This discussion gave me an idea that I hope will be interesting to
others on this list. I think a person's viewpoint on this discussion is
primarily influenced by their reasons for using Linux. In order to get a
feel for where the TCLUG members stand I'd like to move for a poll. The
poll would ask the question "What is your primary reason for using
Linux?" The major philosophical, political and technical reasons would
then be the responses.
Any backers?


----- Original message -----
From: "Mike Miller" <mbmiller at taxa.epi.umn.edu>
To: "Munir Nassar" <tclug at beitsahour.net>
Cc: "TCLUG" <tclug-list at mn-linux.org>
Date: Wed, 16 Aug 2006 13:05:19 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: Re: [tclug-list] Newbie; Looking for a Linux Instructor

On Wed, 16 Aug 2006, Munir Nassar wrote:

> I think he is just miffed that some 20 year old Finnish college student 
> was able to release his GNU system before he was and got all his glory, 
> the this student did not even make it to MIT, to add insult to injury 
> this system now is not known as GNU as it was supposed to, but linux 
> after this upstart kid.

I think the real reason is that RMS wants attention for GNU, and for
"Free 
Software" more than for himself.  But, who wouldn't feel it if (A) you
had 
worked for a decade on a project and shared it with the world and (B) 
everyone seems to believe it was not you who had done that work and most 
of the public acknowledgement went to that other person?  Paraphrasing 
what you wrote above and changing the names:

    I think Joe is just miffed that Bob was able to release Joe's code
    before Joe released it himself and because Bob then got all the
    glory.

Right.  That Joe really needs to take a chill pill.

That said, I don't think "RMS needs to smoke less."  Why would you say 
such a thing?  I think he deserves nothing but respect for his 
accomplishments even if he has long hair and sloppy clothes.  If you
want 
to know why we have an "Open Source Movement" - a name that RMS doesn't 
like -- you need look no farther than Richard M. Stallman for the
answer. 
If it hadn't been for him, I have no idea what would have happened but
it 
wouldn't have been nearly as good as it is today.  If not for Linus 
Torvalds?  I don't know.  It's anyone's guess.  There is no doubt that 
something great would have happened without Torvalds, maybe greater,
maybe 
not as great.

Mike

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