3 ms·
Democrap and the like are simply derogatory terms. And so are abbreviations like M$ for Microsoft or the German term Windoof (could be translated as Windumb) fo
by Gorgor 10y ago
Democrap and the like are simply derogatory terms. And so are abbreviations like M$ for Microsoft or the German term Windoof (could be translated as Windumb) for Windows. But this is not the kind of terms Stallman uses.
Instead, he usually tells you why he uses a specific term and I have yet to come across a case where he doesn't have a point with his term. Microsoft can be regarded as „Malware“, because it does things you do not expect and may not want it to do (like spy on you). Facebook users can be regarded as used, even though I don't think there is any point in denying that they themselves use Facebook, as well. I'm not educated enough to talk about DRM, but it seems he has a point in calling it Digital Restrictions Management, too.
If I'm not mistaken, Stallman now actually prefers the term libre to the term free, because it is less ambiguous. Or he sees the value in it; I don't recall it exactly.
- Arnavion 10y ago>But this is not the kind of terms Stallman uses. https://www.gnu.org/software/gettext/FAQ.html#windows_woe32 https://www.gnu.org/software/gettext/FAQ.html#windows_woe32 >What does Woe32 mean? >“Woe32” denotes the Windows 32-bit operating systems for x86: Windows NT/2000/XP/Vista and Windows 95/98/ME. Microsoft uses the term “Win32” to denote these; this is a psychological trick in order to make everyone believe that these OSes are a “win” for the user. However, for most users and developers, they are a source of woes, which is why I call them “Woe32”.
- Gorgor 10y agoGood find. I didn't know about that one.
- jonathankoren 10y agoInfamously MS Windows bindings for emacs are are prefaced "w32-" instead of the standard "win32-" because RMS decreed "Windows is not a 'winning' platform."
- GFK_of_xmaspast 10y agoBack in the day, "MS-DOS" used to always be "MS-DOG" and you can still find references to that: https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/emacs/MS_002dDOS.html https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/emacs/MS... and as late as 2014 it was still there in emacs: http://osdir.com/ml/emacs-diffs-gnu/2014-08/msg00048.html http://osdir.com/ml/emacs-diffs-gnu/2014-08/msg00048.html