If you don't like personal, blog-style reporting, you might want to skip this item. A few days ago, during a speech at Software Freedom Day in Boston, Richard Stallman has, at least in my book, crossed a line that I thought he would never cross.
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Member since:1997-10-01
You've made an astute observation. Revolutionary leaders throughout history have frequently gone on to try to destroy the movements they championed once they rose to power. The French Revolution is a great example of this. Once the monarchists were out, the Revolution turned on itself and spent years trying to purge itself of all impurity, and subsequently guillotined many of its most loyal and valuable supporters. Honestly, I can't think of very many revolutions that don't follow this template.
It's a good thing that RMS doesn't own a guillotine.
The sensibility of a revolutionary is anathema to good governance. Linux has been to the point for many years now that it needs politicians and diplomats, not firebrands. I wish there was a museum somewhere that we could stick RMS.
Edited 2009-09-24 15:03 UTC
Member since:2005-07-22
I wish politics were left aside, likewise with business stuff and all that shit that makes a PC (Personal Computer) less personal and more business oriented. I wish free software movement concentrated more on the people and not so much on companies, like it did in the past.
Member since:2006-01-02
I'm not sure that's universally true. You could say that the American revolutionaries actually did a great job of transitioning to a reasonably-managed government. But perhaps you could say that the American revolution wasn't really a social revolution since it was just the upper-class Colonists throwing off the British yoke and more fully consolidating their power.
Member since:
2005-07-06
It looks to me like he is the classic example of a 'liberator' figure.
He fought the good fight with firm belief his cause was just and right.
Then he got into power. At which point it was no longer enough to shout against the opposition saying how they were wrong but to define policy and lead by it.
Free software now has a foothold it never did, even a decade ago. Large companies and Govs are open to the idea. I feel he is still trying to 'fight the fight' instead of diplomatically pushing their (FSF) ideals forward in a manageable and acceptable manner to help make them a reality.
"When the fighting is over, the war begins"