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Please explain to me...
(lemmy.wtf)
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this post was submitted on 23 Mar 2026
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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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Like everyone else said, funding=/=ownership. I do suspect, however, that part of why these big tech companies fund Linux is because they rely on something built on Linux in one way or another. Linux tends to be the better options for things like servers, low processing devices, and more, and if they keep funding it, it continues to exist so they can use it. You'd be surprised about how much of the world actually uses Linux in some way.
Funding on the other hand, does indeed equal an amount of control. The Linux foundation consistently develops and invests in things that mirror the interests of their fund sources. They fund crypto projects ffs.
Linus for example, strongly rejected GPLv3 even though it was a vastly superior version compared to GPLv2. He even rejected the concept of Tivoization, which is insane. GPLv3 would have hurt companies more and helped user freedoms.
The Linux Foundation is not where you should send your donations to - you should instead send your donations to the Free Software Foundation (FSF), which actually stands for user freedoms.
The Linux kernel also includes, by default, proprietary blobs that have been added there, and these infringe upon user rights.