this post was submitted on 02 Apr 2025
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libre
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Welcome to libre
A comm dedicated to the fight for free software with an anti-capitalist perspective.
The struggle for libre computing cannot be disentangled from other forms of socialist reform. One must be willing to reject proprietary software as fiercely as they would reject capitalism. Luckily, we are not alone.
Resources
- Free Software, Free Society provides an excellent primer in the origins and theory around free software and the GNU Project, the pioneers of the Free Software Movement.
- Switch to GNU/Linux! If you're still using Windows in
$CURRENT_YEAR, flock to Linux Mint!; Apple Silicon users will want to check out Asahi Linux.
Rules
- Be on topic: Posts should be about free software and other hacktivst struggles. Topics about general tech news should be in the technology comm or programming comm. That doesn't mean all posts have to be serious though, memes are welcome!
- Avoid using misleading terms/speading misinformation: Here's a great article about what those words are. In short, try to avoid parroting common Techbro lingo and topics.
- Avoid being confrontational: People are in different stages of liberating their computing, focus on informing rather than accusing. Debatebro nonsense is not tolerated.
- All site-wide rules still apply
Artwork
- Xenia was meant to be an alternative to Tux and was created (licensed under CC0) by Alan Mackey in 1996.
- Comm icon (of Xenia the Linux mascot) was originally created by @ioletsgo
- Comm banner is a close up of "Dorlotons Degooglisons" by David Revoy (CC-BY 4.0) for Framasoft
founded 4 years ago
MODERATORS
Link to previous megathread:
Microsoft Corp. v. Lindows [dot] com, Inc
- (wikipedia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Corp._v._Lindows.com,_Inc.
- (blog): https://dmitr.dev/blog/tech/the-history-of-lindows-from-controversy-to-rebranding/
- (YouTube, channel Action Retro): https://youtu.be/SWmvtdyXlTA
TL;DR
A Linux distribution based in San Diego, California by the name of Lindows (2001) was sued by Micro$oft for infringing on their trademark name. Lindows was a distribution of GNU/Linux designed to run programs meant for Windows as well as programs compiled for Linux. Fun fact, it was founded by the guy who used to run mp3 dot com (Michael Robertson ).
One of the innovations that Lindows made was being sold with computers (you could find these for just under $200 in Walmart), it also boasted the CNR (Click N' Run) application which allowed users to install programs just with a single click.
Of course, since Lindows was threatening the bruised egos of Microsoft, they were sued for trademark infringement. However, in a rare turn of events, a judge ruled that the term "Windows" was used to describe graphical interfaces before the Windows product existed. Windows, now realizing they could be in deep shit if "Windows" itself was determined to be a generic term and not a trademark, quickly backed away from bullying the small company and settled in 2004 for nearly 20 million dollars (now around 33 million today).
Lindows later rebranded as linspire but quickly faded into the background as Microsoft and Apple quickly dominated the market and enveloped it into their sphere of influence. Lindows' mission of running Windows software and catering to these users was later taken up by Valve Inc. who funded the development of Vulkan and DXVK et. al to create Proton, which now boasts to run over 10,000 games made specifically for Windows and powers the Steam Deck, a commercially available Linux device nearly made up of entirely libre software (minus steam).
Megathread
Post nerd in the chat. 
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I'm in the process of configuring a new laptop for myself at work which sadly needs to run win11. Windows 11 has a native sudo command now it turns out. Now I had been running gsudo on my old laptop for a few years, found out they got in a little drama with Microsoft over this sudo stuff.
https://gerardog.github.io/gsudo/docs/gsudo-vs-sudo
I stuck with gsudo.
Double post. Pay no mind.