Richard M. Stallman on Steve Jobs: "I'm glad he's gone"

I'm very grateful for Stallman and his ideals. Software freedom is a very important long-term issue, and he's done as much as anyone to promote it.

It's unfortunate that he feels the need to malign someone like Jobs who spent his life pursuing the orthogonal goal of improving the user experience.

As bad as the App Store is for software freedom, it's not built that way to wrest power from the users, rather the goal is to improve the user experience by enforcing some standards. As damaging as this is to freedom, I believe in my heart that it is simply collateral damage, not malice. One need look no further than the Android Market to see pitfalls of looser controls. Some think App Store policies are about greed and control, but if you compare it to the old world of smart phone apps it's a breath of fresh air, and in any case, App Store revenues are not where Apple makes its billions.

The bottom line is that for the common person, the deal they get from companies like Apple, or Google, or even Facebook is probably not a bad one. They get tremendously more value from these businesses then they could from a powerful free software toolbox which no one can make enough money from to support properly.

Stallman is quick to point out that software freedom does not preclude its sale, but that's easy to say from his batch-emailing ivory tower. I'd like to see him put his money where his mouth is and actually make his living from selling free software.

I'm not defending what RMS said here, but the title on this submission twists the article in to something it's not. The quote (and the original title of the article) says "I'm not glad he's dead, but I'm glad he's gone". I understand the competitive nature of trying to get your submission on the front page, but it's sort of frustrating to see the rising number of submissions that misrepresent the articles they link to.

I flagged this article becuase the title submitted for it is editorialized to be even more inflamatory than what he actually said, because it was taken out of context.

I don't agree with what Stallman said but if it had been worded the way it is in that editorialized header I would have lost most if not all of my respect for him.

RMS serves as the absolute end of an ideology of freedom. He's the tentpole that stretches the debate and creates space to seem reasonable in arguing for software liberties. In some ways it's almost brave to be so consistent, even when you'll be vilified for it; but to say things like this, especially so soon, is quite tactless.

I completely disagree with him, but I get what he's trying to say.

and when Stallman passes, I wont be glad he's gone. he might be wrong about a lot of stuff, but more perspectives is always better, not worse.

Currently under discussion here: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3083349

Thanks ZDnet ... I hope other sites chime in too.

I'm guessing this is a prank. Isn't RMS's real blog at http://www.fsf.org/blogs/rms/ ?

I see no link with RMS in the whois info of stallman.org.

I suppose he'll be picketing Jobs' funeral with others blinded by ideology, such as the Westborrow church.

... and people accuse me of being heartless.

I have to give him credit for speaking his mind, though, for all that I disagree with the position he takes.

Just to be sure the full quote is "I'm not glad he's dead but I'm glad he is gone". He adds that no one deserves to die - he just hopes that now that he is gone there will be less influence to build proprietary / jailed systems. Which doesn't sound nearly as offensive as the title - "I'm glad he is gone".

Which isn't all that unexpected from RMS given how much at odds is GNU/ Free Software with what Apple is doing. And I guess RMS has some right to voice his opinion - may be he should have chosen a better time.

Classless.

For another remnant from the trip-happy 60s, especially one who also walks around barefoot believing in a freer world and living up to sunshine ideals, Stallman is a really mean gimp.