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Interview: Ask Richard Stallman What You Will
Richard Stallman (RMS) founded the GNU Project in 1984, the Free Software Foundation in 1985, and remains one of the most important and outspoken advocates for software freedom. He now spends much of his time fighting excessive extension of copyright laws, digital restrictions management, and software patents. RMS has agreed to answer your questions about GNU/Linux, how GNU relates to Linux the kernel, free software, why he disagrees with the idea of open source, and other issues of public concern. As usual, ask as many as you'd like, but please, one question per post.
Inbetween Google, Apple, Samsung, NSA, GCHQ, ... can we still make it?
What are your views on the recent NSA activities and how do you think it will change free software & the internet?
I am a free slashdotter. I will not be modded, blogged, DRM'd, patented, podcasted or RFID'd. My life is my own.
What is your opinion on cryptocurrencies?
Okay, just kidding... but my question is this: How do you see the FSF remaining relevant 10 years hence - in other words, what is the FSF doing to keep from being obviated by the evolution of technology at large?
Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
How close are we to obtaining a truly free phone given that MWC 2014 has shown us a once proprietary Nokia running Android and do you have any further ideas as to how we can finally free the hardware firmware and what would be timescale until we see a truly free smartphone?
I read a little on your website about your take on technology that uses non-free software. Do you still not own a cell phone? If not, I'd love to hear your perspective on life without one these days, where its just assumed that people own one.
As a follow-up, where exactly do you draw the line concerning openness of source and whether or not you use software. For example, do you toast bread in a toaster that runs proprietary code? Obviously we're talking about different things here, but I'm curious to know at what point you say "no thanks!" when it comes to locked down technology.
Which site would you recommend for grown-up adults who used to visit Slashdot and who want to talk about computers, GNU/Linux and technology?
In the recent Clang thread, you seemed to say quality of software either isn't important to you, or at least is less important than the software being free software.
As someone who writes software for a living, this seemed like a "jump the shark" moment. (But maybe you jumped this particular shark long ago.)
Does it do your moment a disservice to say things like to, and also to have software that isn't of the up-most quality?
How many times have you been attacked by ninjas?
Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.
Please share your vision for where you would like to see GNU/Hurd, and GNU software over the next 25 years, and what people would be doing with it.
Uh, Linux geek since 1999.
In my experience; it is far easier to obtain; install and work with Free Software than with Free Hardware. I asked you about this in person 2 years back; but you brushed it aside saying hardware is not trivial to copy.
Recent events have proved me right; I feel. We simply do not have access to Freedom Hardware at low cost - even the Raspberry Pi has proprietary components in its hardware.
Why can't the FSF pool resources; license technology from ARM Holdings; and build a truly Free Tablet, Free Cellphone and Free PC running Free GNU/Linux instead of the pseudo-free Android? I am sure the community will pay any money to buy truly free Hardware from the FHF.
If you keep throwing chairs, one day you'll break windows....
Mr. Stallman, do you ever play computer games (video games)?
If so, which ones?
I live a modest life, how ever I do need to pay the bills. For the most part I make my living doing stuff against the ideals of the GPL.
Here is why.
1. I am not charismatic enough to gain peoples attention, so I will not make a living off of speeches and publications.
2. The software I write tends to fill a small niche, so it will not gain mass popularity outside that niche. So my products won't make a good resume item. And the owners of the niche mostly will not donate to my efforts, if they can get it for free. As well wouldn't be distributed on most systems.
3. The software I write tends to be user friendly and intuitive to use. So consulting off the product or service isn't a good way either.
4. The ease of Internet Download makes shipping of media seem barbaric.
Now I would love to make all my stuff open source, however I do need to live, and I prefer if possible not to live off of government handouts. I am a software developer by heart and nature, doing it as a hobby would be a waste of my talents.
So how would a 100% GPL developer operate in a small business settings?
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
I believe you're in favour of much-reduced copyright terms - a few years rather than the endless decades of today.
If copyright were reduced to, say, five years, then the vast majority of GNU code would become public-domain - copyleft depending on copyright as it does, this would mean anyone could create a closed-source fork of, say, emacs. How do you feel about that?
So.. it has come to this