Damus
Tinker ☀️ profile picture
Tinker ☀️
@Tinker ☀️
Damn. This quote from Linus Torvalds is... well... damning.

In response to a discussion around use of generative AI as it relates to contributions to the Linux code base, Linus (creator and lead contributor to Linux) firmly states that AI contributions are welcome.

But then he goes on and concludes with this:

"The kernel project has been and will continue to be about the technology.

Sure, the social angle of working on open source is important and often a very motivating part of the project, but in the end that's a side benefit, not the _point_ of the project.

This is *NOT* some kind of "social warrior" project, never has been, and never will be.

In the kernel community we do open source because it results in better technology, not because of religious reasons.

And so we make decisions primarily based on technical merit. Not fear of new tools.

Linus"

A lot of us are on Linux specifically because of the social and political positives. Closed source is control. Open source is democracy.

Linus doing the typical tech-bro "i don't think of politics, I only think of tech" harkens back to any number of "science without ethics" atrocities.

Linus is and has always been a tech-bro (or proto tech bro). He has his throne of power and is happy where he is. Other tech-bros want money and influence. They're all the same.

But Linus is wrong.

Tech is politics.

And his stance and guiding influence with Linux is wrong.

Linus just made a political statement and has shifted the politics and societal approach of Linux.

Source: https://lore.kernel.org/linux-media/CAHk-=wi4zC+Ze8e+p3tMv8TtG_80KzsZ1syL9anBtmEh5Z40vg@mail.gmail.com/

#linux #solarPunk #Linus #AI #openSource

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m4iler the Boogeyman :debian: :t_blink: · 1w
nostr:nprofile1qy2hwumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnyd968gmewwp6kyqpq5tvv6c5rdcj2z03r5sw5dzl36qx2kkpqe47yscckve5a2h0psststdvuvh If I were to put on my philosophy hat for a second, doesn't that prove him right? You may disagree with Linus on this point, but the stuff's good. He may not see it as a fight for freed...
Urwumpe · 1w
nostr:nprofile1qy2hwumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnyd968gmewwp6kyqpq5tvv6c5rdcj2z03r5sw5dzl36qx2kkpqe47yscckve5a2h0psststdvuvh I would need to know the question, before I could have a proper opinion on the reply. But I don't see his position as surprising - how many LLMs run on Linux? Almost all of them? The ker...
ECHAEA · 1w
nostr:nprofile1qy2hwumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnyd968gmewwp6kyqpq5tvv6c5rdcj2z03r5sw5dzl36qx2kkpqe47yscckve5a2h0psststdvuvh Being non-discriminatory against tools ends up being discriminatory against people.
MarjorieR · 1w
nostr:nprofile1qy2hwumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnyd968gmewwp6kyqpq5tvv6c5rdcj2z03r5sw5dzl36qx2kkpqe47yscckve5a2h0psststdvuvh Linus: "And so we make decisions primarily based on technical merit. Not fear of new tools." While I also agree there are very good wider environmental and ethical reasons not to conten...
Jacqueline · 1w
nostr:nprofile1qy2hwumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnyd968gmewwp6kyqpq5tvv6c5rdcj2z03r5sw5dzl36qx2kkpqe47yscckve5a2h0psststdvuvh The problem is that LLMs have no technical merit for the purpose. Linus is allowing right wing corporate politics to pollute his brain
David Ginn · 1w
nostr:nprofile1qy2hwumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnyd968gmewwp6kyqpq5tvv6c5rdcj2z03r5sw5dzl36qx2kkpqe47yscckve5a2h0psststdvuvh Has he been encouraging people to fork the kernel because he knows it is difficult and thinks nobody has the will?