Finland is experiencing suspicious acts of sabotage and disruption and believes Russia is engaged in broad-ranging influence operations against it and other European countries
Since Linus is Finnish, this literally hits home for him, hence (probably) his reaction.
Yes, the sanctions against Russia, as mentioned by Linus. The change also said the maintainers "can come back in the future if sufficient documentation is provided".
My guess is that the Linux Foundation must ensure that none of the people they work with are in any way associated with any organisation, person or activity on the sanctions list. And that they preemptively removed all maintainers that might risk violating the sanctions while they work with them to establish whether they might be covered by the sanctions or not.
Regardless of what you or they think of the sanctions, they are the law, and I don't think anyone wants the Linux Foundation to have to spend their money on lawyers and fines because they had a maintainer who also worked on a research project funded by a sanctioned entity. (If that is how it works, IANAL)
OK, that's the first reasonable explanation I've come across. I wish Greg Linus didn't reply in that kind of "angry" tone, because for some of us it's not that obvious.
Lawyers will be honest or dishonest, just depending on what's best for the person who is paying them. Their jobs are dependent on getting good outcomes for their clients, so they can most definitely be trusted if you are the one paying them.
Lawyers will also usually advice the safer option. Even if your actions are legal, if its boarderline enough you have to defend your actions in court, its expensive and risky.
Lawyer slander is so fucking stupid. Would you not want a lawyer on your side if it was your ass on the line? A lawyer's job isn't to judge wrong or right. It's to convince a judge or jury of one's innocence. A lawyer has to defend the morally fucked the same as they do the innocent. You can't have one without the other.
I know this isn't a criminal proceeding or anything of the sort but I sense that's what the comment was referring to.
Phobia, by definition, is uncontrollable, irrational, and lasting fear for something. In the current geopolitics situation I'd say that it's not uncontrollable and very much not irrational. Fear, as a fellow Finn, might be a bit strong word, but it's a definetly a concern.
When I first read that I thought that the response is a bit harsh, as Russian (and Soviet Union) individuals have traditionally been a big part of open source community and their achievements on computing are pretty significant, but when you dig a bit deeper on that, a majority of Soviet era things are actually built by Ukrainians in Kyiv (obviously Ukraine as a country wasn't a thing back then).
Also, based on my very limited sight on the matter, Russians are not banned from contributing, but this is more of an statement that anyone working for the government in Russia can't be a part of kernel development team. There's of course legal reasons for that, very much including the trade bans against Russia, but also the moral part of it, which Linus seems to take a stand on.
Personally I've seen individuals at Russia to do quite amazing feats with both hardware and software, but as none of us are in a void without any external infcluence nor affect, I think that, while harsh, the "sanctions" (for a lack of better word) aren't overshooting anything, but they're instead leveling the playing field. Any Joe Anynymous could write a code which compromises the kernel as a whole, but should that Joe live in Russia, it might bring a government backed team which can hide their tracks on a quite a bit different level with their resources than any individual could ever even dream about.
So, while that decision might slow down some implementations and it might include some of the most capable of developers, the fear that one of them might corrupt the whole project isn't unreasonable and, with ongoing sanctions in place (and legal requirements that follow) the core dev team might not even have a choice on this.
In current global environment we're living in, I'd rather have a bit too careful management than one which doesn't take things seriously enough. We already have Canonical and others to break stuff way too often, we don't need malicious government to expand on that with nefarious purposes which could compromise a shit on of stuff on a very fundamental level if left unattended.
Phobia, by definition, is uncontrollable, irrational, and lasting fear for something. In the current geopolitics situation I'd say that it's not uncontrollable and very much not irrational.
Russophobia is the fear or hatred of Russia or people from Russia. Etymology is not semantics, as anyone should already know.
When I first read that I thought that the response is a bit harsh, as Russian (and Soviet Union) individuals have traditionally been a big part of open source community and their achievements on computing are pretty significant, but when you dig a bit deeper on that, a majority of Soviet era things are actually built by Ukrainians in Kyiv (obviously Ukraine as a country wasn't a thing back then).
This is simply false. Soviet contributions spanned a large array of ethnicitied and nationalities and Ukraine was a minority in their regard, as were all ethnicities and nationalities.
Though I don't see why your point would matter. Is Russophobia only bad if Russians have made enough contributions to your field of interest?
