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Comment by hikarudo | Hacker News Reader

Embarrassing story time.

I once introduced Richard Stallman to a fellow grad student in Japan like this (in Japanese): "He is the creator of GNU. You know, as in gnuplot."

Stallman understood what I said and immediately corrected me: "gnuplot is not a part of GNU".

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That sounds exactly like him.

I'm not sure if this is obvious from the gnuplot.info web page - not only is gnuplot not gnu (new), it is also not GNU (gnu project)

"Despite its name, this software is not part of the GNU Project." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnuplot

Stallman speaks English, French, Spanish, and “somewhat flawed” Indonesian. — certainly he could not understand the difference in Japanese between that and saying that the two are unrelated?

He probably just understood "gnuplot", and was used to the confusion.

That is what I inferred, but it seems a bit ungentlemanly to jump to that conclusion after merely picking “GNU” and “gnuplot” up in a sentence and nothing more, which is what most likely happened.

But its reasonable to:

1. Conclude that its 90% likely to be what happened.

2. Not burden someone by asking a question you don’t need the answer to.

3. Disclaim credit for work you don’t lead.

I submit that adding "In case you just said gnuplot is part of GNU,” in front of it is not too long, and far less præsumptive.

In context of adding burden of having someone to translate for you in Japanese, the statement he made seems good enough and to the point.

Maybe you are far too pre-assumtpive that there was any ill effect, or even ill intent, in the statement being made, especially if the same fact is accounted for in gnuplot FAQ.

I mean what other reason would there be a reason to bring up gnuplot, if not for it's assumed connection to GNU?

I guess "GNU, but gnuplot is not GNU" could be one, but perhaps at that hectic moment RMS didn't consider that option!

> "In case you just said gnuplot is part of GNU,” in front of it is not too long

No longer than, say, adding GNU/to the front of GNU/Linux.

Of all the things I've heard RMS accused of, being "gentlemanly" has never been on the list

Perhaps it's only fair, then, that it's pointed out when he actually seems to have been?

You can have a very low level of understanding in a language, as in no more than a few hours of experience, and understand what people are talking about. You don't get the details or have the most basic conversation, but you can piece together the few words you understand.

It is a cautionary tale: never assume that because someone doesn't speak your language, he won't get it if you are bad mouthing him.

Here "blah blah, Stallman, blah GNU blah blah gnuplot" is enough for some not skilled in blah to understand what is going on.

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