Hacker News Reader

HNHacker News

Top New Best Ask Show Jobs

Comment by concrete-faucet | Hacker News Reader

Full thread

concrete-faucet·

If RMS thinks that dumb jokes in documentation are worth having, I say we wholeheartedly embrace it. For example:

* GNU/Hurd - almost as traumatic as childbirth.

* childbirth - if it takes as long as it takes to write GNU/Hurd, may God have mercy on your soul.

* RMS - I know how to program computers (maybe), so obviously I am an expert on female reproductive issues.

View on HN

My wife and I were at a garden party in the early 90s where RMS was at also. We were talking about various things and somehow the fact that my wife was pregnant with our first child came up. RMS started talking about how maybe people shouldn't just be allowed to have children. In particular, he brought up that some towns require people to have dog licenses before they can own a dog. He pondered that the government maybe should require reproduction licenses before allowing people to have children.

Granted some people can make terrible parents, but I don't think allowing the government a voice in deciding whom can be parents is a better solution.

My son (now 26) is a EFF member and free software advocate.

I remember him complaining when the maintainer of some GNU project (emacs maybe?) was stepping aside to focus on starting a family. Stallman was writing about how being the maintainer of emacs is more important than having children, so this guy was making the wrong move.

If that's his belief, that's fine – I personally don't plan on having children, so I suppose I could empathize with his view – but he came across as a total ass. It seemed inconceivable to him that other people have different priorities in life than he does.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com