You skipped my question. Let me repeat it: What kind of product do you think an operating system kernel is, whose development is driven by a US citizen (Linus Torvalds) under the patronage of a US foundation (Linux Foundation) and with significant involvement of several US companies (Red Hat, Microsoft, NSA) and is usually delivered with a whole host of software from US organisations (foremost: GNU), if not a US product?
Microsoft is subject to US authority because they’re a US-based business. Meaning the gov can fine them or take away their business license or demand access to information they have stored, or any number of other things that Linux is simply not subject to, because they’re not a business and don’t store any user data at all.
How are they?
You skipped my question. Let me repeat it: What kind of product do you think an operating system kernel is, whose development is driven by a US citizen (Linus Torvalds) under the patronage of a US foundation (Linux Foundation) and with significant involvement of several US companies (Red Hat, Microsoft, NSA) and is usually delivered with a whole host of software from US organisations (foremost: GNU), if not a US product?
You skipped my question: How exactly are the US-based stewards of Linux development subject to US authority?
Microsoft is subject to US authority, because they’re legally US-based. So are Linus Torvalds and the kernel foundation.
Microsoft is subject to US authority because they’re a US-based business. Meaning the gov can fine them or take away their business license or demand access to information they have stored, or any number of other things that Linux is simply not subject to, because they’re not a business and don’t store any user data at all.