Context: X11Libre is a fork of X11 aiming at preserving the X Server (fair enough, right?). One of the creators got permanently banned from freedesktop.org for apparently violating the Code of Conduct (no info on that, they just blame Red Hat), see themselves as hunted by both Big Tech and “toxic elements” who “took over the X11 project” They want to “make X great again”.
The issue about their highly political README (which they wrote due to the original project “becoming too political”, lol) also contains the usual red flags like transphobia. https://github.com/X11Libre/xserver/issues/40
Linus has good values, by he’s also a toxic asshole that surrounded himself with other toxic assholes. And that’s why both immoral people and nice people eventually get shown the door / leave the Linux project.
He used to be, but he has become surprisingly chill from what I’ve seen. Maybe it’s just coincidence, but I’m under the impression that “no compiler warnings” thing, as well as the introduction of C11 and Rust played a role in that. In all three instances he made an open minded decision, all of them after he realised he was wrong on numbers one and two
He absolutely admits when he’s wrong (as soon as he realizes anyway). I think it’s part of his “no bullshit” value extending to himself.
His outbursts were always with good reason. But you don’t need to belittle and scorn people to enforce values in a community. You don’t need to be an ass. He was, and attracted people like him, and now it’s darn near impossible to turn that culture around. At last not until a lot of the assholes like Ted retire.
He’s gotten a lot better
Eh… Too little, too late.