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What's Up With FSF VP Bradley M. Kuhn?

Posted by Roblimo on from the behind-the-man-in-the-spotlight dept.

There's more to the Free Software Foundation than Richard M. Stallman, you know. Like bkuhn, AKA Bradley M. Kuhn, who has been a full-time employee of the organization since February '01 and has taken over some of the duties that were previously RMS's exclusive province. Got a question for bkuhn about the FSF -- or anything else? Post it below. We'll select 10 of the highest-moderated questions, forward them to bkuhn, and post his replies as soon as we get them back.

8 of 198 comments (clear)

  1. "Raving Lunatic" Image? by Bilbo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    In spite of all of RMS's great understanding of the working of "Free Software", and his passion for promoting real Freedom, he has unfortunately picked up this image of a foaming-at-the-mouth raving lunatic pinko. How to you plan to combat this image, without compromising on the real issues behind Free Software, or the passion with which the FSF promotes these ideals?

    --
    Your Servant, B. Baggins
    1. Re:"Raving Lunatic" Image? by colnago · · Score: 2, Insightful
      Hmmm...I don't mean to sound negative here but I'd like to state this as clearly as I remember. Kuhn was a member of the Cincinnati LUG. I attended one meeting and felt like I was hit with a cement truck when the ideal of freedom came up. Bradly offered to review a book if it had an appropriately free license, which it didn't, so he gave it to someone else to review.

      Then, it was an officer election day and Bradly asked everyone to abstain from the election since all the members were not able to vote since some were not present. I don't know about their bylaws so maybe there is an article allowing non-present members to vote so his action may be well justified.

      In any case I was taken aback since I came to the meeting (my first one) hoping for a great discussion of linux material. The clug page says: We don't have a formal mission statement. Our goals are very simple. We have discovered Linux and want to talk to others who have made the same discovery. We are experts and novices, professionals and hobbyists, young and old. Whoever you are, we hope we have something for you. I was really taken aback with the political nature of the meeting, and much of this I suppose could be attributed to Bradly's behavior.

      Now (years later) I understand the nature of GNU and why GNU/Linux is an appropriate name for the entire system. I understand the GPL enough to know why it's good. I could now probably digest a meeting like the one I went to. But I do know that FSF now does have a man that will walk in the footsteps of rms.

  2. FSF and the cause. by Lumpy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What is your stance on Software protection? In the FSF stance, what would you do or reccomend to be done if (check that if, WHEN) a GNU program and programmer is attacked in a way that will be very like what we see with Dimitri. Many of the GNU programs and software packages are, as far as I am concerned, in real danger of being attacked or persecuted by large corperations. With laws like the DCMA and other unbelievable laws that are being drafted as bills every day, What do you think can be done to protect this freedom?

    --
    Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
  3. At home? by cnkeller · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So, what types of software do you use at home?

    --

    there are no stupid questions, but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots

  4. View on freedom? by merlin_jim · · Score: 5, Insightful
    How do you view FSF's goal, that stated on their website as The FSF promotes the development and use of free (as in freedom) software ---particularly the GNU operating system(used widely today in its GNU/Linux variant)--- and free (as in freedom) documentation.

    In particular, how do you interpret what the word free means in respect to software and programmer's rights?

    --
    I am disrespectful to dirt! Can you see that I am serious?!
  5. Your opinion on Java by jsse · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Your perljvm - The Perl to Java Virtual Machine Compiler is impressive. I believe you've the authority to answer this question.

    Sun has its sole control to their Java VM, and the control is extended to other JVM versions. As Richard said, free software build on non-free platform/program is useless to Free World.

    We had much expectation on kaffe. However, it has halted its development long time ago, since Microsoft made business deals with Transvirtual. The only free JVM is basically dead now.

    I'd like to have your opnion on this: do you have Java in your vision of Free World?

    Thanks!

  6. Emacs 21 by wodin0cl · · Score: 3, Insightful

    We've heard a lot about it, and the prerelease of the users manual is out on the web and being checked for typos and such. However, there's no communication with the community at all as to where Emacs 21 currently is, progresswise.

    Thus my question -- when will the community find out how Emacs 21 is progressing?

  7. What About Other Freedoms? by Jeff+Probst · · Score: 3, Insightful
    The Free Software Foundation stands for freedom as it applies to software.

    Does the FSF also support the inane freedoms provided by the United States constitution such as the freedom to bear arms?