Re: The return of RMS and GNU/Linux
(You should probably skip this. I should probably sleep before I send it.)
> Emacs refers to operating systems that use the Linux kernel and huge
> chunks of GNU code as Lignux because that is what they are. What is
> rude is trying to bury this fact.
We also have large amounts of BSD and other free-but-not-GNU stuff.
lignubsdpdetalix, anyone?
RMS has a point, but his way of communicating it stinks. The name isn't
all that important, but they way he's doing the change, I can't help
thinking he's only doing because he's sore because Debian broke up with
the FSF, because he's paranoid and feel threatened, because he's never
understood what other people are really for, because he's getting old and
the Hurd isn't finished and Linux is everywhere and all these youngsters
haven't even heard of him and simply because he's tired and scared. Or
possibly just because he's mean. If he had suggested it politely, I might
not have liked it, but I wouldn't have opposed it, or felt that he was
spitting in my face.
Not that I'm important of course. I do a couple of volunteer things, but
nothing that other people couldn't do equally well. Maybe I should stop
volunteering, since things are getting less fun. Especially since I'm
Wrong and RMS is Right and Good and it's all my fault for not hitting
people on the head until they understand that The FSF Is The Second Coming
Of Christ And All Sinners Should Repent NOW!
I don't know, sometimes I don't think it's worth caring about freeware
anymore. I've been thinking about removing Linux, installing Win95 or OS/2
and not give a fuck[1] about the thick headed fanatics that successful free
software seems to attract. And I'm not only talking about RMS, either.
If they'd keep to advocacy groups, things wouldn't be so bad, but all these
fanatic Linuxers seem to be badmouthing every other piece of software every
chance they get, anywhere they can, and scream at people if they suggest
there's something wrong with Linux. Or RMS. Or GNU. Or BSD. Or there's
something good with Microsoft.
Win95 isn't my dream system, but at least I wouldn't have to stand someone
force-feeding my shit because he's the Good Guy. I can stand being offered
a bit of shit from someone who's honest about only wanting my dollar, but
having it forced down my throat by someone saying they're Good (and only
wants me to have my Freedom), well, it upsets my stomach.
Freeware should be about co-operation, people doing things because they
want to, not because someone else has a big ego. And fighting about who
has the biggest dick and writes the most software is stupid.
Should I really spend my time furthering the goals of people who shit on me?
Let's see, I'd need Win95 or OS/2 (which one is cheaper?), a C compiler
(Borland used to have a good one in 1988, I wonder how they're doing these
days), an editor (there seems to be several freeware one's, so that at
least should be cheap), some way to do networking (PPP, POP, mail, news, all
in offline/batch mode), unless included with the OS (Win95 should have it,
I think), and maybe a few other things. There should be a port of
TeX/LaTeX (oh yeah, we should call it lingnubsdpdknuthetalix) for both
Win95 and OS/2, so I wouldn't need a word processor. There's probably
something I'm forgetting, but it shouldn't be too hard to switch.
And you know what's the best thing? Linus would still be my friend.
[1] I can say fuck. I'm in the free world.
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