Gutsy reply to Richard Stallman's recent FUD attempt on Android

[zridling]

Carlo Daffara's well-argued and brave riposte to Richard Stallman's Android FUD attempt.
http://carlodaffara....ree-and-generic-fud/
______________________________
I hate FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt) whether it is spelled from proponents of proprietary software or free software loyalist. I hate it because it uses half-truths, innuendo and emotional traps to prevent readers to form their own opinion using rational means.

Having said that, I have been already skeptical of the previous attempt of the FSF to declare that the GPLv2 is “dangerous” because it has no explicit reinstatement clause, piggybacking on posts by popular Android doomsayers that (wrongly) claimed that Android tablet vendors “lost their rights to the Linux kernel”. Now, RMS clearly aimed with bigger guns at Android, that is clearly irking to his freedom-loving personality and probably seen as a plague barely better than Windows. In doing so, he unfortunately reached the same level of his hated proprietary vendors, using a barrage of arguments that show little attention to the reality.

Given the fact that RMS cares nothing of me (I still remember the disdain when I suggested that “Libre” may have been a better word than “Free”) and I am tired of being hated only by academics, I would like to dissect a few of the points raised by our beloved Richard.

[40hz]

Excellent response on Daffara's part even if I might take issue with some parts of his argument.  

Much as I appreciate all RMS has done, I'll still be the first to admit he's far from infallible. Or unfailingly fair in his judgments.

                                 

But that's what sometimes happens when you're driven by a 'higher' truth.  

[iphigenie]

Yes, RMS is an idealist and not inclined to compromise. If he hadn't been, we would not have all the free software, open source, open standards that we have. I remember when languages had to be licensed and compilers paid for...

I still think that in this RMS is helping - even if he is crying wolf a little - keeping people vigilant and keeping Google on their toes, having to explain why things aren't released etc. If we didnt have people like him, we'd lose privileges without noticing, sometimes... And I am not sure he is totally wrong, there's a walled garden side to android, compared to what meego could have been :S

[40hz]

I still think that in this RMS is helping - even if he is crying wolf a little - keeping people vigilant and keeping Google on their toes, having to explain why things aren't released etc. If we didnt have people like him, we'd lose privileges without noticing, sometimes...

-iphigenie (September 25, 2011, 03:05 AM)

D'accord!

There's historical precedent for people like RMS

Socrates speaking to the Athenian court in Plato's Apology


And now, Athenians, I am not going to argue for my own sake, as you may think, but for yours, that you may not sin against the God, or lightly reject his boon by condemning me. For if you kill me you will not easily find another like me, who, if I may use such a ludicrous figure of speech, am a sort of gadfly, given to the state by the God; and the state is like a great and noble steed who is tardy in his motions owing to his very size, and requires to be stirred into life. I am that gadfly which God has given the state and all day long and in all places am always fastening upon you, arousing and persuading and reproaching you. And as you will not easily find another like me, I would advise you to spare me. I dare say that you may feel irritated at being suddenly awakened when you are caught napping; and you may think that if you were to strike me dead, as Anytus advises, which you easily might, then you would sleep on for the remainder of your lives, unless God in his care of you gives you another gadfly. And that I am given to you by God is proved by this: - that if I had been like other men, I should not have neglected all my own concerns, or patiently seen the neglect of them during all these years, and have been doing yours, coming to you individually, like a father or elder brother, exhorting you to regard virtue; this I say, would not be like human nature. And had I gained anything, or if my exhortations had been paid, there would have been some sense in that: but now, as you will perceive, not even the impudence of my accusers dares to say that I have ever exacted or sought pay of anyone; they have no witness of that. And I have a witness of the truth of what I say; my poverty is a sufficient witness.