Is Linux open and free?

Question

linux

The question arose due to the ban on android for huawei.
questions:
1) are there any backdoors in the linux kernel and distributions?
2) is free software free? (and not exclusively free for Americans, after all, as I understand the contributors are not only Americans)
3) is it worth learning the Linux kernel and linux api to create your own projects? (as I understood the USA at any time by law can prohibit use in any country)
4) what does the license of the latest version of linux say in general terms? (I do not know English so well and am not well versed in law)

Answer 1

1) are there any backdoors in the linux kernel and distributions?

Yes. 0-day-holes cart and small cart.

2) is free software free? (and not exclusively free for Americans, after all, as I understand it, contributors are not only Americans)

Yes.

3) Is it worth it to study the Linux kernel and linux api to create your own projects? (As I understand it, the United States at any time can legally prohibit use in any country)

Yes. US bans do not affect Linux in any way.

4) what does the license of the latest version of linux say in general terms? (I don't know English that well and I'm not legally savvy)

Google the translation.

Answer 2

"android for huawei" is not prohibited. And then went full trash.

Answer 3

Do not confuse the kernel and the full OS. Linux kernel is distributed under GPLv2, Android Open Source Project - under Apache2 and the kernel will take <1% of the code there. Google actually forbade them from using Play Services because of the embargo, they cannot forbid cooking their firmware over AOSP.

Answer 4

1) It seems that even with open source - no backdoors were found. However, this does not exclude their presence.
2) It depends on what is considered freedom.
3) Yes, because Linux is very widespread. In addition, other fairly popular systems like FreeBSD have a lot in common with Linux. And some of the interfaces are generally POSIX-standard.
It is possible to prohibit the use of Linux. But this does not mean that the rest of the world will not put a jade rod on such a ban.

Answer 5

1) Show me at least one software product that has no bugs with so many lines of code and developers. It's just that with respect to the entire code, there are much fewer of them than in analogues.
2) yes.
3) yes.
Huawei was not banned from using android, they use it (just the same, thanks for the Linux license). They were forbidden to use Google programs (play store). This is commercial intellectual property.

Answer 6

android (its open source part AOSP) is not forbidden for anyone because it is impossible. but American companies are not allowed to provide their services to Huawei. phone certification and google play services are a service provided by google and therefore not available to huawei.
similarly, redhat will not be able to deliver its Linux distributions to countries and companies that are under sanctions. but you can always use any code under an open license as long as you fulfill its conditions (there are licenses where you need to, for example, put beer to the developer at a meeting and that's it, but there is gpl, the main point of which is that all your developments based on this code should be distributed under gpl terms)