this post was submitted on 18 Mar 2026
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Linux is not an operating system, it's just the kernel and has no concept of users/accounts or logging in to anything.
A great many Linux-based distros ("operating systems") are not under US jurisdiction.
Please do not start the "GNU/Linux" pedantry now.
Repackaging US software - and Linux-the-kernel and much of Linux-the-userland is, obviously, US software - in Europe does not suddenly make US jurisdiction go away.
Are you trolling?
Do you have any reasonable point that invalidates mine?
Do you see the difference of kernel maintainers in a particular jurisdiction being subject to their individual national law, however silly it may be, and the Linux kernel and derivates being licensed under GPL?
I see that the leaders of kernel development had to remove maintainers for legal reason, because Linux is legally U.S.-based, so U.S. sanctions matter.
Yes, anyone could just fork it. But right now, the only relevant version of Linux is the one that is an U.S. kernel. 🤷♂️