I had already seen the video in regards to the Historical past of Unix by Rob Pike (do watch it if this type of stuff pursuits you. It’s accessible on YouTube) so I didn’t suppose I might study quite a lot of new stuff from this film however oh boy was I mistaken. This was an attention-grabbing deep dive into the historical past of the GNU mission and Free & Open Supply Software program motion. We take free stuff as a right these days. Corporations like Mozilla are championing the net we are able to all get pleasure from with out being walled in by anyone company’s merchandise.

It’s attention-grabbing to see how a lot free software program has influenced the for-profit software program world as effectively. Now even Microsoft incorporates Linux kernel into its working system. Merchandise like Android and Mac OS wouldn’t have been potential if not free of charge software program. Mac OS makes use of Unix kernel (not Linux) however has nonetheless been made potential by “free” software program.

We have to guarantee that this motion doesn’t die down. I attempt to use Firefox as a lot as I can. It’s the major browser on my laptop computer & cell. It offers me a way of satisfaction that I’m enjoying my small half in holding this non-proprietary and open supply browser going. Linux in all probability received’t be going wherever contemplating that it presently powers the servers of 96.5% of the highest a million domains on this planet (Alexa rating). It’s corporations like Mozilla which want our assist probably the most at this level.

Who would have thought {that a} bunch of hackers would find yourself subverting a billion greenback trade and pen a manifesto utilized by thousands and thousands of individuals as the idea of the software program they develop?

➡️ Picture Supply