Chris Alvarez
Fri, 25 Mar 2005 14:17:09 -0800
> How is unjust domination by the Microsoft empire any different? ...
> Stallman's drive for free software did not start out from simply not > being able to "copy a printer driver." Rather he had a printer driver > that wouldn't work with his chosen OS (whatever that was, hurd > perhaps? ;) and was unable to fix it---the company refused his request > for the source without requiring a ridiculous sum of money. Stallman > simply did not want to be beholden the company any longer. It irritated > him (and irritates me) that the company would charge for the driver in > the first place when the hardware had already been paid for. What good > is the driver without the hardware anyway? Stallman is not out to steal > anything from anyone so please don't try to insinuate that. I didn't insinuate that. I said that it is ridiculous to compare something like that to being dominated by a foreign power in a brutal way for hundreds of years in more aspects than simple software end-user agreements. > It is interesting how many people think highly about Gandhi without > really understanding anything about his personal believes and values. > He was generally a good man who did great things for the Indian people. > But I certainly wouldn't follow his example in personal living and > righteousness, or family life. Me neither, I think I lack the strength. Also I don't consider myself under the same circumstances he had to live and therefore I don't see the reason of such an action. > Well to be fair, you and others on the list are also throwing everything > into the same sack also (when it suits your point) on some issues. I'm > doing it myself right now. What sack? I said that some advocates of OSS criticize non-free software developers and users. I never implied that all of them are. I am a OSS advocate who disagrees with Richard Stallman. If you feel that what I said about FSF zealosy applies to you, well, then maybe it does, but that's you that came to that conclussion. I'll tell you something. I usually work at the windows labs at the basement doing graphics stuff. Many sophomores working on CS 235 or stuff come and ask me what I am doing (by the way, these are always welcome). After some explaining, a couple of guys have said "Why do you waste your time making it work on Linux? Why don't you develop in Linux? It's much better!" Obviously, the only Windows programming that these newbies had done was in CS 142 (Java). It is sad that they simply listen to the comments their friends in junior year make and restrict themselves from some good experience. Last semester in CS 312, when we were told that the labs had to be done in Visual C++, most of the class complained. I was happy to have the opportunity to learn something new, but I guess that's my personal attitude. The one sad thing is that I believe that most of those complainers did so because of this bias that introduced by Richard Stallman's ideas. I admit that I was under the same ideology until about a year ago. I decided to try my hand at Windows programming (learning SDKs, etc) and it has been very rewarding. I don't want bias preventing people from doing so. I think that many sophomores in our department don't program in Windows because they think that that is unmanly or that people will look down on them. That is what I want to dispel. People should be able to try things and make their own decisions by themselves. If you have tried Windows and didn't like it, that is OK. I tried both Linux and Windows and I liked both. I think that if you are really that concerned about your client's freedom, you should develop OSS. If you are doubly concerned, then try to port your applications to as many platforms as you can (yes, including Windows). I have been trying to do that in the last few months and it is not that hard (No, I won't port my code to your Palm Pilot, cellphone, XBox or Commodore 64). And PLEASE, all of you, stop putting words in my mouth or ffinding different meanings to what I say. Try reading carefully the blasted posting before quoting-and-replying. Chris Alvarez -------------------- BYU Unix Users Group http://uug.byu.edu/ The opinions expressed in this message are the responsibility of their author. They are not endorsed by BYU, the BYU CS Department or BYU-UUG. ___________________________________________________________________ List Info: http://uug.byu.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/uug-list