[ILUG] Something to look forward to after Christmas

[John P . Looney]

On Wed, Dec 13, 2000 at 01:18:30PM +0000, hmoreau at digiserve.ie mentioned:
> When are people going to realise that RMS is a nutter and a zealot?

 I think anyone there could realise that. Doesn't mean that what he said
did make a lot of sense. It was weeks before I realised that he'd done
some sort of Jedi Mind Trick on me. 

> We can't all live in a box room on MIT's campus and live off grants and
> stipends, bumming beds and food when we travel etc.

 Indeed. He suggested that everyone should give up working for commerical
companies, and do what he did. As if everyone could 

    a) make a living
    b) tolerate such a living

 He wasn't impressed when I pointed out that if everyone offered
themselves as "subsistance GPL programmers", 90% of programmers would
starve ;)

> I do of course appreciate the great work RMS and ESR have done in the
> past.  But their opinions and utterances today are mixed up, crazy and
> largely illogical.

 If you see RMS, mention that his argument "If the jews had guns in 1937,
the germans would have had more trouble" is sorta nullified by "Ah, so
20000 people a year killed in gun accidents & robberies is just insurance
against a holocaust?". Also allude to the similie of the greeks sending 14
people to crete to sate the minotaur rather than be attacked..

Kate

-- 
 When I say 'free', I mean 'free': free from bond, of chain or command: 
to go where you will, even to Mordor, Saruman, if you desire. " 
    -- Gandalf, paraphrasing the choice between Free and Non-free software