"Revolution OS" (The Movie).

[Scott]

Eamonn Sullivan wrote:

> On 12/19/06, Scott <geekboy at angrykeyboarder.com> wrote:
>> Robert Carr spake thusly on 12/18/2006 05:45 PM:
>> >
>> >  I agree, while some of what RMS says or does seems hyperbolic right
>> >  now he
>> > does such now so that what he speaks against is not a reality later.
>> >
>> > He's thinking forward.
>>
>> And as long as he looks and acts the way he does, only his current
>> fanbase will take him seriously.  As I said there's a reason that
>> Torvalds gets all the glory whereas Stallman doesn't.
>>
>> Read the Wikipedia entry...
> 
> OK, I read the Wikipedia entry and even showed two of my kids the
> Stallman segment of that 2005 UN summit video. I don't find RMS
> embarrassing at all.

I missed that link...
> 
> My kids' response to the video was interesting: "weird guy," followed
> by "I finally understand what this Free Software thing is now." The
> recipe metaphor is brilliant.
> 
> How many visionaries do you know who look and act "normal"?

I don't know any "visionaries" at all.

> It's a 
> short list. It's much easier to make a list of people who are
> initially off-putting (Gandhi visiting the Queen in traditional dress
> comes to mind, not that rms is equivalent to Gandhi...). People who
> are uncompromising on principles are, by definition, odd. They are
> rare. And, in the long run, they have more impact than the people with
> the good haircuts.

Maybe and maybe not.  I almost think Stallman will get more recognition
after he's gone than he does today.  Not unlike a lot of other visionaries
of the past.

I just can't help but think if he would act a bit closer to "normal", that
it would be better for the Free Software cause.

To quote the some of the Wikipedia that *some people* couldn't be bothered
to read:

"His accomplishments notwithstanding, Stallman has frequently been the
target of criticism and ridicule for his eccentric behavior and supposedly
inadequate personal hygiene. Even within the free software community, it is
acknowledged that certain of Stallman’s habits, such as picking the knots
from his hair and tossing them in the soup he is eating,[32] might
seem “crazy” to outsiders.[32] Some worry that these “unusual
behaviors”[29] might impair the adoption of free and open source software.
In one Forbes magazine article, columnist Daniel Lyons expressed concern
that Stallman’s peculiarities would harm GNU/Linux’s reputation by
association."

29.Jones, K.C.. A Rare Glimpse into Richard Stallman’s World.
InformationWeek. http://preview.tinyurl.com/yg8h4m
32. Williams, Sam (2002-03-15). “Continuing the Fight”, Free as in Freedom:
Richard Stallman’s Crusade for Free Software. O’Reilly Media. ISBN
0-596-00287-4. Retrieved on 2006-11-26. Eben Moglen: “And, of course,
Richard is plucking the knots from his hair and dropping them in the soup
and behaving in his usual way.”
        http://www.oreilly.com/openbook/freedom/ch13.html


-- 
        Scott
www.angrykeyboarder.com
© 2006 angrykeyboarder™ & Elmer Fudd. All Wights Wesewved