4 ms·

RMS was sitting in a hot seat when public scrutiny flooded in. With bullets whizzing past his head, he chose to post this language into the public sphere. Bad d

by gexla 7y ago

RMS was sitting in a hot seat when public scrutiny flooded in. With bullets whizzing past his head, he chose to post this language into the public sphere. Bad decision. You're fired. This is like being in a room with people who may be known to possess drugs and then running your mouth when the cops bust in. "Maybe cocaine isn't so bad!" Just shut up. Plead the 5th. "Talk to my lawyer, representative or whatever." Take your right to remain silent because any stupid sh you say can and will be used against you. Stay in your lane, especially as a representative of others. If you're going to run your mouth, then at least wait until you get home and do it on your own equipment using personal channels. And even then you still might be representing others. Opinions aren't cheap. They have a real cost. You should be well aware of what those costs might be and the risks you are facing. Then go ahead and give your opinion if you're willing to pay those costs. This is a skill everyone needs to have, but many don't. Even if he did the calcs and decided the cost was worth it, he still did so as a rep of an org which didn't share his values. Gnu must be a different situation and a different culture. I assume he would have already been forced out if it were possible. Maybe they have an air-gapped room in the basement with a desk and a red stapler.

virgilp 7y ago
> Opinions aren't cheap. They have a real cost. I.e. "before trying to form your own opinions, make sure you can afford to". Nice world we live in. I don't disagree with you wrt the current state of affairs, I just find it rather sad.
- gexla 7y ago
  > I.e. "before trying to form your own opinions, make sure you can afford to". Nice world we live in. Feature, not a bug. Having a real cost means it could also have real value. When someone has taken a great risk to do something, then it carries more weight to take it seriously. Don't be using fighting words unless you're ready to fight. ;) And we already know how to do this with our daily actions. It just seems we're too quick to give the mouth a free pass to get loose. RMS believed in free software and much the reason why he has fans is because he backs his words up with his actions. He has worked his tail off over the years and he gives up the convenience that non-free software provides. When he talks about free software, he backs that up with a massive lifetime workload dedicated to the subject. Why risk that to talk about something which he has no clue about, especially when the heat is bashing the door in. He's representing other people and he's in a public position. The leader in the room is that guy who tells everyone to shut up, flush your contraband down the toilet, don't talk to anyone and look like you did nothing wrong. He failed in that, and he's not the sort of guy I would want in my car if we got pulled over. If he wants to try something different, may I suggest Legos? Puzzles? If you take up explosives as a hobby, then don't be surprised if you get your leg blown off. Unless Dave Chappele is your press secretary, stay away from any subjects which might be tagged as "sexual assuault" "underage girls" "age of consent". I got anxiety just typing all that. He's nuts.
  - throw_xyzyz 7y ago
    >bug. Having a real cost means it could also have real value. When someone has taken a great risk to do something, then it carries more weight to take it seriously. Don't be using fighting words unless you're ready to fight. ;) I miss the good old days when we burned people for their opinions. The ideas were worth so much more when you could get literally killed for a thing your husbands mistress could say you said 20 years ago.
  - virgilp 7y ago
    > I got anxiety just typing all that. He's nuts. Exactly. I'll never achieve something as big as GNU or FSF - because I get anxiety just thinking at the personal consequences. Because of that, allow me to be sad that the world thinks what happened to RMS is ok. "Overdue", even, some would say.
  - lostjohnny 7y ago
    > I got anxiety just typing all that. That's why people who are scared of their own opinion never accomplish anything.
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
x220 7y ago
If you don't speak you mind, sooner or later it will be too late to speak your mind and the system will become too constricting. It's telling that you are referring to overzealous cops when we're discussing SJWs pressuring rms. Maybe he thought he was better off speaking his mind (consequences be damned) than shutting up for years and years.
denton-scratch 7y ago
"This is a skill everyone needs to have, but many don't" I think that may be true. I suspect that skill of knowing when to STFU may be one that is exhibited by some successful serial business leaders; I mean the hired-help sort, not startup CEOs. And I suspect the skill is uncommon among techs and engineers, who tend to have a "whole truth, nothing but the truth" attitude.

by gexla 7y ago

virgilp 7y ago

> Opinions aren't cheap. They have a real cost. I.e. "before trying to form your own opinions, make sure you can afford to". Nice world we live in. I don't disagree with you wrt the current state of affairs, I just find it rather sad.

gexla 7y ago
> I.e. "before trying to form your own opinions, make sure you can afford to". Nice world we live in. Feature, not a bug. Having a real cost means it could also have real value. When someone has taken a great risk to do something, then it carries more weight to take it seriously. Don't be using fighting words unless you're ready to fight. ;) And we already know how to do this with our daily actions. It just seems we're too quick to give the mouth a free pass to get loose. RMS believed in free software and much the reason why he has fans is because he backs his words up with his actions. He has worked his tail off over the years and he gives up the convenience that non-free software provides. When he talks about free software, he backs that up with a massive lifetime workload dedicated to the subject. Why risk that to talk about something which he has no clue about, especially when the heat is bashing the door in. He's representing other people and he's in a public position. The leader in the room is that guy who tells everyone to shut up, flush your contraband down the toilet, don't talk to anyone and look like you did nothing wrong. He failed in that, and he's not the sort of guy I would want in my car if we got pulled over. If he wants to try something different, may I suggest Legos? Puzzles? If you take up explosives as a hobby, then don't be surprised if you get your leg blown off. Unless Dave Chappele is your press secretary, stay away from any subjects which might be tagged as "sexual assuault" "underage girls" "age of consent". I got anxiety just typing all that. He's nuts.
- throw_xyzyz 7y ago
  >bug. Having a real cost means it could also have real value. When someone has taken a great risk to do something, then it carries more weight to take it seriously. Don't be using fighting words unless you're ready to fight. ;) I miss the good old days when we burned people for their opinions. The ideas were worth so much more when you could get literally killed for a thing your husbands mistress could say you said 20 years ago.
- virgilp 7y ago
  > I got anxiety just typing all that. He's nuts. Exactly. I'll never achieve something as big as GNU or FSF - because I get anxiety just thinking at the personal consequences. Because of that, allow me to be sad that the world thinks what happened to RMS is ok. "Overdue", even, some would say.
- lostjohnny 7y ago
  > I got anxiety just typing all that. That's why people who are scared of their own opinion never accomplish anything.

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]

deleted 7y ago
[deleted]

x220 7y ago

If you don't speak you mind, sooner or later it will be too late to speak your mind and the system will become too constricting. It's telling that you are referring to overzealous cops when we're discussing SJWs pressuring rms. Maybe he thought he was better off speaking his mind (consequences be damned) than shutting up for years and years.

denton-scratch 7y ago

"This is a skill everyone needs to have, but many don't" I think that may be true. I suspect that skill of knowing when to STFU may be one that is exhibited by some successful serial business leaders; I mean the hired-help sort, not startup CEOs. And I suspect the skill is uncommon among techs and engineers, who tend to have a "whole truth, nothing but the truth" attitude.