Richard Stallman Reportedly Steps Down As Head Of The GNU Project

[fuzz]

GPL takes away developer freedom and rights.

How so? No one is forcing developers to use it. It is a choice.

[moilami]

Free association.

If a bunch of people who work with a douche tell the douche to leave, that's none of your damn business unless you're either the douche, or one of the douche's co-workers.

I think that bunch of people should then take their leave. I for one can volunteer to help replace them. Good bye! I will not miss you!

[fuzz]

I wasn't aware the fight against sexual predators and their apologists had anything to do with politics.

I didn't say it did. Please do not imply I said something that I did not, like those talking about RMS.

[Templar82]

A dark day for free software.

[skeevy420]

A dark day for free software.

Hey Richard Stallman, what have you done?
Hey Richard Stallman, GNU's the only one?
Hey Richard Stallman, GNU's the Superman?
Hey Richard Stallman, GNU's the one you want?
Hey Richard Stallman, shotgun!

It's a dark day for free software
It's a dark day for a GNU software
It's a nice day to start again

[moilami]

Hey Richard Stallman, what have you done?
Hey Richard Stallman, GNU's the only one?
Hey Richard Stallman, GNU's the Superman?
Hey Richard Stallman, GNU's the one you want?
Hey Richard Stallman, shotgun!

It's a dark day for free software
It's a dark day for a GNU software
It's a nice day to start again

This type of people want take over FSF.

Can you people believe what sanitarium this has become?

I remember how this has been foreseen right here in these forums. Now it became reality.

[Guest]

I'm not a lawyer, just a software developer, and previously GPL-fanboy programming hobbyist. As, that "GPL-fanboy", I liked idea of must-publish source-code, from perspective of "taker", where I liked availability of software to all people poor/rich. However, as father feeding family via software development, I realize the need to be rewarded for work. Software is developed for months for "free", until it's finished (to usable degree), and then sold/made-available. GPL's viral requirement to publish source code, allows competitors to just copy the source-code and use it without the having to invest their own resources into research and development. Therefore, months of previous development get unpaid. So, GPL heavily enforces "free" as in free beer, and not "free" as in freedom of speech.

In the end, software is a tool, or toy. And, if user/customer benefits from having the tool, he pays for it,... I like "charity aspect" of free software solutions available to end-users, but we don't live utopia, that freedom (as in free beer) can be enforced for one type of goods - software, because developers also need to get paid to acquire other types of goods needed for their survival and happy living.

I am in the same boat too, but I must disagree that the GPL is entirely a disadvantage there - remember that any competitors who use GPL source code in their projects, must then reveal the source code for any binaries that ship the GPL'd source code they copied from you. So you get to see their code.

In fact, I'd say that releasing source code under GPL while selling the binary may well be a profitable business. Although it depends a lot on the type of software, presence of secret keys/data, contribution policy etc.

[skeevy420]

This type of people want take over FSF.

Can you people believe what sanitarium this has become?

I remember how this has been foreseen right here in these forums. Now it became reality.

That was a pro-Stallman metaphor.

[moilami]

Hey Richard Stallman, what have you done?
Hey Richard Stallman, GNU's the only one?
Hey Richard Stallman, GNU's the Superman?
Hey Richard Stallman, GNU's the one you want?
Hey Richard Stallman, shotgun!

It's a dark day for free software
It's a dark day for a GNU software
It's a nice day to start again

So it started. This is just the beginning. You have won nothing. Cavalry is coming. If you want a holy war, you will get it. The charge of the light brigade!

[moilami]

That was a pro-Stallman metaphor.

Ah, now I got it, I at first interpreted Stallman should gun himself. How stupid of me, but people have been wishing that. peace man, but lets charge anyway