3 ms·

Richard Stallman is an extremist. Seriously.

• berntb 18y ago
  rms is arguably not totally in the mainstream -- but the world is a better place because rms is in it just based on emacs, gcc and the GNU (-: no editor war-answers, please. I don't have the time :-). (Also, note that the guy's opinions and world view have been getting more and more popular.)
  • dasil003 18y ago
    In the early days free software was the norm. Everyone in computer science took it for granted. RMS, however, saw which way the wind was blowing, and helped codify the free software ideals for posterity. If it was not for him, we may very well not have Linux or any significant open source software today. We may think he's a wacko, but his extremism is necessary in a world where our freedoms are bought and sold by monied interests. He represents the public good in the software world in a way that benefits everyone (including many businesses and almost every startup). These young YC whippersnappers with dollar signs in their eyes owe him respect.