> > I think he has found that taking an extreme position is necessary for him > > if he's going to make progress in getting people to be like you and me. > > I disagree with that opinion. I think extremism turns people off. > It depends on the situation. RMS wants people to realize the importance of Free Software. For this, extremism is necessary. He is trying to set a good example. If the leader of the Free Software Movement said "I'm only going to use Free Software when it is practical", no one would bother looking into the importance. Actions speak louder than words, especially here. When people see how devoted Stallman is to this cause, they look into it and see why it is so important to him. This is exactly what he wants. In some cases, though, it hurts more than it helps. Read "Why schools should exclusively use free software" (http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/schools.html) for an example of this. If you try to convince someone in a situation like this, it is important to make them believe you only care about the practical benefits.