4 ms·

I can appreciate the fact that Richard Stallman fights for FOSS, and I would say I am a huge supporter and proponent of FOSS however in this instance(and many o

I can appreciate the fact that Richard Stallman fights for FOSS, and I would say I am a huge supporter and proponent of FOSS however in this instance(and many others), he is just completely way out there. His standard may not be completely unrealistic, but it is borderline and would make my life and work, pretty inconvenient.

joe_the_user 16y ago
He isn't phrasing it in contemporary terms. But I think the issues around Facebook and the iPhone show the rising walled-garden environments we see today have serious issues concerning one's control of one's data.
rimantas 16y ago
His fans alway point out that his ideas are for some greater good, but don't ever bother to elaborate how the ultimate future according to Stallman would look like. Another common point is that they adore the guy sticking to his believes. You know what, believes can be wrong too… His is way out simply because his needs and thinking is waaaay different from ordinary people (software users). I couldn't care less how proprietary is equipment in my car, all I want is it to run smoothly. On the other hand mechanic servicing my car couldn't care less what powers his computer as long as it does what he needs. I am sure there will be a lot hand waving about the greater good without any demonstration of such good. I don't think any radical idea was ever good.
- deleted 16y ago
  [deleted]
- obsaysditto 16y ago
  I don't think any radical idea was ever good. What? Something that seems radical today is the norm of tomorrow. Columbus looking for new trade routes was radical, but good. Ending world hunger is a pretty radical idea, but it will be good. Being an entrepreneur is radical.
  - protomyth 16y ago
    "Columbus looking for new trade routes was radical, but good." - got a lot of ancestors on my father's side who would disagree.
    - obsaysditto 16y ago
      Genocide of the native population wasn't the initial thought I had in mind.
      - protomyth 16y ago
        I figured (should have added the smiley) - the naming he chose really is a (lesser) pain, too. Although, how radical the idea was pretty dependent on the lost knowledge of Eratosthenes and the black plague cutting off the Mongol lands.
- alextgordon 16y ago
  You're not supposed take Stallman's claims at face value. His vision is unimportant, what matters is his effect on the world. The FSF exists to provide balance: remember we have companies radically promoting proprietary software, we just don't notice it because that's what companies normally do. The FSF promoting free software seems a little odd because they're not a company and the software is free, however it's not really any different. There's absolutely no chance of proprietary software disappearing (at least in capitalist countries), but without Stallman free software might have been much less popular.
orblivion 16y ago
I feel the same way. As crazy as people like him are, if he weren't there being all crazy, we probably wouldn't have as much software freedom as we do.

joe_the_user 16y ago

He isn't phrasing it in contemporary terms. But I think the issues around Facebook and the iPhone show the rising walled-garden environments we see today have serious issues concerning one's control of one's data.

rimantas 16y ago

His fans alway point out that his ideas are for some greater good, but don't ever bother to elaborate how the ultimate future according to Stallman would look like. Another common point is that they adore the guy sticking to his believes. You know what, believes can be wrong too… His is way out simply because his needs and thinking is waaaay different from ordinary people (software users). I couldn't care less how proprietary is equipment in my car, all I want is it to run smoothly. On the other hand mechanic servicing my car couldn't care less what powers his computer as long as it does what he needs. I am sure there will be a lot hand waving about the greater good without any demonstration of such good. I don't think any radical idea was ever good.

deleted 16y ago
[deleted]
obsaysditto 16y ago
I don't think any radical idea was ever good. What? Something that seems radical today is the norm of tomorrow. Columbus looking for new trade routes was radical, but good. Ending world hunger is a pretty radical idea, but it will be good. Being an entrepreneur is radical.
- protomyth 16y ago
  "Columbus looking for new trade routes was radical, but good." - got a lot of ancestors on my father's side who would disagree.
  - obsaysditto 16y ago
    Genocide of the native population wasn't the initial thought I had in mind.
    - protomyth 16y ago
      I figured (should have added the smiley) - the naming he chose really is a (lesser) pain, too. Although, how radical the idea was pretty dependent on the lost knowledge of Eratosthenes and the black plague cutting off the Mongol lands.
alextgordon 16y ago
You're not supposed take Stallman's claims at face value. His vision is unimportant, what matters is his effect on the world. The FSF exists to provide balance: remember we have companies radically promoting proprietary software, we just don't notice it because that's what companies normally do. The FSF promoting free software seems a little odd because they're not a company and the software is free, however it's not really any different. There's absolutely no chance of proprietary software disappearing (at least in capitalist countries), but without Stallman free software might have been much less popular.

orblivion 16y ago

I feel the same way. As crazy as people like him are, if he weren't there being all crazy, we probably wouldn't have as much software freedom as we do.