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Open Source Initiative bans co-founder, Eric S Raymond:
Last week, Eric S Raymond (often known as ESR, author of The Cathedral and the Bazaar, and co-founder of the Open Source Intiative) was banned from the Open Source Intiative[sic] (the "OSI").
Specifically, Raymond was banned from the mailing lists used to organize and communicate with the OSI.
For an organization to ban their founder from communicating with the group (such as via a mailing list) is a noteworthy move.
At a time when we have seen other founders (of multiple Free and Open Source related initiatives) pushed out of the organizations they founded (such as with Richard Stallman being compelled to resign from the Free Software Foundation, or the attempts to remove Linus Torvalds from the Linux Kernel – both of which happened within the last year) it seems worth taking a deeper look at what, specifically, is happening with the Open Source Initiative.
I don't wish to tell any of you what you should think about this significant move. As such I will simply provide as much of the relevant information as I can, show the timeline of events, and reach out to all involved parties for their points of view and comments.
The author provides links to — and quotations from — entries on the mailing list supporting this. There is also a conversation the author had with ESR. The full responses he received to his queries are posted, as well.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by darkfeline on Wednesday March 11 2020, @06:04AM (6 children)
The tl;dr is that ESR objected to "ethical" licenses as open source. "Ethical" licenses are basically licenses that say "you can use our software, but not if you're doing something unethical with it, as determined by us". I think it's obvious that this is being pushed by social justice warriors of some stripe.
Whether it's a conspiracy or not, free software has suffered major attacks. The Free Software Foundation had all but forced out Richard Stallman for making factually correct observations about the circumstances of a person's crime, crucified by people more interested in being angry about a political agenda than careful reading and rational thought. The OSI is no longer safe either, with ESR being banned for a perfectly reasonable objection to irrational demagogues trying to assert their own ethics on users of open source software.
So now my question is, are there any refuges for free software left? Is there a way to fight back, or do we wait for free software to erode away like the rocks of a mountain.
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
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(Score: 4, Informative) by quietus on Wednesday March 11 2020, @07:02AM (4 children)
OpenBSD.
On another strand of thought, one has to fear what this will do to female programmers' contribution to open source, or simply to the amount of women programmers/IT professionals.
A couple of days ago, a lawyer over here got into hot water. He stated not to hire women anymore, after he had had a bad experience with a recent hire.
She had alleged improper conduct. He's now under investigation for discrimination.
Less emotional people will find less open ways to disqualify or discourage perfectly capable women. This will hinder progress for all of us: women have made fundamental contributions -- e.g. spanning tree -- to information technology.
(Score: 2) by darkfeline on Wednesday March 11 2020, @09:15AM (2 children)
Funny you should say that. I saw a chap over at Hacker News or some other forum who suggested that Theo de Raadt is going to be the next one on the cross. His personality won't do him any favors, as the wielders of CoCs will take advantage of the smallest of flaws. Even Cardinal Richelieu needed at least six lines to hang someone.
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(Score: 4, Interesting) by quietus on Wednesday March 11 2020, @09:57AM
(Score: 2, Touché) by khallow on Wednesday March 11 2020, @01:39PM
That's because Cardinal Richelieu was bragging about his honesty. In practice, you don't need any lines at all.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday March 12 2020, @08:28AM
Fucking rapey perv! Hope he gets at least 23 years! Men simply will not get away with this shit, at all, from here to forever. Understand, incel?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 11 2020, @05:38PM
i think the moles should be killed.