Reddit (Condé Nast), Which Has Another Round of Layoffs This Month, Incited People Against GNU/Linux Users (Divide and Rule, It's 2003 All Over Again!)

posted by Roy Schestowitz on Dec 04, 2023

Do some GNU/Linux users have to hate others? Does somebody (perhaps a third party) fan the flames? Social control media thrives in and profits from a divided population as it drives up so-called 'engagement' (so-called "screen time" or time-wasting) and thus attracts advertisers/sponsors.

Today we saw two toxic and divisive posts, trying to split the GNU/Linux users along the lines of "moderates" and "fundamentalists", "fanatics" [1, 2], "zealots" and so on - going as far as to say that people who like Free-as-in-freedom software are "Anti-Semites" (which is funny given what people made GNU and the GPL). Classic divide-and-conquer or what? What's it all about?

This ridiculous inciting, with a rather strident tone, can now been seen in this new article, insinuating that wanting games to be compiled for something other than Windows makes one a "zealot". The source? Reddit, Reddit, Reddit.... (yes, 3 times)

Too much Reddit? The only site Microsoft has not (just yet) killed like Softpedia [1, 2] and maybe others? Because it's on Microsoft's side (inside its pocket)?

Reddit is a very toxic site where GNU/Linux moderators are removed, mostly to be replaced by Microsofters who censor messages about software freedom like they're extreme and unreasonable, in turn (over time) driving away particular messages or worldviews from the limelight. This is their business model

"MICROSOFT LOVES LINUX!" Repeat after Satya!

We remind readers that Microsoft sponsors Reddit and even put actual (convicted) pedophiles in that same company to publish "prepared" Microsoft puff pieces.

Speaking of Reddit, its parent company and Spotify have lots of layoffs, as per this past week's headlines. Condé Nast will discard about 300 employees [1-3] and Spotify about 1,500 employees [4-6]. DRM as a business model has perils (watch out, Valve! Netflix is your warning!), so don't rely on "Steam" as a 'champion' of GNU/Linux. Native builds for GNU/Linux will, in the long term, be the way to go. It's better in every way, including for developers (if done right, from the ground up).

Perhaps the rapid growth of GNU/Linux makes someone shaky over at Redmond, where there have been tons of layoffs this year and they're not even done yet.

Be prepared for Microsofters (like the one we responded to this morning, he uses Microsoft for E-mail) to try to incite one imaginary group inside the community against another. Matthew Garrett and other militants have been doing this for years, resulting in absurdly misguided posts that don't speak about software but instead talk about sex.

Notice I've not named the persons and sites that make those allegations. There's no point publicly shaming them; better to just address the point/s or correct the errors. It's sad we've come to this. It feels like Techrights again deals with toxic posts we saw lots of back in 2006. █

Related/contextual items from the news:

1. Vox and Condé Nast hold layoffs

   Vox Media and Condé Nast held layoffs Thursday, becoming the latest media companies to make cuts in an attempt to weather a tumultuous advertising market.

   Vox reduced its headcount by 4%, primarily laying off staff in product, design, technology and advertising; Vox.com; and The Dodo, according to company spokesperson Lauren Starke. At least 20 people were laid off, The New York Times reported.

   “This reflects continued turmoil in advertising and the need to build even more loyal audience relationships given the increasing volatility of search and social platforms, among other factors,” Starke wrote in an emailed statement.

2. Layoffs Hit Condé Nast and Vox Media

   The job cuts at Condé Nast come after the company said earlier this month that it will lay off upwards of 300 employees, representing 5% of total headcount, and take other cost-reduction measures. It’s not immediately clear which areas of the company are affected by the current round of layoffs. Sources insisted that there were no layoffs at Vanity Fair on Thursday — but those may be coming in the next few days. In a post on X, Puck media reporter Dylan Byers wrote that the company’s layoffs will affect staffers “at the New Yorker (which is rare), Vanity Fair (which is being hit particularly hard), and most other brands/titles.”

3. Vox and Condé Nast are latest to announce media layoffs

   Vox lays off at least 20 people in second round of cuts this year while Condé Nast to reduce staff by 5% over next few months

4. Spotify axes 17% of workforce in third round of layoffs this year

   Spotify says it's axing 17% of its global workforce, the music streaming service's third round of layoffs this year as it moves to slash costs while focusing on becoming profitable.

   In a message to employees posted on the company's blog Monday, CEO Daniel Ek said the jobs were being cut as part of a “strategic reorientation.” The post didn't specify how many employees would lose their jobs, but a spokesperson confirmed that it amounts to about 1,500 people.

5. Breaking: Spotify will slash 17% of its workforce in the second round of cuts this year after a series of high profile investments including Joe Rogan, Call Her Daddy and Harry and Meghan costing almost $300million

6. Spotify to cut 1,500 employees in third layoff round this year

   Music streaming giant Spotify SPOT.N said on Monday that it will lay off around 1,500 employees, or 17% of its headcount, to bring down costs, after letting 600 of its staff go in January, and 200 more in June.

   After a round of job cuts at the start of the year by tech companies, some have begun reducing their workforce again, with announcements coming from Amazon to Microsoft-owned LinkedIn.