Richard Stallman Comments On Valve For Linux

Richard Stallman has commented on Valve's plans to bring their games/software to Linux. Of course, he isn't happy about more non-free software coming to Linux.

Stallman's brief post can be found at GNU.org in a new post entitled "Nonfree DRM'd Games on GNU/Linux: Good or Bad?" Some of his key points include:

- I suppose that availability of popular nonfree programs on GNU/Linux can boost adoption of the system. However, our goal goes beyond making this system a “success”; its purpose is to bring freedom to the users. Thus, the question is how this development affects users' freedom.

- In the eyes of RMS, non-free games are unethical because they deny freedom to their users.

- On the plus side, if you're going to play these non-free games anyways, it's good you're using Linux. Microsoft Windows only causes more harm.

- Thus, in direct practical terms, this development can do both harm and good. It might encourage GNU/Linux users to install these games, and it might encourage users of the games to replace Windows with GNU/Linux. My guess is that the direct good effect will be bigger than the direct harm. But there is also an indirect effect: what does the use of these games teach people in our community?