Marshall wrote in <taF2g.33743$cY3.23974@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> on Sun
April 23 2006 02:30:
>
> That article annoys me. Maybe I am unreasonable for being annoyed but
> when I read:
>
[snip article cut]
>
> I expect to see at least a sentence giving Richard Stallman and GNU at
> least equal mention and credit. I don't think that is too much to ask for.
>
> GRR
Yeah, I know how you feel about that. This whole world of software that we
have today wouldn't be quite what it is without RMS' work in it. While RMS
is a bit of a fanatic, I don't think that free software would be where it
is today without him having started with the FSF and getting going as
essentially an activist for computer users' rights.
I don't necessarily agree with all of what the FSF is for everything, but I
can definately see their points, and I for one am thankful for all the
influence that they've had in how the world of free software has
formulated. I know that I wouldn't have the quality of software that I do
on my system if it weren't for him, and them. Linux may still have
happened -- logically, because there was a need, and that need was
filled -- but it may have been under a vastly different license.
Then again, who knows -- if the BSDs hadn't had their problems with
encumbered code, the whole game would've very likely played itself off
quite differently, and there might not have been a need for Linus to start
Linux. Perhaps we'd have 300+ distributions of that running around today,
with various different OSS and CSS forks of the system...
- Mike
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