1Password wades into a right-wing mess after funding a Linux project

What happened

The popular password manager 1Password faced immediate backlash from its customer base this week after announcing a significant financial commitment. The company pledged three hundred thousand dollars to support a Linux distribution created by David Heinemeier Hansson. This decision quickly drew intense scrutiny due to the creator's history of publishing overtly racist blog posts, which included controversial comments calling for the deportation of ethnic minorities in Europe.

How it works

This article examines the details of

Why it matters

The popular password manager is now a “distinguished corporate patron” of Omacom, the nonprofit foundation that oversees a popular Linux distribution known as Omarchy.One viral blog post declared that 1Password “Supports the Ethnic Cleansing of Europe” because of the donation. Omarchy is DHH’s “opinionated” version of Linux, meaning it’s Linux the way he likes to use it.

Who is affected

It’s also, apparently, one of 1Password’s big customer environments.The backlash to 1Password’s funding should have been predictable; DHH’s reactionary comments aren’t new. Way back in 2023, Duke University Libraries dropped one of DHH’s products, Basecamp, citing “harms we see perpetuated by the leadership of Basecamp’s parent company, 37signals,” which is co-owned by DHH.

What to watch next

At the time, Duke noted DHH’s attack on DEI programs and The Verge’s reporting on Basecamp banning “societal and political discussions” at work.This year, DHH has published rants that appear to call for ethnic cleansing in Europe. See the full write-up from The Verge via the source link for quotes and complete context.