Free Software Foundation: Free as in “do what I say”

The following article from InfoWorld is presented as is. I am not going to share my opinions on this matter as it really comes down to what you feel like the real message. Just thought I would clear that up before getting into the whole debate on the FSF front.

When Richard Stallman created the Free Software Foundation (FSF) in 1985, it was organized around a radical idea: Software should be free, not just as in free of charge, but free as in the concept of liberty. During the next 20 years that idea turned out to be not just radical, but surprisingly practical. Beginning with Stallman’s Emacs text editor, to the various Gnu utilities, the Linux kernel, and beyond, free software has proved to be an enduring success.

Much of the credit for that can be given to Stallman himself. Through his tireless campaigning, he has transformed this idealistic notion into something that the wider world, and even the business community, can accept and take seriously. Although it may not always be easy to agree with him, his arguments have been rational, and if nothing else, intellectually consistent to the last…. Source:InfoWorld

[tags]linux kernel,free software foundation,liberty,campaigning[/tags]