Also, based on my very limited sight on the matter, Russians are not banned from contributing, but this is more of an statement that anyone working for the government in Russia can't be a part of kernel development team.
To my knowledge, nothing at all has been said about working for the Russian government or: this issue. It I'd a blanket exclusion of all Russians from the maintainer list.
Personally I've seen individuals at Russia to do quite amazing feats with both hardware and software, but as none of us are in a void without any external infcluence nor affect, I think that, while harsh, the "sanctions" (for a lack of better word) aren't overshooting anything, but they're instead leveling the playing field.
Presumably you support much harsher sanctions against all Americans, Brits, Germans, French, and Israelis, then. Are you any of these things? Perhaps you should start advocating for sanctions on yourself.
Any Joe Anynymous could write a code which compromises the kernel as a whole, but should that Joe live in Russia, it might bring a government backed team which can hide their tracks on a quite a bit different level with their resources than any individual could ever even dream about.
That is in no way unique to Russia and we already have plenty of examples of US, Israeli, and other Western countries compromising systems and software. Do just a little bit of critical thinking.
Russophobia is the fear or hatred of Russia or people from Russia.
Ok, seems logical so far.
Linus is Finnish, maybe this is also a lesson: "Don't brutalize random neighboring countries because in the future they might be in a position to fuck you in the ass."?
I mean, the Winter War is kind of not a fond memory for them, though everybody loves some Sima Häyhä, one of the most righteous men of the 20th century.
Linus is Finnish, maybe this is also a lesson: "Don't brutalize random neighboring countries because in the future they might be in a position to fuck you in the ass."?
I will dispute your framing, but why does it justify collective punishment and hatred if all people from a country?
I mean, the Winter War is kind of not a fond memory for them, though everybody loves some Sima Häyhä, one of the most righteous men of the 20th century.
At the time of the Winter War, Finland had existed for about 20 years, same as the USSR. Both emerged out of the Russian Empire. The USSR sought land and space for military defense against its Northern flank near St Petersburg, which was vulnerable, as well as, ideally, ports to seal from water invasions. Finland rejected every attempt at land exchanges, which was of course their right, but the USSR also, correctly, predicted that Finland would facilitate the Nazi advance and that this land was necessary to repel their war. Faced with an existential threat, they invaded Finland and took much of the land they needed and the war unfolded there exactly as predicted, with Finland rapidly becoming Nazi collaborators and putting down most of its internal resistance. The Continuation War followed, of course. To this day, they teach false histories about this, via the usual government censorship and creation of school curricula.
Sima Häyhä was hated by many early on and received many personal death threats to his face. His rehabilitation in pop culture is more of a thing from the 70d and 80s. Finland collaborated with Nazis and built death camps and was subsequently liberated by the USSR. With fascist groups disbanded and banned and the USSR elevated to the status of primary protagonist of winning the war against the Nazis,, those who had supported the previous fascist-friendly/just plain fascist government became pretty unpopular for some time.
For USSR being the victor in WW2. Why these Finnish "russian death camps" not in most of history textbooks?
Also it's not unreasonable to hate the aggressor. So even if they were building death camps to get revenge on Russkies. It's not like tribal collective punishment isn't engrained in our blood.
The security issue is very likely scenario. If you're in Russia, you can go to jail at any moment on totally bogus charges. It is very easy for FSB to pressure some random kernel maintainer into adding hard to detect backdoor into their code, it will be XZ situation all over again.
Liberals love collective punishment and have been in a Russophobic bender for decades, with an uptick in recent years. They hate all Russians and repeat racist rhetoric from Ukrainian Nazis.
I'm well aware that liberal is an international term.
However, it is used very differently in the US to everywhere else. In the US, liberal is used to pretty much mean "left wing" or "relating to the Democrat party".
People in the US wouldn't describe an expansion in gun rights as something the libs would want, for example.
Nor would people in the US agree that liberal people want more freedoms for businesses.
But those are parts of liberal ideology elsewhere.
And I said fuck off with your Ukraine Nazi bullshit. Stop parroting Russian propaganda, gimboid.
I'm well aware that liberalism is an international term.
Yet you assumed I made a US-specific reference when I did in no way do so.
However, it is used very differently in the US to everywhere else. In the US, liberal is used to pretty much mean "left wing" or "relating to the Democrat party".
Yes I know. I was not using it in that sense.
And I said fuck off with your Ukraine Nazi bullshit. Stop parroting Russian propaganda, gimboid.
