A Critique of the Open Letter Calling for the Removal of RMS

Re:A Critique of the Open Letter Calling for the Removal of RMS by AndyMcConachie on Wednesday April 07, 2021 @04:58AM (#26722055)

RMS is a terrible spokesperson for free software. I wish the FSF could just fire him and move on.

How do I know he's a terrible spokesperson? Because we're talking about him and not about free software. It's that simple.

I want the FSF to focus on free software and I want the discourse around the FSF to be about free software. Not RMS.

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Re:A Critique of the Open Letter Calling for the Removal of RMS by lolc on Wednesday April 07, 2021 @05:17AM (#26722194)

> Because we're talking about him and not about free software. It's that simple.

No it's not that simple. Because the other side of this is that we are talking about Free Software because of him, indluding his personality. Few people would stand up for this thankless job. Few people would have created and promoted the GPL.

We are taling about RMS because some people decided to attack him unfairly. There may be people better suited for the job. But that is a different argument from the one you made.

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Re:A Critique of the Open Letter Calling for the Removal of RMS by d_tr on Wednesday April 07, 2021 @05:52AM (#26722545)

We are currently talking about an attempt to crucify him by mob rule, which is not only about him, but about a dangerous trend in society.

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Re:A Critique of the Open Letter Calling for the Removal of RMS by secondcoming on Wednesday April 07, 2021 @05:04AM (#26722100)

I sure he'd rather that he wasn't the topic of discussion.

If some people on HN started talking about AndyMcConachie would that be justification enough for getting you kicked from HN?

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Re:A Critique of the Open Letter Calling for the Removal of RMS by why_Mr_Anderson on Wednesday April 07, 2021 @05:05AM (#26722112)

But RMS is one of the main reasons why there is any free software in first place. Without his obsession, it would be long destroyed.

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Re:A Critique of the Open Letter Calling for the Removal of RMS by mavhc on Wednesday April 07, 2021 @05:20AM (#26722229)

Wernher von Braun is one of the main reasons why there is any space flight in the first place, without his obsession it would be much delayed.

Doesn't make him a good person to lead NASA

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Re:A Critique of the Open Letter Calling for the Removal of RMS by dpatterbee on Wednesday April 07, 2021 @05:22AM (#26722246)

That sounds like an unrealistic claim. Do you think that once RMS is dead it's only a matter of time until the end of free software?

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Re:A Critique of the Open Letter Calling for the Removal of RMS by longyap on Wednesday April 07, 2021 @05:23AM (#26722254)

your wish i prefer rms to stay

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