Richard Stallman Proclaims Don't Follow Linus Torvalds

StonyandCher writes "Here is an interview with Richard Stallman about a range of free software topics including GPLv3 and comment on the Microsoft patent issue. Stallman has a go at Linus Torvalds even suggesting that if people want to keep their freedom they better not follow Torvalds. From the interview 'Stallman: The fact that Torvalds says "open source" instead of "free software" shows where he is coming from. I wrote the GNU GPL to defend freedom for all users of all versions of a program. I developed version 3 to do that job better and protect against new threats. Torvalds says he rejects this goal; that's probably why he doesn't appreciate GPL version 3. I respect his right to express his views, even though I think they are foolish. However, if you don't want to lose your freedom, you had better not follow him.'"

Comments

No surprise

[redelm]

RMS has always been a purist/zealot. He has been angry at Linus for years for not pursuing NVidia to release source for their graphics module. It arguably is a derivative work of the GPL kernel. NVidia stub is already released, but the GPU driver is a binary lump. RMS is especially angry because this is exactly the situation he faced with the Xerox printer driver that caused him to start the FSF and GPL.

Linus belongs much more closely to the "Open Source" movement [ESR] than to "Free Software" [RMS]. Although I hesitate to classify Linus in any way. He does his own thing.

Re:Hey Stallman, how's Hurd coming along?

[morgan_greywolf]

The Hurd is slow in coming due to the extreme lack of developers. There's what? 17 registered developers on Savannah? Compared to how many Linux kernel hackers out there? Despite the previous lack of motivation in developing a kernel, The Hurd has made great strides despite relatively small developer base.

Hurd's not the most important thing

[H4x0r Jim Duggan]

The free software movement already has many working kernels. Getting Hurd working is not the most important thing RMS could work on.

His job is to make sure that the free software movement will last - make sure people value it and protect it.

Here's a transcript of one of his talks, and there's more where that came from.

He already did: BitKeeper

[H4x0r Jim Duggan]

This wouldn't be a change. Linus already used and advertised BitKeeper, which was completely proprietary software.

Relicensing the Linux kernel quite possible, if they want to.

...but this isn't a v2 vs v3 debate. Linus has never supported the idea that the freedoms to help yourself and to cooperate with others are valuable.

Re:Definitely different goals

[WilliamSChips]

The problem with the GPL3 (IMHO) is that it does exactly the same thing all the EULAs and conditional licenses of people like Microsoft employ. No it hasn't. The restrictions on the GPL3 are only on distributors just as they've always been.