Re:Joint Statement on the GNU Project
by yongjik on Monday October 07, 2019 @03:00PM
(#21184658)
If the nicest thing we can say about a leader of an organization is that most women were not harassed by him because they didn't get to meet him, then maybe it's time to look for a leader who is, you know, capable of actually meeting people without creeping them out.
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No, the nicest thing we can say about the leader of this organization is that he lead it with principles around free software that nobody else can match. That he has been outright prescient in his outlook on what will happen as corporations disrespect the rights of users via their software.
He created the free software movement, created GNU. We're standing on his shoulders, only now (after 20+ years of standing on his shoulders) caring that yeah, he's not a perfect person we had hoped for.
Yes, yes, Stallman did many good things, he was right about a lot of things, and we are all indebted to him, but... "The Leader of GNU Projects" is not an award or honorary title. It's an actual role with expectations.
The question is not how much work Stallman has done in the past 20+ years (few will have an issue with that) - the question is whether having Stallman at the helm of GNU benefits GNU projects, right now.
Re:Joint Statement on the GNU Project
by 68plus57equals5 on Monday October 07, 2019 @05:27PM
(#21186146)
> If the nicest thing we can say about a leader of an organization is that most women were not harassed by him because they didn't get to meet him,
This is extremely unfair statement, completely misrepresenting the issue.
If you rephrased it as "one of bad things we can say about a leader is he allegedly tried to push somebody into relationship in 1985" you'd be closer to the mark.