https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-newbie-8/helwan-linux-1-0-stable-a-linux-distribution-you-won%27t-find-anywhere-else-here%27s-why-4175752612/A few days ago, I posted a thread on linuxquestions.org introducing Helwan Linux, a Linux distribution I’ve developed based on Arch Linux, specifically tailored for Arabic users and independent developers.
I wasn’t expecting applause, but I did expect some fair, technical, and constructive criticism.
Instead, the replies were filled with personal attacks, belittlement, and a dismissive tone that seemed more offended by the name and origin of the project than its content.
Some users reduced the entire project to lines like:
"What’s the difference? Just another Manjaro clone."
Or:
"Your tool doesn’t do anything KDE Network Manager can’t."
Even efforts to explain utilities like hel-netfix — built specifically to simplify common issues for beginners — were mocked, as though making Linux easier is something to be ashamed of.
When I politely responded and tried to clarify, the thread was closed — without warning, without explanation, without space for open dialogue.
I am not the first Arab or Muslim developer to experience this, but I refuse to be the next one to stay silent.
So I say this clearly:
LinuxQuestions.org is no longer a community of inclusion, but one that rejects what it does not recognize.
We do not seek praise — only respect.
And if we cannot find that in “open source” communities that preach diversity, we will build our own. Just like we did here, at Helwan Linux Forum.
Code should be measured by what it does — not the name, language, or nationality of the developer.