@kde

Can we please remember that KDE contributors and maintainers don't owe **anything** to their users? And that they are free to decide to take the project in any direction they like, whether or not we agree with it? [1]

And can we also remember that the project is run by humans? You know, those humans that we don't want #AI to replace? That humans can make mistakes, especially when under duress? And that hurling insults at exhausted maintainers and volunteers is **not** the way to convince them of your superior moral stance?

There has to be a better way. I share the anxiety of watching way too many brilliant minds and projects subjugate themselves to the machine. But I am also convinced that insulting well-meaning people will not change their minds. Short of becoming contributors and maintainers ourselves, we will only affect change if we stay respectful of the people running the project.

[1] https://gist.github.com/richhickey/1563cddea1002958f96e7ba9519972d9

2/2

Yesterday I witnessed some of the most aggressive mud-slinging at an #opensource project I have ever observed (which admittedly may not mean much as I tend to stay away from conflicts like this).

@kde came under fire for a supposedly weak stance on #AI in the project and for accepting a weird talk for #Akademy2026 on an "AI-powered desktop that loves you back".

Despite repeated clarifications that the talk was nothing but a thought experiment that in no way represents the project's future direction, the pitch forks stayed up and the KDE account was eventually accused of being "fascist", among other things.

I dislike AI as much as anyone else around here and I would like to see #kde stay free of it, but I am also aware that this is not my decision to make.

The project provides its software free of charge to its users, which is an incredible gift to receive. 30 years of sophisticated development work, for free! (cont.)

#foss #freesoftware

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Hello world,

my name is Hardy, software developer and consultant working in systems integration and web development. Small business owner.

Fascinated by languages as a means of expression for programming computers and for talking to humans - challenging at times, but so much fun, too. Like #art and #music, which have been with me all my life (I'm old enough to have witnessed Miles Davis perform).

Fueled by green tea and lots of curiosity. Thanks for having me here.

#introduction