The Dark Side of Open Source: When Elitism Kills Community Spirit

Hello, beautiful people! Today I want to dive deep into something that's been bothering me lately: the elitism that's creeping into open source communities. You know that feeling when you're trying to escape big tech and their walled gardens, only to run straight into another barrier?

Picture this scenario. You're fed up with surveillance capitalism and decide to try open source alternatives like PeerTube, Owncast, or Linux. You download the software, join the community forum, and ask what seems like a simple question. Suddenly you're drowning in technical jargon you don't understand, getting hit with "RTFM" responses or snarky "let me Google that for you" links. You get the distinct feeling that you've just been judged for not having some built-in knowledge base about Linux, as if asking a basic question is like asking whether the sky is blue.

This is what I call open source elitism. The door is technically open, but not everyone gets a warm welcome when they walk through it.

My Recent Wake-Up Call

What sparked this conversation for me was a recent experience trying out Fedora 42. I've been dabbling in Linux for over a couple of years now, and if you're reading this, you know I'm a big proponent of Owncast and open source software in general. I've gone through the trials and tribulations of installing PeerTube, set up hosting for various open source projects, and built out home labs for testing.

So I decided to try Fedora 42 on a spare drive. After getting through the installation process with the usual Linux hiccups, I worked on getting Steam installed and tried to run an older game called Secret World Legends. Last year, this took me two hours and some serious digging to get working. This time around, I was getting one or two frames per second, characters weren't loading, and it was basically a slideshow disaster.

After fixing that issue using my previous research, I tried Marvel Rivals, which some people claimed worked well on Linux. Unfortunately, that was a no-go. So I wrote a short post on social media saying "Linux gaming is almost there" for most games, but some still aren't quite ready yet.

That's when I met my first real troll.

The Gatekeepers Come Out

This person jumped into my Blue Sky comments calling me a "Microsoft shill" spreading FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt). I took a quick look at their profile and discovered they'd made it their life mission to patrol social media, telling anyone with Linux troubles to "just go back to Windows."

Here's someone who claims to love Linux and open source, yet actively pushes people away from it. It's this exact elitism that can kill the momentum of open source adoption. Yes, we all understand that Windows is bloated, but the reality is that most people can use it without major problems. When they try to have that same experience on Linux, it's often a 50-50 shot whether things will work smoothly.

The Real Impact of Elitism

I've talked about this before when discussing Mastodon and getting people to have patience with the Fediverse. There's a vocal minority that seems to be gatekeeping the Linux and open source experience, deciding who they think is "worthy" of using these systems.

To those people, I have to say: you're wrong. Linux and open source software are for everyone. If you want more people to discover the passion for open source and help make it better, you need to stop with this elitist gatekeeping. You're not guarding the sanctity of Linux. You're actually hurting it.

Growing Pains Are Normal

I understand this stuff isn't for everybody, and yes, there are going to be growing pains. When newcomers look at Linux, they're hit with a hundred different distribution choices and don't know where to start. That's exactly why it's so valuable when people create guides and tutorials, pointing beginners toward user-friendly options like Linux Mint.

The best community members are those who guide newcomers without doing the work for them. Think of it like gardening: "Here are some seeds and a hand trowel. You're going to make mistakes, and that's fine. We've got your back, but we're not going to plant your garden for you."

We need more of this supportive community outreach instead of trolls who seem to actively harm the very community they claim to protect.

The Gaming Challenge

Right now I'm working with Bazzite on my gaming computer, and it's not cooperating at all. This is one of those situations where someone might jump in and say, "I never have problems with my machine. Must be user error. Go back to Windows."

But here's the thing: your use case isn't the same as everyone else's. Technology isn't going to work 100% of the time for everyone. I used Linux Mint for most of 2024 with very few problems, but I couldn't play Fortnite or Overwatch due to kernel-level anti-cheat systems. That's not a Linux problem; that's a business decision by publishers who don't want their games played on Linux.

The introduction of the Steam Deck has been fantastic for pushing developers toward better Linux compatibility through Proton, which essentially tricks games into thinking they're running on Windows. Unfortunately, major titles like Fortnite, Valorant, and most Riot games still can't be played on Linux because of anti-cheat concerns.

The Anti-Cheat Arms Race

Publishers are worried about cheaters using Linux systems, so they've implemented kernel-level anti-cheat that embeds directly into Windows code. This creates its own security concerns since if a cheater cracks kernel-level access, they essentially have the keys to the entire system. It's an arms race where each side temporarily gains an advantage before the other catches up.

Building a Better Community

Looking forward, we need to understand the average user better. We have to put ourselves in their shoes and stop thinking "why are you asking that question? Everyone knows that." This mentality has to change if we want to ensure the survival and growth of Linux and open source software.

We need to cultivate a more welcoming atmosphere for people who are interested, experimenting, or just curious about what this "Linux thing" is all about. Instead of pushing them away, let's say, "Here are the tools. Let's get you started."

The beauty of open source is that it's supposed to be open to everyone. When we create barriers through elitism and gatekeeping, we're betraying the very principles that make these projects special in the first place.

Your Turn

Have you encountered these elitist gatekeepers in your open source journey? Or maybe you've had a great experience with welcoming communities that helped you get started? I'd love to hear your stories in the comments or join our community at indiecreator.space where our forums are always open for discussion.

Until next time, let's think about what we can do together to make open source more truly open. Have a great week, and I'll see you later, taters!

The Independent Creator