As a longtime Linux user and supporter, I was shocked to see that Linus and other major Linux Core Developers are kicking Russians out of the project.
Reported on by Ars Technica, The Record, ZD Net, The Register and even showing up on SlashDot; the Linux project had decided to kick out everyone that was Russian, and I am disgusted by this as it seems borderline Discrimination as there is from what I see no proof any of the Russian users are backed by or even support their government yet their being throw by the wayside due to propaganda.
Some might say, how is this Discrimination? Linus is a Finnish Developer living in America, so he’s just doing what he’s told [Like a good little Nazi]
Well, then I’ll argue this Cornell Law School’s own Legal Library defines “racial discrimination” as the following.
“racial discrimination, discrimination may also be based on ancestry, ethnic characteristics, and race”
I’ve yet to see any real reason to ban these developers as I believe this kind of proof these developers had any ties to the Russian government or anything of that nature; if I am wrong I am willing to change my stance but as it stands Linux is meant to be an open source community; something that is based on talent and skill not race, gender or nationality.
[UPDATE: only 6 of the 23 .ru domains I found by searching the maintainers file myself showed any possible ties to the sanctions list but nothing 100% yet]
Some of these people were working and maintaining drivers now they are banished to the damn shadow realm of the Linux world.
It’s gotten to the point where The Lunduke Journal is reporting that Russian plans to hard-fork the Linux Kernel due to this, and in a way can we blame them? Not really; if you are going to be banning people based on their nationality, that’s just going to radicalize them into hating the western world.
I am not holding out much hope that this will change, and now I am stuck seeing one of the most amazing Open Source projects fall.
Until next time
This is The Professor
Signing Off.