Stallman Q&A Part 1/2

Richard Stallman speaks at Lehigh University on March 27, 2007. This is a clip from the Q&A session, captured on a MacBook's built-in iSight.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Richard
• Stallman
• Lehigh
• University
• Free
• Software
• GNU
• Linux
• Farm
• Copier

[BadBoyJeremy]

Most of what he stands for, I agree with, but an operating systems that doesn't allow the user to install any non-free software packages is just another form of restricting the user's freedom. The user should have a right to choose whether or not to install non-free software. Although free software is very useful, it does not always meet the user's needs especially when the user's machine has hardware devices which there are no free software drivers available.

[zixan]

RMS is "insanely great"!

[tnad5212]

He got MAD.

[paxcoder]

What you said sounds contradictory. Do you really agree? Why do you say "proprietary world"? I think this is the best time to say no to proprietary software. Many things have become free, and there are useful alternatives to most things. There are completely free OS', such as Debian, if you choose your hardware wisely. If we wait for free software world to build itself, we will never see the day.

But please explain "proprietary world", I don't know what you mean, so I can't comment on it.

[Elsgarden]

i agree with you, these drivers shouldn't be downloaded by default. but i think that in this proprietary world we cant take that huge step from everything is proprietary to everything is free software/open source. If gnu/linux wants more users and to become a better and more compatible OS, we must take a little step at a time. The world isn't ready for a totally free and open OS.

[paxcoder]

Ubuntu wiki (BinaryDriverEducation from 2008) says it does (if I understood it correctly). But I think non-free software shouldn't be distributed with a free OS at all, it encourages a bad habit. Debian, which I use doesn't do it. It has a separate, by default turned off repo for that online.

Too bad Canonical so rarely contributes and instead invests money in other things, otherwise we would have decent alternatives in no time.

[Elsgarden]

ubuntu doesn't load in any proprietary software/drivers without asking...

[pentyado]

ignorant ...

[ArkanRow]

I don't agree with you id1337x, why a symbiosis can't be developed? Using your own words: do you realize that you want absolution of free software in a world of non absolution? That's rather utopic. Until we get to a stable symbiotic agreement, non-free and free software will continue battling endlessly and pointlessly. Variety and competition is the main engine of evolution, as Darwinian theories say, my 1337 friend.

[id1337x]

Freedom must be complete, absolute.

This world isn't a world of absolution. Nobody is absolutely free. For example, humans have to have lust rather then 'freedom of choice' for the sake of darwinian survival. What you must understand is that rejection of non-free software is essential for the survival of free software.

[id1337x]

That farm argument is very silly =/