[UFO Chicago] Re: Brian's Conversion from FreeBSD to Debian and Questions on X

[Neil R. Ormos]

Scott Lockwood wrote:

> [Neil R. Ormos wrote:]

>> It's unclear to me how ESR or RMS are
>> *currently* making Linux/Open Source/Free
>> Software, etc., look bad, whatever their past
>> alleged sins might be.

> The antics of RMS are well documented. Just
> reciently, he felt compelled to go after on of
> the linux magazines I subscribe to about the
> GNU/Linux crap again. It's tired, old, and stale
> - and many people (Linus included) have told him
> several times that no one cares, please don't
> bring it up again.  Then there was the famous
> 'nose sex' incident.

But where's the part where Linux somehow looks
bad?

And if you're referring to Mr. Stallman's request
that people recognize the role of GNU as part of
the operating system by referring to it as
GNU/Linux, I don't find that particularly
unreasonable.  Stallman's point is that people
should care, but they won't unless they are
sensitized to the issue, and that's what he's
trying to do.  Obviously, some disagree, but for
those who don't care about this stuff anyway, I
doubt Stallman's "antics" as you call them are
chasing anyone away from Linux.  If people choose
not to use Debian, it's not because they call it
"Debian GNU/Linux".

> RMS can be a nice guy (I met him at this just
> past penguicon) when he's not being a Gun
> nut. Gun nut and Linux nut do not mix! Let me be
> clear - I'm very pro gun, I was in the service
> for 8 years. I'm anti using something TOTALLY
> unrelated (software in any form) to push the
> 'Gun Agenda'.

But where's the part where Linux somehow looks
bad?

And aren't you referring to ESR (is it really so
hard to get the attributions right?)?  I've heard
his comments on guns.  Big deal.  Didn't detract
from the rest of his presentation.

> Speaking of my time in the Navy, we had a
> saying. It only takes one 'aw, shit' to ruin 99
> 'ataboy!'s. Their past behavior is just as
> relavent to the discussion as Theo's is.

>> Yeah, and I'm sure RMS and ESR probably say
>> something like...  "...I wonder if they have
>> been alive as long as I've been programming!"

> I'm older than you think.

I think if you'll carefully reread the original
comment you might appreciate that it is directed
at the irony of someone complaining about being
treated disrespectfully by obnoxious IRC punks in
the same post as he refers to people as "nutbags",
relative ages notwithstanding.

--Neil