[Ksummit-discuss] [CORE TOPIC] GPL defense issues

[Linus Torvalds]

On Sat, Aug 27, 2016 at 11:35 AM, Wolfram Sang <wsa at the-dreams.de> wrote:
> Greg, Linus,
>
> Putting all the enforcement issues aside, there is one sentence that
> struck me:
>
>> > And corporations are a _huge_ part of our community, and frankly,
>> > the only reason we are where we are today.
>
> I don't question the first part of the sentence, but I disagree to
> 'the only reason' in the second part.

So I think Greg may have phrased it badly. Yes, the "only reason" part
is clearly not the case, but it could definitely be rephrased slightly
differently:

  "only because we have actively embraced companies being involved are
we where we are today".

It's not that "only companies" have made Linux be what it is today -
you are obviously very much right in pointing out that there's been a
lot (and still is!) individual contributors.

But it absolutely is the case that _only_ by working with companies
have we been able to succeed like we have been.

I just spent some time watching some of Bradley's youtube videos just
to compare his public stance with what is then claimed in this thread
(and private emails), and quite frankly, a lot of it was populist
"corporations are evil" stuff.

It's a very popular sentiment in some corners, but it's clearly
bullshit. Corporations tend to be largely selfish, yes, but so are
individuals.

And the thing is - a community of enlightened self-interest where
people and corporations work together because they all feel that it's
good for themselves ("selfish" behavior) is absolutely what we want
and need (and I'd argue have).

The reason open source works is exactly *because* the process works
with people who have their own interests at heart.

Yes, lots of people have other reasons for embracing open source too,
but without the basic self-interest angle you simply cannot get to the
point where you have a positive reinforcement cycle of people *and*
companies being involved.

So demonizing companies because they are "selfish" is just plain
stupid. Yet people do it.

What we need to do - and what we largely *have* been doing in the
Linux community - is to emphasize exactly the fact that open source is
a way to be selfish and get great results. Because that's the real
power of cooperation.

The whole "proprietary software is evil" mantra and the "corporations
are inherently bad" stuff is just crazy talk. It's insane, it's
stupid, and it's self-limiting.

Dismissing that kind of crazy talk is definitely a big reason for why
Linux is where it is today.

It's why Linux has never had anything to do with the FSF.

People call me many things, but very few people call me stupid.

                    Linus