5 ms·

Am I the only one who simply doesn't care? The purpose of the FSF isn't protecting children. It's the promotion of free software. Some tone-deaf words by RMS ar

Am I the only one who simply doesn't care? The purpose of the FSF isn't protecting children. It's the promotion of free software. Some tone-deaf words by RMS are only even relevant because of the prevalence of cancel culture and the cult of wokeism. Software will still need to be free after the fad cult of wokeism has been left behind. What the media claimed was Stallman defended Epstein. That isn't true. The whole thing should be a non-story. Ideological movements like free software require uncompromising people like RMS in it because it's an ideology. If the ideology of free software bows to people who aren't even involved in software then it will bow to anyone and thus serves no one. People's feelings don't make software and they certainly don't make it free. RMS is an icon in a field that is still brand new, letting this fad of woke cultism cancel him would be a tragedy would rightfully look back on I think as foolish as the chemical castration of Alan Turing for being gay. So what if RMS hurts the feelings of fragile people? He's done more good for software than most people ever will. This whole thing is a storm in a teacup and people getting upset about it are clearly seeking to be offended. And people who seek to be offended always succeed. So taking their offense seriously is literally a waste of time. The purpose of the FSF is free software. Not people's feelings. That they even acknowledged this storm in a teacup is disappointing. It's not their job.

horsawlarway 6y ago
Nope - I'm right there with you. This creeping worldview where everything is black and white is starting to get very annoying. Personally - I'm not an infant and I can recognize that nearly every person (actually - every person) I interact with on a daily basis holds viewpoints that I would agree with, and viewpoints that I would disagree with. There is no paragon of virtue, and there is no paragon of evil. Everyone will do good and bad (and god help you if you try to get us all to agree which is which). I still somehow manage to interact productively with most folks. People who fixate on this type of social judgement are mentally unwell.
danpalmer 6y ago
The point isn't that the FSF should have a political stance on topics outside of free software, the point is that to do their best job of promoting the free software movement they need to create an inclusive organisation that runs safe events, otherwise most people won't want to join, go to their events, or invite their representatives to give talks. Unfortunately this point is very easy to miss for those of us who are not typically discriminated against, excluded, or made to feel unwelcome. I'll guess from your inappropriate username that you're a guy, maybe you should read some of what women have said about working with RMS? I wonder how much better the FSF would be if he hadn't systematically made certain groups feel unwelcome? I have my own feelings about all sorts of political issues, and I don't expect those to always align with organisations such as the FSF. I do however expect to not shoot themselves in the foot when it comes to getting their message out.
na85 6y ago
>It's the promotion of free software. Don't you think Free Software is best promoted by a guy who doesn't give women the creeps, and who has a modicum of social graces? Politics is an inherently social arena; perhaps if the FSF wants to stop being a joke and actually succeed in its outreach they should pick someone who doesn't eat his toejam on live camera.
goodpoint 6y ago
> The purpose of the FSF isn't protecting children The purpose of FSF and RMS as a spokeperson/leader is to represent a movement and the people behind it. You cannot represent *me* if you: - make all sort of "weird" remarks about age of consent - brush off any sincere question or constructive criticism for decades - systematically walk up to every young woman in a conference to ask her out - throw temper tantrums for being offered a can of coke at a conference - show up at conferences improperly dressed, barefoot, pick from your feet and eat some bits - show up at public dinner with a strong body odor > The purpose of the FSF is free software. Not people's feelings. The behavior as a PUBLIC speaker affect the credibility of the WHOLE movement in the eyes of the world. It's only rational not to support a bad public speaker.
- foobar33333 6y ago
  Stallman did not show up barefoot. He took his shoes off in the middle of his speech.
- sildur 6y ago
  > You cannot represent me if you: He represents me, and many more. You can go fund another movement, if you feel attacked.
  - goodpoint 6y ago
    > You can go fund another movement We do. Plenty of developers fund FSFE, Conservancy, EFF and so on. That does not take away the validity of the complains about RMS as a spokeperson. He admits it himself: https://www.fsf.org/news/rms-addresses-the-free-software-community https://www.fsf.org/news/rms-addresses-the-free-software-com... > if you are so sensitive. No need for snark. It's not a matter of my personal taste. Being a public speaker requires understanding how to fit the expectation of the majority of the audience, including politicians, companies (managers and businessman), IP lawyers, journalists, and all sort of non-technical people. It is difficult to support FLOSS in the workplace and in society when people associate it with RMS: "that's the stuff that weird guy talks about".

horsawlarway 6y ago

Nope - I'm right there with you. This creeping worldview where everything is black and white is starting to get very annoying. Personally - I'm not an infant and I can recognize that nearly every person (actually - every person) I interact with on a daily basis holds viewpoints that I would agree with, and viewpoints that I would disagree with. There is no paragon of virtue, and there is no paragon of evil. Everyone will do good and bad (and god help you if you try to get us all to agree which is which). I still somehow manage to interact productively with most folks. People who fixate on this type of social judgement are mentally unwell.

danpalmer 6y ago

The point isn't that the FSF should have a political stance on topics outside of free software, the point is that to do their best job of promoting the free software movement they need to create an inclusive organisation that runs safe events, otherwise most people won't want to join, go to their events, or invite their representatives to give talks. Unfortunately this point is very easy to miss for those of us who are not typically discriminated against, excluded, or made to feel unwelcome. I'll guess from your inappropriate username that you're a guy, maybe you should read some of what women have said about working with RMS? I wonder how much better the FSF would be if he hadn't systematically made certain groups feel unwelcome? I have my own feelings about all sorts of political issues, and I don't expect those to always align with organisations such as the FSF. I do however expect to not shoot themselves in the foot when it comes to getting their message out.

na85 6y ago

>It's the promotion of free software. Don't you think Free Software is best promoted by a guy who doesn't give women the creeps, and who has a modicum of social graces? Politics is an inherently social arena; perhaps if the FSF wants to stop being a joke and actually succeed in its outreach they should pick someone who doesn't eat his toejam on live camera.

goodpoint 6y ago

> The purpose of the FSF isn't protecting children The purpose of FSF and RMS as a spokeperson/leader is to represent a movement and the people behind it. You cannot represent *me* if you: - make all sort of "weird" remarks about age of consent - brush off any sincere question or constructive criticism for decades - systematically walk up to every young woman in a conference to ask her out - throw temper tantrums for being offered a can of coke at a conference - show up at conferences improperly dressed, barefoot, pick from your feet and eat some bits - show up at public dinner with a strong body odor > The purpose of the FSF is free software. Not people's feelings. The behavior as a PUBLIC speaker affect the credibility of the WHOLE movement in the eyes of the world. It's only rational not to support a bad public speaker.

foobar33333 6y ago
Stallman did not show up barefoot. He took his shoes off in the middle of his speech.
sildur 6y ago
> You cannot represent me if you: He represents me, and many more. You can go fund another movement, if you feel attacked.
- goodpoint 6y ago
  > You can go fund another movement We do. Plenty of developers fund FSFE, Conservancy, EFF and so on. That does not take away the validity of the complains about RMS as a spokeperson. He admits it himself: https://www.fsf.org/news/rms-addresses-the-free-software-community https://www.fsf.org/news/rms-addresses-the-free-software-com... > if you are so sensitive. No need for snark. It's not a matter of my personal taste. Being a public speaker requires understanding how to fit the expectation of the majority of the audience, including politicians, companies (managers and businessman), IP lawyers, journalists, and all sort of non-technical people. It is difficult to support FLOSS in the workplace and in society when people associate it with RMS: "that's the stuff that weird guy talks about".