No, there are lots of authors who do that and still have a following. 1. As an advocate, RMS scores own goals far too often. RMS seems to go out of his way to

No, there are lots of authors who do that and still have a following. 1. As an advocate, RMS scores own goals far too often. RMS seems to go out of his way to present himself as an eccentric who has no comprehension of social norms. I've also seen an entire roomful of people who were ready to eviscerate a new Microsoft technology (this was back when trusted computing was being introduced) suddenly flip around to sympathy with the Microsoft guy when Stallman weighed in. 2. Being RMS' friend is almost as bad as being his enemy. He will condemn someone who has a slightly different position, or has made compromises, with equal vituperation as someone who is directly opposed. I also know someone who got into trouble with his own repressive government due to RMS being unable to keep his mouth shut on issues he didn't understand. (Please don't ask for details.) It's sad because, like the OP, I think RMS is fundamentally right about these issues.