6 ms·

I am here to say I am pleased to see RMS active in software issues again. I am a fan of his ideas related to software, and his gift to us has paid me and most

I am here to say I am pleased to see RMS active in software issues again. I am a fan of his ideas related to software, and his gift to us has paid me and most of my peers off over and over. Tons of others have added to all that and here we are today. Personally, I will consider what he says about software, data, IP. The man is not often wrong. Has a lot to say, and he should be heard. There are other issues, and that is all quite difficult. Painful. I would say unnecessary, but I know better, save to say I do not see that in terms of bad intent. I do see a very different set of priorities. Not speaking to right or wrong here, just understanding and a desire to move open ideas further along, bolster them to endure. I sincerely hope everyone involved can help keep the focus where it counts. I do not plan on speaking to RMS as a person, nor giving his opinions weight outside of computing freedom. Given these times, an RMS, however painful, seems necessary. I just want the software, data, IP vision to endure, thrive and continue to deliver far more use value than any one contributor adds or user invests. He can really help to do that, and I think he should. OSS is a beautiful thing. I remember the first time I heard about GNU. Was profound. Took a while, and the likes of ESR and others who took the time to write and speak to people like me seeking to grok it all. Unlike physical goods and services, software can be a multiplier. The whole is greater than the parts. We can, and often easily do, get more than we may give. These ideas have empowered people all over the world. And they range from curious, driven people of little means dumpster diving to get going through to others who may want for nothing, all able to pick up the body of OSS code and open data and run with it. I feel deeply our actions, law, norms, expectations all set now will matter for a very long time. Getting all that more right than wrong is going to touch pretty much everyone and the potential impacts are profound. The possible futures vary widely, and not just degrees of good. It could all be not so good at all. Either way, this will all solidify. Does not have to be bad. I sure hope it isn't.

CJefferson 6y ago
Genuine question, is there anything useful he has said in the last 10 years he has said you can point to? He seems helplessly lost in the past, before the web, the explosion in javascript, etc. etc.
- ddingus 6y ago
  Avoiding closed devices, say ones that a person cannot write and run a program on without some sort of permission? Old != wrong and or irrelevant The FSF matters, the ideas matter. RMS is an important part of all that. Web? Javascript? There is a big world of software out there.
  - CJefferson 6y ago
    The problem is (in my mind), the FSF doesn't matter, and RMS is a major part of that. He pushed away the vast majority of the leading voices in open source over the years (I don't se meant major open source coders / project leaders defending or supporting him. Most dislike him).
    - ddingus 6y ago
      This is simple: Are the ideas worth it or not? To me, they are worth some effort. How likable RMS happens to be is an entirely different matter. And, frankly an excuse I have seen used to dodge a meaningful discussion about the ideas. My only interest in RMS is related to those ideas, put another way.
      - detaro 6y ago
        RMS came to speak at my university. He probably did more damage to general student perception of anything associated with the FSF than industry-ass-kissing professors did in the 3 years prior in that one day. Thus if you want the ideas to succeed, you want to make them matter independently of the "brands" of RMS and FSF, especially now the FSF has decided it wants to continue to tie its "brand" to RMS going forward. ("brand" in quotes because it's not quite what we usually mean with that term, but I can't think of a better English word right now)
        ddingus 6y ago
        RMS literally created the thing. Others can and should be doing active, mass outreach. Leader does not have to mean public figure. Someone has to really mean it. RMS has no peers in this regard. Maybe the right thing to do here is firm up a 5 year plan, go on a donation drive and fund organizers, who can work the crowds.

CJefferson 6y ago

Genuine question, is there anything useful he has said in the last 10 years he has said you can point to? He seems helplessly lost in the past, before the web, the explosion in javascript, etc. etc.

ddingus 6y ago
Avoiding closed devices, say ones that a person cannot write and run a program on without some sort of permission? Old != wrong and or irrelevant The FSF matters, the ideas matter. RMS is an important part of all that. Web? Javascript? There is a big world of software out there.
- CJefferson 6y ago
  The problem is (in my mind), the FSF doesn't matter, and RMS is a major part of that. He pushed away the vast majority of the leading voices in open source over the years (I don't se meant major open source coders / project leaders defending or supporting him. Most dislike him).
  - ddingus 6y ago
    This is simple: Are the ideas worth it or not? To me, they are worth some effort. How likable RMS happens to be is an entirely different matter. And, frankly an excuse I have seen used to dodge a meaningful discussion about the ideas. My only interest in RMS is related to those ideas, put another way.
    - detaro 6y ago
      RMS came to speak at my university. He probably did more damage to general student perception of anything associated with the FSF than industry-ass-kissing professors did in the 3 years prior in that one day. Thus if you want the ideas to succeed, you want to make them matter independently of the "brands" of RMS and FSF, especially now the FSF has decided it wants to continue to tie its "brand" to RMS going forward. ("brand" in quotes because it's not quite what we usually mean with that term, but I can't think of a better English word right now)
      - ddingus 6y ago
        RMS literally created the thing. Others can and should be doing active, mass outreach. Leader does not have to mean public figure. Someone has to really mean it. RMS has no peers in this regard. Maybe the right thing to do here is firm up a 5 year plan, go on a donation drive and fund organizers, who can work the crowds.