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RMS to work in "Gates Building"?
robin sent us a link to
an article that says that
Richard Stallman might soon be
working in the
Gates building at MIT. Bill is donating $20e6 to the
CS Labs, and the new building is expected to be named after him.
The FSF started in the MIT Laboratory for Computer Science, and RMS still works there. "
The donation does two things for Microsoft that I can see:
It gives them a tax write-off and it is an investment in a school that will probably be stripped of it's talent in favor of Microsoft Research.
Money well spent from B. Gates' point of view I'd say.
As for RMS... who knows? I've been told by the man himself that he doesn't like his name associated with things that are diametrically opposed to his philosophy. However, he was there first and did much to put MIT on the map for Software Engineering. At any rate, RMS can write his own ticket and work just about anywhere he wants and for whatever price he may choose. Cygnus?
Codifex Maximus ~ In search of... a shorter sig.
According to a rumour I heard around at Cambridge University, UK, Bill Gates is supposed to have attempted exactly the same thing over here. A new computer science department building would be funded and/or furnished by Microsoft (or Bill Gates). One of the snags was that it was to be called "The Gates Building".
The academics in this department declined stating they were not going to name any building the "Gates Building" because they did not want to encourage/endorse that particular approach to programming around here. Microsoft are attempting to build offices over here in future, (to try to recruit a few clever graduates) but the consensus over here is that MS isn't that popular, especially as a career. (especially as the main nightclub in town might be closed to allow for the the new MS-Cambridge extension). (See this link for related news)
MIT is considered one of the top engineering and computer science schools in the world. It is supposed to stand for technological innovation and engineering brilliance. The culture is that of valuing technology on its own merits; may the best technology win.
Bill Gates is about the triumph of marketing over superiority; of deception over honest competition; of forcing success by leveraging might & muscle rather than innovation and ingenuity. In essence, Bill Gates represents everything that the MIT LCS is not about, and indeed he runs directly contrary to what it stands for.
As an MIT alumn, I am very saddened to think that MIT has allowed this to happen. I guess I can understand how difficult it must be to turn down $20 million, but the vast irony of the source of the funds contrasted to what the LCS represents cannot be underestimated.
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In a real emergency, we would have all fled in terror, and you would not have been notified.
The name of the new building will be the Stata Complex...the Stata family is donating much more than Mr. Gates, and the way I understand it, there will be a WING named after Billy. Not a building.
From yesterday's copy of The Tech (MIT's main newspaper):
"...At the event, LCS directory Michael L. Dertouzos announced a major gift by Gates towards the Stata complex, the future house of LCS
"MIT has known about Gates's intention to donate for over a year, and the name is still the Stata Complex. Gates donated $20 million. The Statas donated $25 million. Billy gets a wing, the Statas get a building. Hehe. I love it. Yay MIT.