On Thu, Apr 08, 2021 at 07:56:14AM -0400, Richard Kenner wrote:
> Having one guy at the top from whom all power flows.
>
> Power does not "flow" from RMS. Since you have used a political analogy:
> I think it is more akin to a constitutional monarchy.
I think it's like the Queen of England. As a British person I used to
know said: "The Queen of England has the power to veto anything passed by
the Parliament in any Commonwealth country until she actually does it; at
that point she'll lose that power".
In 1975 she dismissed the prime minister of Australia, yet nearly 50 years
later she is still the head of state.
I see it as the same here: if RMS tried to exert an inappropriate
level of control over some GNU project, it would soon be made clear that
that something he can't do.
Generally I agree. Such draconian measures like dismissal of people has to
be done tactfully, only occasionally and only when there is very good cause.
So far as I'm aware, her majesty has done it only once; rms has done it only
twice.
J'
