It’s kind of ironic to me that Linux is all for free and open source, but still uses a proprietary platform, and a horrible one at that. Before the fediverse, I’d understand, but now, there is no excuse whatsoever.
I understand that we can’t just get up and leave everything proprietary behind all at once, since we have iPhones and Android phones. We all use proprietary software of some form, but I am of the mindset of using the least amount of proprietary possible.
I will ALWAYS look for FOSS first. I also want to make it as hard as possible for any corporation to track me. They’ll probably still be able to track me, but I’m not going without a fight.
I could say the same about the Linux kernel using GitHub, but I understand how massive of an undertaking it would be to move the whole kernel to another platform. I’m sure there are other factors, too. Anyway, I just wanted to start a discussion and hear people’s thoughts.
Thank you
Linux is ubiquitous, it’s everywhere, even on Reddit, even under your bed
Also it was on the Mars with the Ingenuity.
If you have a Smart BedTM, Linux might even be in your bed.
The mods there were crap back in the day. Keep them on reddit.
It could be worse. At least they didn’t move to discord or facebook.
I came here to say at least it’s not discord then I saw your comment. Yes, there s mattermost, matrix, IRC, … I am not installing Discord, I am not opening an account. I mean what s next? host your community in Skype?
Discord is ok, it hosts many open source projects and can be bridged to matrix https://gitdab.com/cadence/out-of-your-element
Are you aware of any project that maintains a good bridge to Matrix? Because I’m in like 80 discord servers and not one of them has a high quality bridge
I guess you have to create the bridge yourself, it’s probably not even that safe to let someone else manage the bridge
You can’t find anything on discord with a web search. You can’t even open it without logging in. Once you’re logged in, good luck finding an answer to a problem that was posted a year or two ago. That’s much worse than reddit.
It’s more like a telegram chat imo. People should go back using forums instead. In the meantime an AI should filter all relevant messages posted on discord/matrix/telegram and put them in the appropriate forum thread (not in Reddit). That’s something FydeOS AI in their discord might start to do I guess.
Think of it as an advertisement or a road sign. You want your message to reach as many people as possible.
Normies don’t usually find their way to Linux on their own. Hell, most don’t even know a third and fourth option (BSD) exists. By being on as many platforms as possible, more will find their way.
For what it’s worth, GitHub is NOT the place where kernel development takes place, that is just a mirror. Have a look here to see where development happens.
Third option? Solus? Minix? What is the third option!!???! Why don’t I know about the mysterious third option?!!!?
Linux is the third option. As far as many normies are concerned the second option is macOS
Damn, that just goes to show how indoctrinated I am. Didn’t even occur to me that there’s two mainstream OSs outside of Linux out there.
It helps keep the more caustic linuxers away from lemmy.
Correct we only want the sour linuxers here.
My experience has been the opposite. People are nicer here.
You are right, it’s not very often I see fights here.
Regarding migration to Lemmy, I think it will happen
originally/slowly and in a few years the majority of questions will be asked here.
The call is coming from inside the house
- Not everyone that uses Linux is against proprietary software or only uses FOSS.
- There are people that just heard of Linux, are just trying it out, or have an issue, and already use Reddit, or is what the search engine points them to go for help, or to ask questions.
- Reddit has a lot more reach for the common people than any other platform at the moment, there are still people that prefer to ask on Reddit, than go to a specific forum or another platform to ask (If I remember right, it still happens with some apps like Jellyfin that moved out of Reddit, but people still ask there)
These are just a few of the reasons that come to my mind.
Also institutional inertia is difficult to overcome in general.
This is so weird to me. Maybe it’s about who you are, or who you run with, but when I saw that Discord was about to go that way, I messaged my Pathfinder group and every single person there immediately hit me back with, “so where to next?”
That’s what, five people?
It’s a lot different when it’s thousands and thousands
That’s why I said it might have something to do with who you’re around.
As an example I’m on Linux for a decade now but I also use proprietary services. I use Jellyfin and Netflix, Vim and Jetbrains IDEs, Chess.com instead of Lichess, WhatsApp instead of Matrix.
