Richard Stallman, founder of the Free Software Foundation has resigned and he's also left his position in CSAIL at MIT.
Why is this significant? Stallman and the FSF were responsible for the creation of the GNU Project, widely used GNU licenses like the GPL, the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC) and more that were used in the creation of Linux.
Posted on the FSF website last night was this notice:
On September 16, 2019, Richard M. Stallman, founder and president of the Free Software Foundation, resigned as president and from its board of directors. The board will be conducting a search for a new president, beginning immediately. Further details of the search will be published on fsf.org.
Stallman also noted on stallman.org how he's stepped away from MIT as well, with the below statement:
I am resigning effective immediately from my position in CSAIL at MIT. I am doing this due to pressure on MIT and me over a series of misunderstandings and mischaracterizations.
The question is—why? Well, an article on Vice picked up on comments Stallman made around convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Unsurprisingly, this caused quite a lot of outrage inside and outside the Linux community.
Not long after Neil McGovern, the GNOME Executive Director, made a blog post about it where they said they asked the FSF to cancel their membership. McGovern also noted that other people who they "greatly respect are doing the same" and that GNOME would sever their "historical ties between GNOME, GNU and the FSF" if Stallman did not step down.
McGovern of GNOME wasn't the only one to speak out about it, as the Software Freedom Conservancy also put out a post calling for Stallman to step down and no doubt there's others I'm not aware of.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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The comments on this article are closed.
Quoting: GuestAnother storm in a teacup. Maybe there is a correlation between working on a computer and being a drama queen.
Also, this looks like an unfair procedure as seen many times before.
While objectively a thing like "misunderstandings and mischaracterizations" can be a very valid thing in a communication, this will always be taken as a "cheap excuse".
If you've been in such a situation it will always stick to your person for the rest of your life,
no matter if it was true or NOT.
Headlines simply cannot be undone.
I see this often used as sharp knife to seriously harm public figures.
Last edited by sub on 17 September 2019 at 9:11 am UTC
14 Likes, Who?
Turns out words have consequences, who knew... well, Stallman should have known.
At this point it doesn't matter what or how he said anything. The fact that he said anything at all about those topics was enough. We don't live in a society where you can discuss things like that without it turning into a royal shitstorm.
If anything, I'm amazed he hasn't been kicked to the curb until now.
At this point it doesn't matter what or how he said anything. The fact that he said anything at all about those topics was enough. We don't live in a society where you can discuss things like that without it turning into a royal shitstorm.
If anything, I'm amazed he hasn't been kicked to the curb until now.
14 Likes, Who?
rustybroomhandle Sep 17, 2019
For those rushing to RMS' defense. This is just one thing in a long list of things. For all the good he has done, it's really not the person that you should want as the face of free software.
22 Likes, Who?
Quoting: rustybroomhandleFor those rushing to RMS' defense. This is just one thing in a long list of things. For all the good he has done, it's really not the person that you should want as the face of free software.
Well, this might have been just the intention of those that now use this well-proven method to get rid of him.
13 Likes, Who?
Actually he was not defending Epstein (he called him rapist), but declaring his opinion against laws against consented paedophilia, which is somewhat much more controversial.
The Free Software community deserve a better leader. Sure, you can have your personal opinions, but once you're the face of a movement you have to be cautious about what you're saying.
Last edited by spayder26 on 17 September 2019 at 9:31 am UTC
The Free Software community deserve a better leader. Sure, you can have your personal opinions, but once you're the face of a movement you have to be cautious about what you're saying.
Last edited by spayder26 on 17 September 2019 at 9:31 am UTC
13 Likes, Who?
Stallman talked some bullshit and pays the price. He should enjoy his retirement. He more than deserves it.
And nobody is surprised that the Gnome project is on the front line. These little nitpickers have nothing better to do. Except, of course, to ergonomically rape their users.
And nobody is surprised that the Gnome project is on the front line. These little nitpickers have nothing better to do. Except, of course, to ergonomically rape their users.
10 Likes, Who?
rustybroomhandle Sep 17, 2019
Quoting: PatolaAnother victim of cancel culture...
Nobody who uses the phrase "cancel culture" with a straight face can be taken seriously. Off to the kids table with you.
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There are topics you should avoid at all costs if you're running a business or a non-profit. It's amazing how many people keep slipping on that simple rule.
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Quoting: spayder26Actually he was not defending Epstein (he called him rapist), but declaring his opinion against laws against consented paedophilia, which is somewhat much more controversial.
You seem to have information differing from mine.
I read that he found the "most plausible scenario" that the girls have been "entirely willing".
