4 ms·

Oh boy. RMS wrote yet another opinion that we just have to read. I'll be hated for this but I must state the obvious. This is a list of really boring opinions.

Oh boy. RMS wrote yet another opinion that we just have to read. I'll be hated for this but I must state the obvious. This is a list of really boring opinions. Interesting for rms fanatics but many are barely explained and most aren't realistic to actually try out unless you want to be a software philosopher for a living. Did people just see Stallman in the title and up vote? Come on.

flomo 15y ago
Ditto. Stallman is an enormously interesting figure in the history of software development. But who really cares how he reads his email or books his speaking engagements? (And the less one knows about his personal life is probably for the better.)
- billpatrianakos 15y ago
  Well that was my initial thought but to be fair those things certainly can be interesting if you're a fan of his. That said, this is really nothing new. I've read this same list many times and it's actually been linked here several times. The difference is just that in its other incarnations it was in plain text form or some other variation of the same HTML list. Then there's the fact that it really is just a self-righteous sounding list. Like if I said "I'm browsing HN on my iPad because I find it convenient for reading and I can smoke cigarettes in my garage while I carry it around". Those ridiculous details are the kind of thing you find in his lists. And of course no one is going to go all plain-text when using a computer but the way Stallman makes it sound seems like he's saying he's superior to us because he's cool enough to not need all those fancy GUI dealies. So what?
  - kunj2aan 15y ago
    >Stallman makes it sound seems like he's saying he's superior to us because he's cool enough to not need all those fancy GUI dealies I think you are completely missing his point. He is not claiming to be superior because he uses those tools, he thinks his freedoms are not restricted by them.
- ajross 15y ago
  I count three of you now who cared enough to post here mocking him.
  - billpatrianakos 15y ago
    Not mocking. Definitely being a little sarcastic. But why do we have to get into a holy war over Stallman. You know as well as I do that what I said is true but unfortunately Stallman's cult following absolutely must punish anyone who points out the obvious. So I said what I needed to. I was actually being sincere, not trying to outright mock him for the sake of mocking him.
    - ajross 15y ago
      Like most people, I find Stallman strange. His methods are quirky, and his language grating. He alienates his allies more often than his enemies. He picks fights at the wrong times. He stands behind principle in circumstances where it clearly hurts his cause. But... he's right. Almost always, he's right. He's made a 40 year career now of being right: often decades before the rest of us figure it out. That's enough for me to cut him as much slack as he wants. Nattering detractors like you have been around for almost as long as he has. I used to be one 15 years ago (when, damn it, I was sure he was going to tank the coming open source revolution; except he didn't, and he was right). He just draws that kind of attention.
      - Czarnian 15y ago
        Serious question. What exactly is he right about?
        aurelianito 15y ago
        I don't know what the grand-parent was talking about, but if you want to read something that he foresaw before everybody (AFAIK) check the Right to Read essay (http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html)
officialchicken 15y ago
I was surprised to see that there were no rules whatsoever on the consumption/conservation of energy (nutritional or electrical) - such as avoidance of corn flakes encumbered by Montasano patents. i.e. "I only drink rain water and pure grain alcohol"
- chrischen 15y ago
  Well this page is specific to how he does his computing.
- jff 15y ago
  Commercial software licenses are trying to take our precious bodily fluids!
guelo 15y ago
I get it, you don't like RMS, but just because it's on the front page doesn't mean you have to read this story. The way HN works is people vote up stories they find interesting. Since different people find different things interesting very often there will be stories on the front page that you don't find interesting. Every time that happens you shouldn't write a comment complaining that the story is boring and the people who voted for it are dumb. Instead you should just ignore it and move on.
- tprice7 15y ago
  Or try this: http://www.thoughtocean.com/what/dilution http://www.thoughtocean.com/what/dilution
stiff 15y ago
If you do not find it interesting, do not up-vote it. I find your opinion really boring. Interesting maybe for Bill Patriankos fanatics, but barely explained. Did people just see Patriankos and up vote? Come on.

flomo 15y ago

Ditto. Stallman is an enormously interesting figure in the history of software development. But who really cares how he reads his email or books his speaking engagements? (And the less one knows about his personal life is probably for the better.)

billpatrianakos 15y ago
Well that was my initial thought but to be fair those things certainly can be interesting if you're a fan of his. That said, this is really nothing new. I've read this same list many times and it's actually been linked here several times. The difference is just that in its other incarnations it was in plain text form or some other variation of the same HTML list. Then there's the fact that it really is just a self-righteous sounding list. Like if I said "I'm browsing HN on my iPad because I find it convenient for reading and I can smoke cigarettes in my garage while I carry it around". Those ridiculous details are the kind of thing you find in his lists. And of course no one is going to go all plain-text when using a computer but the way Stallman makes it sound seems like he's saying he's superior to us because he's cool enough to not need all those fancy GUI dealies. So what?
- kunj2aan 15y ago
  >Stallman makes it sound seems like he's saying he's superior to us because he's cool enough to not need all those fancy GUI dealies I think you are completely missing his point. He is not claiming to be superior because he uses those tools, he thinks his freedoms are not restricted by them.
ajross 15y ago
I count three of you now who cared enough to post here mocking him.
- billpatrianakos 15y ago
  Not mocking. Definitely being a little sarcastic. But why do we have to get into a holy war over Stallman. You know as well as I do that what I said is true but unfortunately Stallman's cult following absolutely must punish anyone who points out the obvious. So I said what I needed to. I was actually being sincere, not trying to outright mock him for the sake of mocking him.
  - ajross 15y ago
    Like most people, I find Stallman strange. His methods are quirky, and his language grating. He alienates his allies more often than his enemies. He picks fights at the wrong times. He stands behind principle in circumstances where it clearly hurts his cause. But... he's right. Almost always, he's right. He's made a 40 year career now of being right: often decades before the rest of us figure it out. That's enough for me to cut him as much slack as he wants. Nattering detractors like you have been around for almost as long as he has. I used to be one 15 years ago (when, damn it, I was sure he was going to tank the coming open source revolution; except he didn't, and he was right). He just draws that kind of attention.
    - Czarnian 15y ago
      Serious question. What exactly is he right about?
      - aurelianito 15y ago
        I don't know what the grand-parent was talking about, but if you want to read something that he foresaw before everybody (AFAIK) check the Right to Read essay (http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html)

officialchicken 15y ago

I was surprised to see that there were no rules whatsoever on the consumption/conservation of energy (nutritional or electrical) - such as avoidance of corn flakes encumbered by Montasano patents. i.e. "I only drink rain water and pure grain alcohol"

chrischen 15y ago
Well this page is specific to how he does his computing.
jff 15y ago
Commercial software licenses are trying to take our precious bodily fluids!

guelo 15y ago

I get it, you don't like RMS, but just because it's on the front page doesn't mean you have to read this story. The way HN works is people vote up stories they find interesting. Since different people find different things interesting very often there will be stories on the front page that you don't find interesting. Every time that happens you shouldn't write a comment complaining that the story is boring and the people who voted for it are dumb. Instead you should just ignore it and move on.

tprice7 15y ago
Or try this: http://www.thoughtocean.com/what/dilution http://www.thoughtocean.com/what/dilution

stiff 15y ago

If you do not find it interesting, do not up-vote it. I find your opinion really boring. Interesting maybe for Bill Patriankos fanatics, but barely explained. Did people just see Patriankos and up vote? Come on.