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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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Rocky Linux is for-profit! I'd chose AlmaLinux (programming.dev)

submitted 1 year ago by tram1@programming.dev to c/linux@lemmy.ml

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I was curious why CERN and Fermilab chose AlmaLinux instead of Rocky Linux. After googling, I found out that the Rocky Enterprise Software Foundation, which controls Rocky Linux, is a public-benefit corporation. This is a for-profit type of corporation, unlike what the name suggests. The AlmaLinux OS Foundation is a 501(c)(6) non-profit, which in my mind is clearly the type of organization that should control such an OS.

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[–] tram1@programming.dev 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Ok. I understand what you are saying, and there might be historical reasons for the founders of Rocky to believe they can defend better against a takeover by being a PBC. I don't know if that's true, I'm not a lawyer. The thing is that if an organization can legally make a profit, I don't trust that it does not. I'm not trying to insult Greg Kurtzner, I don't know him. But I wouldn't need to trust him if they had made a non-profit.

And sure, Alma exists because of funding from corporate interests, but so does the Linux kernel, and GNOME, and probably a large percentage of free software. That's the point of copyleft, when companies improve free software it remains free.

Personally I've never used RHEL, CentOS, Rocky Linux, or AlmaLinux. I was just curious why Fermilab and CERN chose Alma instead of Rocky, which I had heard about more. I found out and I believe they did the right thing, hence the headline. I have no fucking agenda. (maybe you do)

PS: The whole thing, including this post, assumes that Alma and Rocky have the same goal (which apparently is no longer true), and that non-profits can make no money (which... WTF IKEA).

[–] xkforce@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

You have very strong opinions about something you admit you have little understanding of.