The generations of the OSR, or sub-expressions of the OSR not directly linked to time but, temporally speaking, 1st gen did mostly come first, etc. This is specifically outlining core games, not supplementary material which is often cross-compatible.
1st Gen: Making clones that are close enough to old games to "support" and by supporting these clones you're actually supporting old games. Dark Dungeons, Labyrinth Lord, OSRIC, OSE, Blueholme, Full Metal Plate Mail. If your game isn't already on this list, don't attempt to add it. For some first gen clones, their changes were a product of their time (Labyrinth Lord has a bunch of unnecessary changes just to attempt to avoid lawsuits). Essentially all of these are made except one for AD&D2E, which arguably can't be made (For Gold and Glory fails on every level and is too boring to review beyond one sentence). There should be no more first generation clones coming out now or ever again. While most of these are competent, there's essentially no reason to play any of them.
2nd Gen: Making clones that are divergent from old games but are made in the spirit of old games. Where new OSRs should be now and forever. A different evolution path. LotFP, S&W, Basic Fantasy, Ambition & Avarice, ACK, Fantastic Heroes & Witchery, RPGPundit's garbage, Raven of the Scythe, Kevin Crawford's stuff, most of the Hacks, etc. As I alluded to, not all of these are good. In fact it's probably only around 30% good games.
3rd Gen: Same as 2nd Gen, but minimalist. NO campaign play support. Confusing acronyms OSR and FKR. Get all those unnecessary rules out and dive headfirst into Rulings! What could go wrong? Mork Bork, ItO, Electric Bastionland, Venger's stuff, Into the Unknown, Whitehack, Ben Milton's shit, etc. At this point we're walking into unplaytested thought-experiment territory and away from campaign play as a core principle. There is a significant drop in quality here, maybe 5% of these are worthwhile to read but virtually none of them are worth playing. The absolute best of these are heavy enough to qualify for being 2nd gen clones and therefore were designed OUT of this category.
4th Gen: Same as 3rd gen but specifically not a goddamn thing new, near 100% copies and thefts from 2nd gen-3rd gen clones (only mentioning 3rd gen as "inspiration"), and often highjacked with a political agenda. Unconquered for example. Itch.io is full of these fucking piles of garbage. Creators selling $2 "games" nobody will ever play but some might buy to make some kind of political statement or to support a trans person.
Now is time for more logical fun. I don't support someone for their born gender OR the gender they feel they are/decide for themselves. I don't support a person because of their race, including every race. I don't care about the hardships of others because I did not go through those hardships NOR create those hardships for others. I recognize we as a species are not past racism, sexism, etc. I am doing my part by not giving a fuck. This is the only way to treat everyone equally and get past it. Pushing anti-racism will only incite a reaction of racism. Etc. That's how humans work. They're stupid. We'll only ever get past these human failings by completely ceasing to give a fuck about these differences in people. Every other solution is designed to fail and repeat the cycle at onset and likely on purpose. What good are "sensitivity readers" when nobody gives a fuck anymore? They'll be out of a job! Proliferate that to everyone who uses these topics (and the anti of these topics) to gather cash and support.
Anyway, I noticed the trend of 4th gen clones, and it entirely exists because of the idiocy of woke culture.
