Linux

Which is exactly what anyone who wasn't wanting to just snort some concentrated outrage knew was the case.

And you can argue as to if OFAC list should apply to things like this or not, but the problem is that the enforcement options for OFAC violations include 'stomp you into the ground until you're powder', most people are just going to comply.

But folks who work for US companies building weapons for Israel are totes okay?

It's honestly fucking wild that an internationally developed open source project has to play by the US government's rules when the US government is out here helping commit genocide right the fuck now.

Like, look in the fucking mirror on this why don't you.

Maybe the better rule is that if you work for a company that produces weaponry for war you shouldn't be allowed to contribute, period.

So shouldn't this also include the US and the many countries (most of Western Europe, plus others) involved in coalitions bombing the middle east and elsewhere?

Yeah must suck to live in Israel.

These people allegedly work for companies that work for the Russian war machine. They will regain privileges if they don't work for them. So if they find a moral job, they'll be treated morally.

I personally think this is a cop out. Obviously people would have been outraged either way, but personally my only issue is about how it was done. The whole point of the FOSS community is openness and transparency. The senior maintainers of arguably the most important FOSS project trying to operate secretively on something like this has shattered my trust in them, as well as many others.

because the santion load is just going to increase and more countries will be included.

Not to mention more stupid shit, like not being able to visit the US if your wife is Russian, cuz.. you know, you might be a spy.

If they are just doing this because of a political fad and partaking "the current thing" then they are just voluntarily digging their own and the linux foundation's grave.

My 2 cents. Nobody is asking them to do anything... yet... and they probably never will, but... they're scared shitless and they would rather comply, even for things no one is asking of them yet and is dubious whether or not they're even covered by the sanctions, than show some backbone.

Linus chose to move to the US as well to become a US citizen.

To be fair he never claimed to be an idealist.

Also he is anti Russian himself as he made clear in his first comment in the thread. So being forced to remove them is probably a bonus for him.

It's not about nationality. Here are the facts:

1. LF is USA based (headquarters in California), as such they're subject to USA law
2. USA imposed sanctions on companies that are directly involved in supplying Russia with weapons.
3. To have business, including receiving help, from those companies would open LF to legal repercussions in the country where they're based.
4. Baikal Electronic JSC is on the sanctioned list.
5. Serge Sermin public GitHub profile listed Baikal as their employer

Therefore to not remove Serge from the maintainers would open LF to legal repercussions.

You might not agree with what was done, I certainly don't, but I understand it.

Not nationality but alleged involvement with sanctioned organizations. There are plenty of Russian names on maintainers list remaining.

Let’s just say this properly ok so that 70 percent of the commenters here might better understand.

Association with some of the people previously on the kernel maintainers list was putting the Linux kernel at risk. The risk was that European, American, and other users may be prohibited from using it. The risk was that entities such as the Linux Foundation could be held in contempt of sanctions and sanctioned themselves. That could mean financial damage or even a full stop to operations.

If the kernel were sanctioned, every entity, individual or company, could be put at risk.

Association with sanctioned individuals put every other maintainer at risk. Being listed together in the maintainers file put many innocent people in extreme jeopardy.

So, let’s say this properly ok…

Some of the maintainers were removed to defend the Linux kernel and the many, many entities ( individual and corporate ) that use it. They were removed to protect the other maintainers and the people and companies that they associate with.

The Linux Foundation, being American, may have been particularly at risk. But “moving” the kernel does nothing. The contributors and maintainers are still wherever they are. Linux users are equally economically dependent on the US and Europe regardless. The issue are the international sanctions. My country has issued them too ( neither American or European ). And blaming the counties that issued the sanctions, instead of blaming Russia, is a very interesting morale position to take ( not getting into that here ).

My first reaction was to have a problem with how this was done. However, once you acknowledge the association, any interaction, collaboration, or communication becomes even more problematic as you KNOW that you are working with sanctioned individuals. So, doing it simply and succinctly was probably best.