldn't exist without Linux and open-source software.

    I'm sure they could do just fine using BSD.

    --
    It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
    1. Re:Well... Open source software anyway. by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      Google couldn't exist without Linux and open-source software.

      I'm sure they could do just fine using BSD.

      Haha, you really know how to tell 'em, will you be here all night?

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
  6. CRE!MER KARMA WHORE ALERT by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Oh shut up chris that barely has to do with the story you're just hoping to get upmodded "informative" so that you can increase visibility to the links you post to your blog and amazon affiliate links.
    Nobody cares about the barely insider information that you accquired during your prematurely terminated 3rd party helpdesk contract.
    I can't believe you made a blog post entitled "My 'complicated' work history at google" why the fuck would you post that where employers can see it?

    Dear diary I got fired from a shitty job at a good company but it wasn't my fault

    1. Re:CRE!MER KARMA WHORE ALERT by The+Fat+Bastard · · Score: 1

      My comment was factual. Perhaps you didn't see this story from earlier this year?

    2. Re:CRE!MER KARMA WHORE ALERT by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      Recruiters also want to know about your Microsoft security certs

      The words "microsoft" and "security" do not belong in the same sentence.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
  7. Platinum is actually cheaper than gold since 2015 by Max_W · · Score: 1

    Since 2015 the metal platinum is significantly cheaper than gold. It is a broken metaphor, right at the top foundation, so no wonder that the Linux OS, at least the desktop, is also kind of broken.

  8. Run to the Hills - Nothing ever changes - HURD? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Does anyone else get goose-bumps, and expect a really bad copyrights/patent showdown within the next few years with all those traditionally perceived as utterly EVIL companies (IBM, for years, collaborators in WW2, Microsoft, embrace and extinguish, 'FOSS is a Cancer', and now Google, your favourite brainwashing I mean hearts and minds company 'BE EVIL', now apparently bowing at the Altar of Torvalds), showing their treacherous cards? Personally, I don't trust any of them, in any context. I wish for all three to crash and burn and leave the world in peace. A Curse Be On All Their Families. I'm becoming painfully aware of an intuivite tendancy to delete all my GNU/Linux instances, burning them with fire, and to convert all to FreeBSD ASAP... And an OLD GEEZER like me remembers exactly the feeling, before the turn of the century, turning to GNU/Linux in the same same kind of emotional response.. Nothing Even Changes.. only the names.. Finally time to go HURD, anyone? Has the Linux Foundation been infiltrated? Has Linus been far too soft on Enterprise influence for all those years? Is it time for a MAJOR FORK or to let the Linux kernel go before it is turned to crap by the same old players? Calling for the community to prove me wrong or start a BLOODY REVOLUTION that will leave Linus in tears with only his off-green mental institution-coloured office walls to calm him?

    1. Re:Run to the Hills - Nothing ever changes - HURD? by DamnOregonian · · Score: 1

      Finally time to go HURD, anyone?

      I just installed Debian/HURD on a VM 2 evenings ago to see how it was coming along...

      Let me answer that question for you: No.

    2. Re:Run to the Hills - Nothing ever changes - HURD? by exomondo · · Score: 1

      It's been decades and HURD isn't even remotely usable. In a shorter time than that Apple has gone from the brink of bankruptcy to the most valuable company in the world, Microsoft has moved from a company with a CEO that called Linux (or rather the GPL) a cancer to one that's most profitable business segment depends on Linux and even has a Linux compatibility layer in Windows, Google completely dominating search, Amazon going from just online shopping to a cloud computing giant that relies on Linux and Linux powering the probably the most used consumer operating system in the world in the form of Android.

      All of these companies have a heavy investment in the continued success of Linux, really the only thing about the world that didn't change is that HURD is still junk.

  9. Re:Platinum is actually cheaper than gold since 20 by DamnOregonian · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Linux on the desktop is fucking wonderful. It's just not very user-friendly, and so doesn't appeal to a large audience.
    I can't imagine having my primary desktop being anything else anymore, after years of using Windows and MacOS.
    I of course acknowledge that that is an opinion, and inherently worthless- much like your post.

  10. Re:Platinum is actually cheaper than gold since 20 by Harlequin80 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Not even sure I would agree with the not user friendly. Something like Linux Mint is a lot more user friendly than Windows 10. I spend 95% of my desktop time on a linux machine, but still have to fire up windows for certain software packages.

    Fusion360, Photoshop and a decent video editor. Those are why I find myself firing up windows. (not to mention games but I haven't played in ages anyway)

  11. And this is how you pay for OSS by jader3rd · · Score: 1

    Open Source software gets paid for by tracking users and selling their information to advertisers.

    1. Re:And this is how you pay for OSS by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      Open Source software gets paid for by tracking users and selling their information to advertisers.

      Google pays roughly fuck all into the Linux community. Employs a few kernel hackers, mostly for its own hacked production kernel but a couple just doing whatever they want like Andrew Morton and Ted Tys'o. Other much smaller companies put a lot more money into the community, and are correspondingly more respected.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
  12. Re:Platinum is actually cheaper than gold since 20 by DamnOregonian · · Score: 1

    Ya, I think I was trying to be conciliatory or something. When you get right down to it, there's nothing less esoteric about the incantations you have to pump into Windows' pathetic excuse for a terminal when something on it doesn't work right, and most of the time, you can actually fix something that isn't working right with your popular Linux DE, while in Windows you're forced to suffer a million 'might work' measures because nobody actually really understands wtf the Windows Update agent actually does.

  13. Re: Vaughan-Nichols by Tough+Love · · Score: 2

    I believe I have detected a nest of butthurt redmond weenies.

    --
    When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
  14. Couldn't exist? by Meneth · · Score: 1

    Google couldn't exist without Linux

    False. BSD or even Windows Server would have been a sufficient platform to develop the Google server infrastructure.

    Less efficient, perhaps, but hardly impossible.

    1. Re:Couldn't exist? by ebvwfbw · · Score: 1

      Wow, you don't know much about computers, do you.

  15. Re:Platinum is actually cheaper than gold since 20 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    windows isn't user friendly either, that is the worst of it all, how this myth is still standing today is a mistery to me.

  16. Insurance by Martin+S. · · Score: 1

    You're right to suggest this is a direct consequence, but is more like to be insurance for Google to stop Microsoft screwing them over decisions.

    The rest of use might as well walk on by, the idea of open source being about communities is long gone.

  17. Discussion by newsviral33 · · Score: 1

    If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important. Do you really want your competitors to make decisions on what direction the product takes?