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Red Hat Pulls Free Software Foundation Funding Over Richard Stallman's Return

posted by Fnord666 on Sunday March 28 2021, @05:23AM   Printer-friendly

upstart writes in with an IRC submission:

Red Hat pulls Free Software Foundation funding over Richard Stallman's return:

The chorus of disapproval over Richard M Stallman, founder and former president of the Free Software Foundation (FSF), rejoining the organisation has intensified as Linux giant Red Hat confirmed it was pulling funding.

Stallman announced he had returned to the FSF's Board of Directors last weekend – news that has not gone down well with all in the community and Red Hat is the latest to register its dismay.

CTO Chris Wright tweeted overnight: "I am really outraged by FSF's decision to reinstate RMS. At a moment in time where diversity and inclusion awareness is growing, this is a step backwards."

Describing itself as "appalled" at the return of Stallman to the FSF board of directors "considering the circumstances of Richard Stallman's original resignation in 2019," Red Hat said it decided to act.

"We are immediately suspending all Red Hat funding of the FSF and any FSF-hosted events. In addition, many Red Hat contributors have told us they no longer plan to participate in FSF-led or backed events, and we stand behind them," said Red Hat.

[...] Red Hat's step marks an escalation in the war of words over Stallman's return. As both a long-time donor and contributor of code, the IBM-owned company's action might well give the FSF pause for thought in a way that thousands of outraged tweets might not.

FSF president Geoffrey Knauth stated his intention yesterday "to resign as an FSF officer, director, and voting member as soon as there is a clear path for new leadership."

Red Hat statement about Richard Stallman's return to the Free Software Foundation board

Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by jb on Monday March 29 2021, @02:57AM (1 child)

    by jb (338) on Monday March 29 2021, @02:57AM (#1130580)

    Red Hat's step marks an escalation in the war of words over Stallman's return. As both a long-time donor and contributor of code, the IBM-owned company's action might well give the FSF pause for thought...

    Yes, that's right. Red Hat is owned by IBM. You know, the company that's always been known for standing up for what they think is right. Like in Europe when they helped out that fellow with the funny little moustache...?

    So, let me get this straight. According to IBM's subsidiary we are supposed to condemn RMS for mere Wrongthink, but forgive IBM for aiding and abeting the largest scale mass murder in the history of the world???

    No, sorry IBM. You and your subsidiaries don't get to make value judgements. You lost that right forever almost 90 years ago. People who live in glass houses and all that...

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 29 2021, @03:48AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 29 2021, @03:48AM (#1130595)

    So because of Nazi Germany, SUSE is automatically out, too?
    Sorry, that way of thinking makes no sense. IBM is a shit company not for what they did 90 years ago, but for stuff they did yesterday to 20 years ago.