Things will still remain good for RMS by those willing to help him. I use free software every day and will be a long time before Richard exhausts his entitlement to help from me!!!
> Sent: Saturday, April 10, 2021 at 5:01 AM > From: "David Brown" <david.br...@hesbynett.no> > To: "Christopher Dimech" <dim...@gmx.com> > Cc: "John Darrington" <j...@darrington.wattle.id.au>, "David Malcolm" > <dmalc...@redhat.com>, g...@gnu.org > Subject: Re: GCC association with the FSF > > On 09/04/2021 16:40, Christopher Dimech wrote: > >> Sent: Friday, April 09, 2021 at 10:37 PM > >> From: "David Brown" <david.br...@hesbynett.no> > >> To: "John Darrington" <j...@darrington.wattle.id.au>, "David Malcolm" > >> <dmalc...@redhat.com> > >> Cc: g...@gnu.org > >> Subject: Re: GCC association with the FSF > >> > >> On 09/04/2021 08:37, John Darrington wrote: > >> > >>> > >>> Nobody is suggesting that RMS should be regarded by everyone or indeed > >>> anyone as "mein Führer". I think he would be very much concerned if > >>> anyone > >>> tried to confer a cult hero status on him. > >>> > >>> Sooner or later, if for no reason other than his age, RMS will have to > >>> step > >>> down as leader of GNU. Rather than calling for his head on a block it > >>> would be more constructive to think to the future. Unfortunately to date, > >>> I have not seen anyone who in my opinion would have the qualities > >>> necessary > >>> to take over the role. > >>> > >> > >> And I don't think people (at least, not many) are "calling for his > >> head". My thought is that he should be encouraged to step down from all > >> his positions within GNU, FSF, gcc, and any other projects he is > >> involved with. Retire now, while he can do so with dignity and without > >> harm to the free and open source software worlds. > > > > David, I oppose your thought that he should be made to step down from ALL > > his positions. That's the fundamental philosophy of China and Russia. > > > > Different opinions are fine. Bringing national or international > politics into the discussion (presumably meant to be as an insult) is > not fine. This is not a political discussion - please stop trying to > make it one. > > >> It is only if it is left too late that people will be /forced/ to call > >> for his head. You can be very sure that complaints about his behaviour > >> and attitudes will not diminish - they will grow, and the result will > >> not be good for RMS, GNU, gcc, users, developers, or anyone else except > >> the sellers of tabloid newspapers. I would rather see him leave quietly > >> now with respect, than be hounded out later and his statues pulled down > >> - along with the careers and reputations of many who work with him. (I > >> am not saying that such a destruction would be correct or appropriate - > >> I am saying it will happen in the end if the free software community is > >> not careful.) > > > >> (I agree that there are few, if any, people who had the qualities of RMS > >> to do the job he did. But IMHO that role is over - we don't need > >> someone to fill his shoes.) > > > > I do not see that a person with the qualities of RMS would ask permission > > for > > the job. I certainly don't! > > > > We (the free software world) does not need a person with the qualities > of RMS any more - that is the point. There should not be such a > position as "Chief GNUsance". > >
