The Best of Times and the Worst of Times for Linux and Open-Source Software in 2024
1. Businesses Dump Open Source in Search of Profits
Company after company has abandoned their open-source roots to seek money with prosperity licenses and trademarks. For all practical purposes, all software is built using open source. By Synopsys’ count, 96% of all codebases contain open-source software. But all too often in recent years, once a business has established itself with open-source, it dumps its code’s open-source licenses for semi-proprietary licenses such as the Server Side Public License (SSPL) and the Business Source License (BSL) 1.1.
2. Major Linux Security Vulnerabilities Avoided
On a more positive note, a potentially catastrophic security breach was narrowly avoided when Microsoft developer Andres Freund discovered a backdoor in XZ Utils, a widely used Linux data compression utility. The backdoor, which could have compromised millions of computers, was inserted by a malicious actor who had spent years gaining trust within the open-source community. This incident highlighted the sophisticated threats facing open-source projects and the importance of vigilant code review.
3. CentOS Replacements Gain Traction and Linux Continues to Rule
Following Red Hat’s withdrawal of support for CentOS, a host of CentOS replacements has arisen. In 2024, they came of age. AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux emerged as prominent replacements for the numerous businesses that had relied on CentOS. These businesses have filled the void left by CentOS by providing stable, community-driven enterprise Linux distributions.
4. AI and Open Source Go Together like Bread and Butter
Without open source, there is no AI. It’s that simple. In their search for profits, though, AI companies — with the notable exception of IBM with its Granite models — like to give open source a lot more lip service than they do to releasing their code and models under an open-source license. Yes, I’m looking at you, Meta, with your Llama.
5. Real-Time Linux Made it into Mainstream Linux
It took 20 years — no, really! — but Real-Time Linux (PREEMPT_RT) is finally in the mainline kernel.
Conclusion
In conclusion, 2024 was a year of both progress and regression in the world of Linux and open-source software. While some companies abandoned their open-source roots in search of profits, others continued to thrive by providing stable and reliable community-driven enterprise Linux distributions. The importance of open source in AI development was also evident, as many AI companies rely on open-source programs to power their technology. As we look ahead, it is my sincere hope that the trends that emerged in 2024 will ultimately work out for the best.
FAQs
Q: What is the trend of companies abandoning open-source software?
A: Companies are abandoning their open-source roots in search of profits, often switching to semi-proprietary licenses.
Q: What are some examples of companies that have abandoned open-source licenses?
A: Companies such as Cockroach Labs, Confluent, MongoDB, Elastic, MariaDB, Redis Labs, and HashiCorp have all abandoned their open-source licenses.
Q: What is the impact of companies abandoning open-source licenses?
A: This trend has raised concerns about the future of open-source software and its potential to become less accessible and less community-driven.
Q: What is the importance of open source in AI development?
A: Open source is essential for AI development, as many AI companies rely on open-source programs to power their technology.
Q: What is the Open Source Consumption Manifesto?
A: The Open Source Consumption Manifesto is a guide for establishing a secure approach to open-source software development.
Q: What is the Open Enterprise Linux Association (OpenELA)?
A: OpenELA is a project that aims to create a truly open-source enterprise Linux distribution compatible with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).
