Google is a Platinum member of the Linux Foundation
Google also announced today that it is a Platinum member of the Foundation. According to the Linux Foundation’s charter, Platinum Members have the right to participate in and support the production, manufacture, use, sale, and standardisation of Linux and other open source technologies at an annual fee of US$500,000.
Without Linux and open source software, Google cannot exist. Although you may not treat Google as a Linux company like Canonical, Red Hat or SUSE, without Google, Google will not be the search and advertising giant today. Google’s silver membership from the Linux Foundation has also promoted to platinum status.
As this status has improved, Google has gained a place on the Foundation’s board of directors. Sarah Novotny, head of open source strategy at Google’s Cloud Platform, will serve in this position. He said:
“Open source is an essential part of Google’s culture, and we’ve long recognized the potential of open ecosystems to grow quickly, be more resilient and adaptable in the face of change, and create better software.By working closely with [The Linux Foundation], we can better engage with the community-at-large and continue to build a more inclusive ecosystem where everyone can benefit.”
Jim Zemlin, executive director of the Linux Foundation, said:
“We are honored that Sarah Novotny, one of the leading figures in the open-source community, will join our board — she will be a tremendous asset. Google is one of the biggest contributors to and supporters of open source in the world, and we are thrilled that they have decided to increase their involvement in The Linux Foundation.“
Currently, there are more than 800 organisations that are members of the Linux Foundation. Among them, AT&T, Cisco, Fujitsu, Hitachi, Huawei, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, NEC, Oracle, Qualcomm, Tencent, Samsung, and VMware are all Platinum members.
Source: ZDNet
