On 9/14/07, Nick Holland <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Shawn K. Quinn wrote: > > On Thu, 2007-09-13 at 07:09 -0400, Nick Holland wrote: > >> GNUspeak: > > > > These are definitely not the views of the GNU project. They *might* be > > views of the self-styled "Linux nerds" that think they are "k00l" and > > "eleet" because they read Slashdot, but to imply the GNU project > > espouses these views is, quite frankly, slanderous. > > Then why don't they fight it? > Why isn't Stallman or Torvalds or other prominents standing up and > saying, "This is wrong! This is not what we are about!" >
I started using computers on DOS, then MS Windows, then moved on to Linux, then FreeBSD and then OpenBSD. I have never hated any community and I am quite thankful for what ever education and help I have received from them all. I don't know much about Stallman ( didn't care to study too ) except that he stands for some definition of freedom and he awarded Theo a while back with an award from his foundation. I don't know much about Linus either except that he wrote and maintains the Linux Kernel and for some reason he would not allow BSD code into it which puts some of the Linux Kernel developers in a big difficulty. The difficulty is that what ever good code which can be legally used by them cannot be used if it has a BSD Licence just because Linus doesn't like it. And that these developers very much want to use these BSD code that they persistently try to contact the authors of these BSD code and ask them to dual Licence it. I just wonder if they want to use this code so badly why do't they just cotact Linus and ask him to change his position. It is better to contact one person and talk to him rather than go behind all the various developers of the BSD code. Now I realize that having failed to convince Linus or the BSD developers some Linux developers who wants to use the BSD Code have just removed the BSD Licence so it will be OK with Linus and hired a bunch of lawyers to some how justify their action in court thinking that the BSD developers will not bother to spend large sums of money and fight in court. What is amazing to me in this regard are these two things? 1) Richard Stallman who presented an award publically to Theo for "his selfless commitment to Free Software " has so far said nothing about this incident. Stallman presented an award to Theo in Public. For what? This is an issue Theo has been speaking in public for a long time now. And I think Stalman has a moral responsibility to say either the Linux Developers are right and Theo is wrong or vice versa. If Theo is right then Stallman has the moral responsibility to aid him to fight against the viloations. Or else I think the award giving and stuff like that is just a farce. His Silence in this matter is "Marvelous" given th fact that he does demonstrations against companies for the cause of Freedom and Justice etc. 2) Linus cannot tolerate including the BSD Licenced Software in his kernel as said by some of his own kernel developers. Can he accept them once the BSD Licence clause is Just removed? There might be a reason for the first. But He has a moral responsibility to speak about this matter too. He has to say either his developers are right nd he endorse their actions or that his developers made a mistake and they should back out. His silence on this issue is also marvelous. Alan cox has made clear his stand that what the Linux Developers have done is perfectly legal, if not moral or ethical. I just wonder if this silence is because they want to have the cake and eat it too. I.e they want to do the wrong thing and support it in private but as well as keep up their image of being for the free software movement in public. I think people who are involved in this and have spoken in support for this are now embarrassed about it because the whole world have seen their stupidity and caught them pants down. Where as thery would not extend even a small finger of mercy to a developer who made a mistake with their GPL code earlier but would tear him in pieces in public they now do worse things deliberately and act like thugs who are backed up by lawyers. Their leaders remain mute even after many day since the folly is exposed. I am not much concerned about a few guys who speak in support of this indecent act because they don't understand it even after being explained several times by several people from all angles BUT I am quite concerned about this trend from their leaders like Stalman and Linus. Their silence is quite irresponsible!!!!! Maybe they are still thinking about a way to deal with this tupidity in public without their skin being hurt. Thank you so much Kind Regards Siju
