This surreal comic has something resembling the Slackware logo.

https://analognowhere.com/_/agcion/

On Mon, 15 Apr 2024 21:19:19 -0000 (UTC), Ben Collver wrote:

> This surreal comic has something resembling the Slackware logo.
>
> https://analognowhere.com/_/agcion/

Yes, and there is a "Redhat". Hmmm.

But what does the comic mean?

On 2024-04-20, Joseph Rosevear <Mail@JoesLife.org> wrote:
> On Mon, 15 Apr 2024 21:19:19 -0000 (UTC), Ben Collver wrote:
>> This surreal comic has something resembling the Slackware logo.
>> https://analognowhere.com/_/agcion/
>
> Yes, and there is a "Redhat". Hmmm.
> But what does the comic mean?

There are probably multiple layers of meaning. In the story arc of the
comic, there is a megacorp (MATA) set on ruling the world.

I have noticed in online forums that people who don't like SystemD
are often accused of being "religious nuts." Here we have a penguin
priest holding a golden shell-prompt staff, warning an emperor
penguin not to align or march with the corporation. In the next
pane, the emperor penguin disavows interest in the priest's
superstition and declares intent to conquer the world, whilst a
MATA corporate entity has their hand on the emperor's shoulder.

Considering that the lead architect of SystemD began at Redhat and now
works for Microsoft, i can see a connection there.

Linux is being compared to the Roman empire. Since Redhat and Microsoft
both started in the USA, this could be symbolic of conflicts and
tensions among plebeians of the modern day "Babylon."

I also think it is valid to compare Slackware to mysticism. Slackware
has at times shown an almost prescient leadership. For example,
early adopters of the x86_64 architecture tried different competing
ways of organizing the 32-bit versus 64-bit binaries, but eventually
settled on the way that Slackware did it. That's just my take.

On Sun, 21 Apr 2024 15:01:48 -0000 (UTC), Ben Collver wrote:

[snip]

> There are probably multiple layers of meaning. In the story arc of the
> comic, there is a megacorp (MATA) set on ruling the world.
>
> I have noticed in online forums that people who don't like SystemD are
> often accused of being "religious nuts." Here we have a penguin priest
> holding a golden shell-prompt staff, warning an emperor penguin not to
> align or march with the corporation. In the next pane, the emperor
> penguin disavows interest in the priest's superstition and declares
> intent to conquer the world, whilst a MATA corporate entity has their
> hand on the emperor's shoulder.
>
> Considering that the lead architect of SystemD began at Redhat and now
> works for Microsoft, i can see a connection there.
>
> Linux is being compared to the Roman empire. Since Redhat and Microsoft
> both started in the USA, this could be symbolic of conflicts and
> tensions among plebeians of the modern day "Babylon."
>
> I also think it is valid to compare Slackware to mysticism. Slackware
> has at times shown an almost prescient leadership. For example,
> early adopters of the x86_64 architecture tried different competing ways
> of organizing the 32-bit versus 64-bit binaries, but eventually settled
> on the way that Slackware did it. That's just my take.

You bring some interesting information to the discussion. I wondered
about the "$" on the staff--of course, the shell-prompt! And the priests
clearly represent Slackware. To me it sounds like the Slackware priests
are explaining to the Redhat representative that the Slackware
maintainers--that would be Patrick and his team--disapprove of Redhat's
alliance with Mata. (Or are Patrick and his team the priests?)

Well, Mata is "Meta", yes? And the dude behind the Redhat guy is an AI.
I did a little research online and learned about the AI Alliance. Here
is an *edited* quote from an article I found (I'll give the URL below.):

"IBM and Meta are proud to co-launch the AI Alliance with leading
organizations across industry, government and academia. Partners and
collaborators include:

IBM

Intel

Linux Foundation

Meta

Red Hat"

URL:
https://www.redhat.com/en/blog/ai-alliance-launches-international-
community-leading-technology-developers-researchers-and-adopters-
collaborating-together-advance-open-safe-responsible-ai

Of course the CorpoBarians are the big tech companies, namely, Alphabet,
Apple, Microsoft, Meta. (Here is a better list: https://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/List_of_largest_technology_companies_by_revenue.)

Of course, I could be wrong.