cross-posted from: https://discuss.tchncs.de/post/64896415
For additional context, here’s Brian’s previous blog post about the first preview release of Xfwl4, where he describes his history with Xfce and the sponsorship.
https://www.spurint.org/journal/2026/06/xfwl4s-first-preview-release
Classic “it doesn’t affect me” (yet), so it’s fine. Maybe you’ll change your tune when you run out of drinkable water because data centers are pumping it on top of climate change.
How on Earth could you derive “I don’t give a shit” from “stand up to systems of oppression, don’t castigate individuals”? Do your eyes even work?
This type of name and shaming just doesn’t scale. You can’t recycle your way out of climate change. This type of thinking places the responsibility on the individual, who by very nature is powerless and who’s individual actions have essentially no effect on outcome.
These types of sentiments don’t scale well into change, but it certainly allows the person making the post to feel good and to let others know they think the right things.
Refusing to use the tools that profit the very thing we want to stop is part of standing up to it, how is that not obvious?
Use of literally any electronic or battery-operated device on the planet uses metals sourced from child and/or forced labor somewhere in the world. Unless you’re prepared to move off the grid and live in the woods, these type of arguments at higher levels are endlessly pointless IMO.
It’s definitely worth buying used wherever possible, and to repair electronics whenever possible to avoid unnecessary consumption (part of why Right to Repair is so important). Similarly, it’s quite beneficial to switch to plant-based meats to avoid both unnecessary animal suffering and the carbon emissions and resource wastage that goes with industrial animal production (especially as those resources become more and more scarce due to poor crop yields and drought from climate change).
It’s often not possible to do either of those things 100%, such as it not being possible to be completely vegan/vegetarian due to a family member that isn’t on board with it, but it’s still beneficial to do what they can, even if it’s only 20, 30, or 50%.
Corporate AI usage, on the other hand, is one of those things that truly is completely avoidable with virtually no effort, and was something we all got along fine without just a few years ago. There are even more ethical self-hosted or decentralized non-corporate alternatives.
Someone deciding to ignore the harmful externalities of corporate AI is making a choice to prioritize their own convenience over helping prevent our planet from becoming extremely unpleasant for billions of people and animals to live on, or the financing of a fascist surveillance state.
We’re not talking about you, you can do whatever you want. I’m talking about publicly naming and shaming developers for using what is now a widely accepted tool.
The developer made this public post of their own volition, presumably for others to read and make up their own mind on. It’s not naming and shaming to alert others their DE is going to be AI coded in the future, or to point out the potential downfalls of the project adopting AI.
Come on now, you didn’t just cross post this over here without adding your own editorializing. We understand your take, it colors your opinion, thats ok. Don’t walk it back now. Own it.
I think it’s quite clear I’m against AI use (especially in FLOSS projects) for the reasons I’ve laid out in the comments here, I make no bones about that. And you yourself are clearly pro-AI, and dislike arguments advocating against its use. You also appear to dislike the idea of individuals being able to contribute toward any sort of societal change with personal choices, instead much preferring to put the onus on a clearly corrupt government which is itself at the beck and call of the very AI companies we’re discussing.
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