[ubuntu-za] Interview with Richard Stallman

[Quintin van Rooyen]

On 26 November 2012 10:39, ubuntupunk at gmail.com <ubuntupunk at gmail.com>
wrote:
>
> RMS has an"atrocious reputation" what planet you on Leon?


Earth.

He is hard line and unforgiving in his position on free software, and often
his tirades do more harm than anything else.

I agree with the philosophy of free and open software everywhere, but
unfortunately we do not operate in a vacuum, and to grow the Linux platform
there has to be acceptance that some non free, not open source software
will have to be allowed to play in our sand pit.

He recently complained about steam coming to Linux. Personally I believe it
is a coup for Linux to get them on board, but he'd rather not have them
than grow the platform.

Linus has a much more pragmatic view of things like these.

For instance, see below, from him:

~~~~~~~~~~~
"The other widespread confusion is the idea of a "Linux operating

system". The system in question, the system that Debian and Red Hat
distribute, the system that tens of millions of people use, is
basically the GNU operating system, with Linux added as the kernel.
When people call the whole system "Linux", they deny us the credit for
our work, and this is not right. (See
http://www.gnu.org/gnu/linux-and-gnu.html for more explanation.)

So please call this combined operating system "GNU/Linux" in all
the publicity, in the titles and description of the session, track,
event, etc., if and when you have reason to refer to it."

~~~~~~~~~~~

and

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Please do not mention non-free GNU/Linux distros (for instance,

Ubuntu) in the publicity for the event."
~~~~~~~

I don't like his attitude around these things. If there is an event with
Canonical there and he is a guest speaker are they not allowed to mention
Ubuntu? Nah, his bad reputation is deserved.



>
> RMS is a giant of the 20th Century, alongside Dennis Ritchie, the creator
of Unix, but South African's who worship Microsoft, don't know that?
>
> BTW Good interview.
>
> On Monday, November 26, 2012, Leon Gert Marincowitz wrote:
>>
>> Hi Guys
>>
>> Researching about Ubuntu/linux/open sourse/free software you come across
two central figures, Richard Stallman and Linus Torvalds.
>>
>> RMS or Stallman has an atrocious reputation but I came across an
interview with him in which he wasn't provoked or proded but allowed to
speak his mind totally while answering questions.
>>
>> It really is the best interview I ever heard of him and he clarifies all
the different nuances of the free software world. This brought alot of
respect to him.
>>
>> Its a long podcast but worth it, especially for those who think they
know but in truth don't http://hackerpublicradio.org/eps.php?id=1116
>>
>> So here's a question after listening to him, is Ubuntu part of the open
source or Free software. Because RMS says there is a distinct philosophical
difference?
>>
>> --
>> Kind Regards
>>
>> Leon
>>
>>
>> Cell: +27 83 982 63 15
>> Skype: Leon.Marincowitz
>>
>>
>> Get your own free Cloud to store info digitally: Click here for your own
cloud
>>
>> ****
>> in a free world without fences, who needs gates.
>> **
>> help microsoft stamp out piracy - give Ubuntu to a friend today.
>> **
>> to mess up an Ubuntu box, you need to work at it.
>> to mess up an ms windows box, you just need to *look* at it.
>> **
>> The installation instructions stated to install Windows Vista or better.
>> So I installed Ubuntu.
>> **
>
>
>
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--
Quintin van Rooyen
quintin.vanrooyen at gmail.com
The New SA Geek!
http://g33q.co.za
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