Main Area and Open Discussion > General Software Discussion

Why I stand up for Stallman

(1/3) > >>

zridling:
Nice pieces by Jack Schofield and another by Dave Winer that get attention earlier this week:

"Stallman set out to write a free clone of Unix, single-handed, in 1983, and wrote the free Emacs editor, GNU C compiler and debugger and other programs -- a prodigious feat. He also founded the Free Software Foundation, and developed the GPL (GNU Public Licence) under which a great deal of free and open source software is released. GNU and the GPL have been hugely influential, and in this context, complaining about the fact that (say) Stallman likes parrots is ridiculously small-minded and conformist. Harmless eccentricities should be celebrated, not disallowed."


________________________________________
Leave Richard Stallman alone
by Jack Schofield
http://www.zdnet.co.uk/blogs/jacks-blog-10017212/leave-richard-stallman-alone-10024721/

Why I stand up for Stallman
by Dave Winer
http://scripting.com/stories/2011/10/31/whyIStandUpForStallman.html

Renegade:
I read through the info packet. Interesting. Very detailed.

I can only say that my respect for Stallman only grows. I certainly can't manage to switch over to a truly free OS and software stack as I'd starve to death then. But I do appreciate it. Perhaps one day I'll be able to make the leap.

zridling:
I love the part about "I like parrots, but if you have me over, don't go out and buy a parrot!"

And I wouldn't consider switching to free software only. However, it's the idea that I'm attracted to -- making a contribution, making the world a better place without it costing you an arm, leg, your privacy, all your cash, your data, your credit cards, etc. (Apple, Google, Facebook, Microsoft -- corporate computing in general). The best someone like Steve Jobs could do was take a 30% cut and tell you to be grateful you're allowed to even make an app. No one's perfect, but at least Mr. Gates uses his wealth to help humans.

Renegade:
I love the part about "I like parrots, but if you have me over, don't go out and buy a parrot!"

And I wouldn't consider switching to free software only. However, it's the idea that I'm attracted to -- making a contribution, making the world a better place without it costing you an arm, leg, your privacy, all your cash, your data, your credit cards, etc. (Apple, Google, Facebook, Microsoft -- corporate computing in general). The best someone like Steve Jobs could do was take a 30% cut and tell you to be grateful you're allowed to even make an app. No one's perfect, but at least Mr. Gates uses his wealth to help humans.
-zridling (November 05, 2011, 06:02 PM)
--- End quote ---

In principle, I am really attracted to everything Stallman stands for. I just can't put food on the table that way though... :( I wish I could.

mwb1100:
And rather than having a hissy fit about The Stallman Dialogues, a website carrying made-up conversations based on his "info packet", Stallman has linked to it from his humor page.-http://www.zdnet.co.uk/blogs/jacks-blog-10017212/leave-richard-stallman-alone-10024721/
--- End quote ---

"The Stallman Dialogs" has to be about the least humorous thing I've ever read.  It's not funny.  It's not really insulting or offensive.  It's not interesting or clever.  It's just boring - not worth anyone's time.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page