It is not bullshit. There are and have been Ukrainian Mazis and liberals falling over themselves to repeat their racist and chauvinist talking points.
There is literally nowhere on planet earth where humans live in any large number where you will not find Nazis.
Claiming that Ukraine is rife with it in any meaningful sense is very much a Russian talking point, and even one of the defenses given by Russia in starting their war/genocide.
Stop repeating Russian propaganda.
Honestly, what is it with lemmy.ml and people who love Russia?
I was not. Please do your best to participate in good faith and not make things up, let alone make them up and then repeatedly assert them based on nothing.
There is literally nowhere on planet earth where humans live in any large number where you will not find Nazis.
That is true, but also does not contradict anything I have said, nor does it excuse those who repeat their racist and chauvinist talking points.
Claiming that Ukraine is rife with it in any meaningful sense
I haven't said anything like this. That is your insertion.
Stop repeating Russian propaganda.
Please stop lying about what I have said.
Honestly, what is it with lemmy.ml and people who love Russia?
It's not me, it is you doing a poor job at wrestling with your cognitive dissonance. My mere mention of Russophobia from liberals, borrowed from Ukrainian Nazis, resulted in you inventing entire lines of thought and arguments that were not there rather than directly engaging with the facts if the matter. This is defensive behavior intended to avoid what I said and return to an arena where you feel more comfortable.
Not ironically, that arena is one where you feel comfortable being against Russia, lmao.
Presumably you also hate most Americans and Israelis, then.
Personally, I only hate those who take an active role in a major injustice and am merely frustrated with those who are passive, and I do so consistently across nationalities.
Of course you are. This thread is about people getting kicked off the maintainer list for simply being Russian and y'all are bleating "good, fuck Russia".
Yes. I am saying that the Russian people who were maintaining anything in the Linux kernel commits have a very real threat of not only being compromised to do ill, but also have their identity on the commit chain being taken over by state actors.
Yes this is the obvious cognitive dissonance that arises from my question. The US has invaded and bombed countries, couped countries, plunged millions into poverty and death, consistently for decades. Buy I don't see any if you saying, "Fuck America" and trying to kick all Americans out of your spaces.
The US is backing Israel's genocide to the hilt righy now. It would not happen without American support that Israel depends on. And most European countries are backseat supporters if that agenda. Where is your bleating for villification of every person from all those countries?
Decent part of america was not larping the war either.
Which war? There have been so many US-bscked wars in recent years that I have no idea which one you would be referring to.
But I am confused about the qualifier. Who had said anything about larping? This is collective punishment and chauvinism against all Russians.
It is shameful what we did in middle east for israels benefit.
Can I get a "Fuck America"?
Hopefully never again but who are we kidding...
Not just never again, it is happening right now, under Dems, with support of their candidates that is part of the admin doing genocide. Every pro-Harris post on this site is a tacit endorsement. Should we ban them?
Buy I don't see any if you saying, "Fuck America" and trying to kick all Americans out of your spaces.
Fediserve is US centric platform, nobody going to be saying fuck America.
However, the sentiment here is pretty strong against the current situation both socio-economics wise and support for Israel... I don' think this a mainstream opinion quite there yet but people getting wiser on these issues.
I meant decent part of US population did not larp ME wars in early 2000s.
Fediserve is US centric platform, nobody going to be saying fuck America.
You should be if you respect your own thoughts that you are sharing.
Really, you are tacitly aknowledging what this really is: national chauvinism and Russophobia. Liberals taking their opportunity to be racist and xenophobic without being singled out as problematic.
However, the sentiment here is pretty strong against the current situation both socio-economics wise and support for Israel...
It is below the bare minimum, it is just slightly less jingoistic than in spaces curated by monopolies and staffed with literal feds. Pro-genocide discourse is strong here, it just hides behind electoralism discourse and feigned reluctance.
I don' think this a mainstream opinion quite there yet but people getting wiser on these issues.
It won't be a mainstream opinion in US-centric spaces without political education of such people.
I meant decent part of US population did not larp ME wars in early 2000s.
It was a very small part of it, really. Liberals rewrote their histories about their support for wars of aggression against Iraq and Afghanistan. They pretend to have been against it when they were actually part of their version of the "silent majority" and rampant islamophobia. The protests rapidly ran out of steam as Americans don't even know how to fight against their state.