It has long been clear that the Linux distribution Opensuse suffers from lack of active participation. Without the strong support of Suse, who sees Opensuse as the testing ground for the enterprise distribution Suse Enterprise Linux, the free Opensuse might not exist anymore. For the most part, Opensuse consists of the kernel and packages of Suse Enterprise Linux.
But this dependence on Suse goes too far for some members of the community. At this year’s Opensuse conference, Opensuse’s board discussed how to create a structure independent of Suse. This was preceded by meetings of the board, as explained by a report on LWN. The discussion of the Opensuse conference is now available as a video recording. It’s certainly not about becoming completely independent of Suse, because at the moment this is not possible. Rather, regardless of the financial benefits of Suse, parts of the board want to be in a position to accept donations and to use the revenue in the sense of distribution.
Members of the community fear that Suse may give up his previous commitments to Opensuse, for example, if the company is once again sold or floated. The previous relationship with Suse, however, is considered positive and should not be terminated by the community. The organization to be established, possibly as a foundation under German law, should nevertheless ensure a lower dependence on Suse and thus more future-proof.
Which form the organization will ultimately adopt is still open. However, there are many supporters for their founding, and their voices are barely audible. However, Rich Brown, chair of the Opensuse board, says he is in no hurry and they can take their time to find the optimal solution.
Source: https://www.pro-linux.de/news/1/27135/opensuse-strebt-eigene-organisation-an.html
Submitted by: Arnfried Walbrecht
Comments are closed.