On "Free Software for Freedom" advocacy
Richard Stallman is one of the most ardent advocates of Free Sofware (also sometimes knows as "open source" although he insists that the two are distinct). He perpetually irritates others in the open source/free software world with his pedantic insistence on his political and ethical principles. Despite this, and the fact that I don't agree with all his positions, I have huge respect for him. I think it is best summed up by the post below by "4of12" posting on Slashdot
I can believe that he does.
I can also believe that Richard holds his principles so strongly that he himself is constantly being rubbed the wrong way by nearly everyone around him.
History is witness, though, of many men of principle and vision, unwilling to sacrifice or compromise with the conventional wisdom. These are the key people that leave a legacy of progress from which all of society benefits.
More common, though, are plain garden variety assholes that do not possess principles or visions, or at least none apart from a primal need for ego maintenance and inflation.
I think Richard belongs to the former category of "perceived assholes" rather than the latter.
Trackbacks
Use the following link to trackback from your own site:
http://informage.net/trackbacks?article_id=on-free-software-for-freedom-advocacy&day=27&month=02&year=2003
