Re: [vox] [rms@gnu.org: Re: Invitation to speak in Davis]

[Micah Cowan <micaMAPSh@cowanbox.com>]

On Sat, 2002-02-23 at 17:31, joseph e arruda wrote:
> 
> RMS is in my not-so-humble opinion, a hypocrite and a complete
> toad (not to mention the hygiene of a turdlump in a duststorm).  Having
> refused to shake his hand more times than I can count, I'd
> rather ask just about anyone else to speak (ESR would be my first choice) 
> 
> I can call ESR, but knowing how he is, it would probaly be a ways off (as
> he is usualy booked 20-30 days in advance).

I'd probably agree with the complete toad part.  I've not gotten close
enough to the guy to comment on his hygiene; but if there's one thing I
/don't/ believe he is, it's a hypocrite.  I admire a man who sticks to
his principles as much as RMS does, but then, I admire a man with more
reasonable principles than his.

RMS, unfortunately, has the stereotypical social graces of the average
hacker (which is to say, very little indeed).  He is completely lacking
in any semblance of tact, and tends to "strain at a gnat" in his
neverending quest of nitpickery.  And he is quite the control-freak.

However, I have him to thank for a very large chunk of software running
on my machine, and more than that, for serving as the strong advocate
for Free Software that he is, without which the majority of the software
on my box he didn't create would still probably cease to exist, I
think.  I can never forget that.

But having written the GNU almost-system as Free Software, I think that
if he had not wanted his GNU system (which, in itself, consists of
several pieces of software which he has no more right to call his own
than the Linux community may call theirs), he should not have created a
license which allows them the freedom to call it what they want.  Linux
is obviously an overloaded term - originally only the name of a kernel;
now the name of a slew of operating systems.  A name is a name, though,
and as someone pointed out, it's not a name's job to give credit.  That
belongs on the "back of the box" or whatever.  Certainly, GNU and the
FSF deserve much credit.  They don't get to call the shots on what the
system is named, though.

My $0.02,
Micah

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