Re: [OFFTOPIC] RMS and reactions to him

Jamie Lokier
2003-01-22T10:57:40Z

Paulo Andre' wrote:
> Really, if it didn't work until now what makes you think it'll work
> in the future?

Oh, but it is working. I've seen quite a few web pages that say
something to the effect of "I use GNU/Linux" or "this site runs on
blah blah GNU/Linux".

I think it likely that each person who wrote the "GNU/" thought about
why they wanted to write it, too - which is the real point, isn't it?

I don't know anyone who actually says GNU/Linux verbally though -- it's
quite clumsy to say.

(For my part, I never say or write "GNU/Linux", but instead I tend to
say I use and write "Free Software". Unfortunately people still have
trouble recognising how they are affected by the freedoms of _other_
people, so they persist in thinking I must mean something to do with
the price tag. Alas!)

> Even if you were right, I honestly don't see, with all my good will, a
> successful ending to your quest. Do you?

What is the rush to end the quest?

Richard's campaign is about political awareness, and it seems to be
working. If the campaign stopped today, that awareness might die down.

Hopefully, the day will come when that is ok -- not because there are
lots of people saying the same thing, but because terms like GNU and
Free Software will be redundant.

Hopefully, one day freely sharing ideas will the norm, as cultures
develop which encourage sharing without hunger, and fighting over who
owns (and so is the sole profiter of) an idea will seem weird.

_Then_ this particular quest is ready to end. It may be a long time yet,
perhaps longer than Richard or I will live. But hopefully not.

-- Jamie