News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on Richard Stallman on Steve Jobs: correction. Parent comment

Re:Richard Stallman on Steve Jobs: correction by Kylekramer on Thursday October 27, 2011 @01:14PM (#3164228)
At risk of Godwinning, let's just say that often the people actively and happily chose things that are very oppressive. And this is were Stallman is coming from. He very explicitly understands that people like Apple products (he even says that making things stylish and smooth are positives in this piece). It is because Apple products are so good that Stallman reacts so strongly to them.

You and I may disagree with him about how oppressive Apple devices are, but there is definitely a reasonable argument to be made that they are.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Richard Stallman on Steve Jobs: correction by podperson on Thursday October 27, 2011 @04:13PM (#3165287)
The problem with Stallman is he and I disagree on what the word "oppressive" means. I have no objection to people running FOSS software on their computers, but he objects to my running non-FOSS software on my computer and labels me "oppressed".
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Richard Stallman on Steve Jobs: correction by SergeyBrin on Thursday October 27, 2011 @04:47PM (#3165447)
no, he objects to not even being able to install foss software on an iphone
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Richard Stallman on Steve Jobs: correction by podperson on Sunday October 30, 2011 @02:08PM (#3174938)
I'm sure he objects to that too, but that's not what he says.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Richard Stallman on Steve Jobs: correction by mentat on Thursday October 27, 2011 @01:26PM (#3164307)
It's easier to hold onto principles than to deal with people. If there's anything that makes "tech people" in general outcast it's that. Ironically there's also a tendency to reject other people who strongly hold on to opposing principles, but I guess that makes sense without empathy.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Richard Stallman on Steve Jobs: correction by barrkel on Thursday October 27, 2011 @02:25PM (#3164709)
Your first two sentences are contradictory; if holding principles was easier than compromising and dealing with people, then that group would be the majority, and "tech people" would not be "in general outcast" (though I happen to think they aren't).

Either that, or you mean something different by "easy" than I think you do. I mean, peer pressure is substantial; it's much easier to stick with the crowd, not stick out, go with the flow, etc. Holding to principles and walking against this tide is hard, not easy. Such people are very much the exception, not the rule.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Richard Stallman on Steve Jobs: correction by mentat on Thursday October 27, 2011 @05:45PM (#3165731)
Easier meaning more simple not easier in terms of effort. Dealing with the complexities and ambiguities of human behavior is more difficult in terms of the processing, both mental and emotional, that must happen. It's easier to say "it's always wrong to lie" then to consider all the situations that might come up in which it may be better to lie.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Richard Stallman on Steve Jobs: correction by barrkel on Thursday October 27, 2011 @05:47PM (#3165747)
For sure, but saying you never lie is much easier than not ever lying, and I think that's what's at issue here. Stallman lives what he preaches, to the point he can be a major PITA (witness the rider thread on HN earlier). That's more than just parroting some principles.
[ Parent | on HN ]