Sometimes the value proposition does it for me, sometimes it’s the network effect. I’ve ditched reddit because I like Lemmy more but I can see how someone wants to stay in touch with their niche communities that don’t really exist on Lemmy. Probably some people use both.
How comes that Vim is proprietary? Jetbrain offers community versions which are afaik open source too, so you can look at the source code, you do not need to pay or agree to an EULA.
It’s not, Vim is GNU. I listed some of them as “I use open source and proprietary” things. Jellyfin is open source also.
Because Lemmy is quite silent relatively. It’s a hard sell outside of those who enjoy selfhosting.
Look at corporate members at https://www.linuxfoundation.org/about/members
There is a difference between Linux, the kernel, as a tool and free software the ideology. A lot of contributors to Linux are there for the money. They contribute resources, including money but also usually staff, without caring for abstract concepts like “freedom”, or they might even actively (arguably) work against it when they are strategically establishing walled gardens and exclusive stores.
So… I’m not saying that’s OK but I believe by confusing the ideology with the tool used for profit by gigantic corporations we are being unrealistic.
I’m having trouble following, you’re suggesting that the Linux subreddit continues to exist because of some corporate conspiracy to keep users on commercial media platforms?
I’m not sure where you get the “corporate conspiracy” part. Is anybody in 2025 still not understanding that platforms do everything they can for their users to consume any content available there constantly in order to sell more advertising because that’s one of the most profitable business model? Isn’t that public knowledge? If it’s not public knowledge are you implying it is “secret” despite those very corporations precisely publicly (at least during shareholders meetings) claiming that their strategy is simultaneously user base growth AND user engagement? If so wouldn’t that be more ignorance that conspiracy?
Anyway, that’s not even my point, rather I was trying to say that it seems OP is interested in Linux for the ethical aspect whereas the corporations listed there are, by definition and by their legal mandate of being for-profit companies, participating in order to improve their bottom line.
Please let me know if I misunderstood your point and/or if I’m still unclear.
op asked about the r/linux community which was not mentioned in either of your comments
Reddit, which hosts the r/linux subreddit, is a for-profit company driven by growth and engagement, like other numerous other platforms in the corporate members. I imagine this is precisely the kind of tension that prompted OP to ask the question (but I’d happily let them clarify).
I’m arguing that discussion on r/linux if you are working for one of those corporations and want to discuss technical questions is not incoherent.
If you are though interested in Linux for the moral and ethical aspect then it is in direct conflict with the moral and ethical decisions that such platform took and keep to this day. Consequently using r/linux is a problem in one case, not in the other.
Does it make sense?
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The kernel on GitHub is just a mirror - the primary source is on kernel.org
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Torvalds wrote git for the Linux kernel, and then GitHub popped up because most other projects couldn’t handle the decentralization. Interestingly to OP’s frustration, they were using a proprietary VCS before that, and people were just as frustrated about that: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Git#History
Linux isnt only for Foss enjoyers. Plus its good to have the linux community on reddit to help people bring attention to linux. If they move it here it will be even harder to join the community.
Think of /r/linux as a gateway to the world of Foss
You are not wrong. But there are things you can do to make a point. Make Reddit as a 2nd class citizen and drive people to lemmy, mastodon and the others. Like add posts with no comments, just relay bot, … Make it clear.
Same with GitHub, it’s mirror to my Gitea instance. You can see stuff but you have to move somewhere else to contribute and report issues. Not a terrible thing to use these proprietary services and yet make them 2nd class citizens.
Linux is a great platform for developing things like bots in.
Reddit is 90% bots.
Makes sense to me. 🤣
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Ok but is that happening in reality
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How should we know? Ask them, not us.
But Lemmy users are obviously smarter, so it’s better to ask them.
Reddit Linux are just a bunch of gaming chuds. and I say that as a gamer.
They’ll take time to understand the landscape and there’s nothing wrong with that, yes reddit is dogshit but you won’t convince anyone by just telling them. They just have to look around for themselves.
It is the censoring, from the top down. That is like a brick wall on reddit that will hit anyone in no time.
