US Sanctions Hit Linux and GPL / Open Sourceyoutube.com/watch?v=L5Ec5jrpLVk&si=v6j7t26trQpjS6ns
1897 sats \ 14 comments \ @kepford 24 Oct tech
Good summary of what is going on with the removal of many Russian Linux contributors and the reasons behind it. Additionally some speculation about the impact on the broader open source world.
Its sad to see and I expect will have broad impacts across many projects.
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0 sats \ 2 replies \ @SwapMarket 25 Oct
I don't quite understand why the E.O. 14071 (https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/04/08/2022-07757/prohibiting-new-investment-in-and-certain-services-to-the-russian-federation-in-response-to) was interpreted this way. I read that only investments and services TO Russia are prohibited. I don't see where voluntary contributions FROM Russian residents are illegal.
Even after reading this addendum: https://ofac.treasury.gov/media/932951/download?inline
It still talks about exportation!
And I like it how some particular bureaucrat can determine what the President declared two years back!
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0 sats \ 1 reply \ @kepford OP 25 Oct
He explains it all in the video. It's complicated and some of it is due to a trial decision.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @SwapMarket 25 Oct
I watched it again and read the document he had on screen: https://ofac.treasury.gov/faqs/1185
Again, I don't see prohibition for Russian persons to help develop anything. It also lists examples of what is NOT prohibited:
  • A U.S. company provides Russian individuals and entities with continued access to cloud-based, free-of-charge, publicly available web applications, such as email, spreadsheet, and document applications.
  • A U.S. company provides virtual private network (VPN) services to customers in the Russian Federation.
Free contributions from professionals should be welcome...
My view is that it was a personal decision by Linus Torvalds. Read his comments: https://www.phoronix.com/news/Linus-Torvalds-Russian-Devs
"...please use whatever mush you call brains. I'm Finnish. Did you think I'd be supporting Russian aggression?"
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0 sats \ 1 reply \ @SwapMarket 25 Oct
Is KYC coming to GitHub? Lots of devs are using pseudonyms.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @kepford OP 25 Oct
It would not surprise me.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @alphabeta 25 Oct
This is bad. They are maintainers. You cannot create a substitute maintainer overnight as only a few are adept when it comes to Linux Kernel programming. Those whom are saying that this is good were mislead to the core.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Rothbardian_fanatic 25 Oct
All powerful idiot politicians are at it again. They have no idea of what they are doing, but do it anyway. Blind leading the sighted.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @OriginalSize 25 Oct
Something tells me the GPL is not going to be respected. This reminds me of when scientists overstep and how it hurts credibility of the scientific enterprise. Here the government isn't considering the cost of what they're doing and by weaponizing open source likely will lead to more lawlessness around the globe.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @DEADBEEF 25 Oct
It’s really sad to see so much of the internet and technology breaking apart because of politics. I had a lot of hope that the internet and open source would help unite people across the globe but not I’m not so sure since politics ruins everything.
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0 sats \ 1 reply \ @OT 24 Oct
How many Russian's are contributing to bitcoin core?
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @SwapMarket 25 Oct
It's MIT license, like most FOSS projects.
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0 sats \ 2 replies \ @Bell_curve 24 Oct
the guy in the thumbnail looks like Vince Gilligan lol
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21 sats \ 1 reply \ @kepford OP 24 Oct
See, I see facial hair John Hodgman. I actually thought that's who it was until he started talking.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Bell_curve 24 Oct
good call, I can see it now
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