Does anybody find it appropriate to do such talk about possible severe crimes without any knowledge of what actually has happened?
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I'm sick of all this stuff. Who am I supposed to be angry about this week?
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Quoting: chancho_zombieQuoting: spayder26but declaring his opinion against laws against consented paedophilia, which is somewhat much more controversial.
pretty disturbing and disgusting.
Well, consented sex with 17 year old is perfectly legal here (Germany)...
*edit* ... if it's without money exchange, that is.
Last edited by Eike on 17 September 2019 at 9:52 am UTC
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Quoting: EikeDoes anybody find it appropriate to do such talk about possible severe crimes without any knowledge of what actually has happened?I don't think so. The situation appears more and more clearly as sexual slavery of teenager. Saying that an underaged girl taken far from home was totally able to consent and that it should'nt be illegal for a 70-years old academics to have sex for money with a 17-old girl is off limit.
P.S: I don't think the comment shall have been opened on this one, we'll see
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Quoting: amataiP.S: I don't think the comment shall have been opened on this one, we'll see
Yeah, thought so, too.
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Quoting: EikeProstitution of a 17 years old is not legal in Germany (nor anywhere in Europe for what mater)Quoting: chancho_zombieQuoting: spayder26but declaring his opinion against laws against consented paedophilia, which is somewhat much more controversial.
pretty disturbing and disgusting.
Well, consented sex with 17 year old is perfectly legal here (Germany)...
Even without the prostitution part, consented sex will not work either in most tribunal because of age and social position difference.
P.S: Sorry for the double post
1 Likes, Who?
Quoting: GuestWell, for example, Stephen Hawkins used to make hilariously stupid political public comments from time to time. At the beginning, there were even people trying to interpret the deep meaning of the Master's words.
Then, mostly nobody cared. I still read his Brief History of Time with pleasure and as far as i know nobody refuses to work with Cambridge or on black hole evaporation.
Some correspondence between Einstein and Freud can also make you laugh or raise your hair, depending on your temperament.
Times change.
Quoting: EikeQuoting: amataiP.S: I don't think the comment shall have been opened on this one, we'll see
Yeah, thought so, too.
Thus far it seems rather civilized for such a topic.
Quoting: PatolaAnother victim of cancel culture...
I'm getting the impression that this is another troll-meme-right-wing term. Being intentionally obtuse, having a nice-looking shallow facade, hiding behind it the worst sides of humanity. Sorry if I'm entirely wrong and this is truly a neutral, unloaded, clear, unpoliticized term.
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Quoting: amataiProstitution of a 17 years old is not legal in Germany (nor anywhere in Europe for what mater)
Yes, I've added this into the post later. (The stuff cited didn't talk about money, though.)
Quoting: amataiEven without the prostitution part, consented sex will not work either in most tribunal because of age and social position difference.
If you're not the other one's teacher or something like this, there won't be a problem.
4 Likes, Who?
Headline:
Famed Computer Scientist Richard Stallman Described Epstein Victims As 'Entirely Willing'
What Stallman actually wrote:
Last edited by Nanobang on 17 September 2019 at 10:11 am UTC
Famed Computer Scientist Richard Stallman Described Epstein Victims As 'Entirely Willing'
What Stallman actually wrote:
Quoting: StallmanWe can imagine many scenarios, but the most plausible scenario is that she presented herself to him as entirely willing.
Assuming she was being coerced by Epstein, he would have had every reason to tell her to conceal that from most of his associates.
Last edited by Nanobang on 17 September 2019 at 10:11 am UTC
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It's sad how honest people are much more vulnerable to being sniped for opinions because they speak them instead of removing any meaning by proxying their communication through lawyers. Stallman has had very controversial theoretical opinions that could be and were used against him, because he conducts his discussions under public scrutiny.
Interestingly, he has very recently changed his mind on damage caused by paedophilia: https://stallman.org/archives/2019-jul-oct.html#14_September_2019_(Sex_between_an_adult_and_a_child_is_wrong). And just as he was becoming a less controversial figure, Vice blew up in his face.
Interestingly, he has very recently changed his mind on damage caused by paedophilia: https://stallman.org/archives/2019-jul-oct.html#14_September_2019_(Sex_between_an_adult_and_a_child_is_wrong). And just as he was becoming a less controversial figure, Vice blew up in his face.
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Quoting: amataiP.S: I don't think the comment shall have been opened on this one, we'll seeWe shall see how it goes, so far people have been okay.
As always, if people do repeatedly go overboard and make the community a bad place, the comments can be closed at any time.
9 Likes, Who?
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