Historical Echoes: The Open Path of Linux and the Internet
Open systems will prevail—a principle repeatedly validated in technology and business history. Now, Ethereum is following the trajectory of the Internet and Linux to become the new representative of open infrastructure. In a tweet, Etherealize argued that permissionless infrastructure will ultimately defeat closed, proprietary systems. Linux overcame proprietary operating systems like Unix through its open-source, decentralized development model, becoming the cornerstone of servers and cloud computing. Similarly, the Internet's open protocols replaced closed network services. Ethereum is playing a similar role: a permissionless blockchain platform where anyone can build and participate without control by a single entity.
Fragmentation via Proprietary Chains: Stripe, JPMorgan, and Circle Go Their Own Ways
In the current crypto landscape, many large institutions are attempting to create their own closed chains. As Etherealize quoted: "Stripe wants everything to happen on Tempo, JPMorgan wants everything to happen on the JPMorgan Chain, and Circle wants everything to happen on Arc…" These proprietary chains operate in silos, limiting interoperability and user freedom. Ethereum, in contrast, provides a unified, open base layer that enables seamless collaboration among different applications. This mirrors the era when companies marketed proprietary Unix versions, only for Linux to eventually dominate the server market. The tweet was posted on June 19, 2026, garnering over 346,000 views and 26 replies, sparking widespread community discussion. The handle @Etherealize_io itself echoes Ethereum's mission of making the decentralized world a reality.
The Victory of Permissionless Infrastructure
The advantage of a permissionless architecture is that anyone can freely participate, innovation does not require permission, and network effects are not constrained by borders. Ethereum's composability is driving an explosion of decentralized applications, finance, and social protocols. Just as open systems succeeded in the Internet era, open infrastructure in the blockchain world is now winning. Is Ethereum the next Linux? From the perspective of technological evolution and community ecology, its openness and permissionless nature are the key factors.