/r/StallmanWasRight
Nobody listens to him. But he was right all along.
"With software there are only two possibilities: either the users control the program or the program controls the users. If the program controls the users, and the developer controls the program, then the program is an instrument of unjust power. " -- Richard M Stallman
Essential reading
People with similar ideas:
Vaguely related:
/r/lostgeneration • /r/freeculture • /r/linux • /r/NSALeaks • /r/programming • r/LateStageColonialism • r/Firefox
Rules
/r/StallmanWasRight
I was watching some old Jeopardy with the wifey.
In the category 'Free-for-all', at the $400 position, the following clue appeared:
The nonprofit Free Software Foundation promotes this hyphenated type of software that, by definition, can be modified & shared
Triumphantly, I exclaimed, “What is Free software?” to my wife. Nailed it!
But the contestant, Monica, said: “What is open-source?”
Ha! Incorrect! Open source ≠ Free software because our lord and saviour, RMS, the leader of the said Free Software Foundation, made it quite clear that 'Open Source Misses the Point of Free Software' and FSF does not support it.
-$400 Monica!!!
I think you can then understand my dismay when Ken Jennings, that rascal, responded with 'Correct!'.
Correct? What? That's plain incorrect. OSI promotes open source software, FSF promoted libre/free software.
Episode ruined. I spent the rest of the episode searching the internet far and wide for the fierce backlash this outrageous error must have received. No doubt, there was an apology and all, and RMS coming out to condemn Jeopardy! team for making such a fundamental mistake.
Nothing (at least that I could find). Crickets. Nobody seems to have noticed. 😔
So, here, then, I submit my outrage for your consideration. Thank you for coming to my Ted talk.