Re: [gentoo-dev] Dist name...

[Jean-Michel Smith]

On Wednesday 07 August 2002 11:08 am, Klaus-J. Wolf wrote:
> My personal opinion is, wouldn't there be a guy like RMS, there
> shouldn't be any hesitation in declaring everything part of the GNU
> project.

You should actually go read RMSes comments on the subject, and listen to one 
or more of the speaches he has given on the subject (you can find them online 
in various places, usually in mp3 or ogg format).

Not to belabor this (I don't care what the system is called, and I don't want 
to get put in the position of arguing in favor the the GNU/ prefix, but this 
sort of outright misinformation is becoming annoying), but...

1) RMS isn't saying everything should be a part of the GNU project
2) He is asking that the prefix be used because (currently) something like 90% 
of the core OS is GNU software, and he wants to get the word out about the 
GNU project to those who otherwise won't hear of it, not for personal 
aggrandizement but to pitch his 'software freedom' campaign (though he 
doesn't call it that)
3) he isn't demanding anything, his is requesting a courtesy which he, 
himself, is at pains to emphesize everyone is free to embrace or reject as 
they see fit (he has stated that in more than one speech explicity, though 
he'll argue passionately why we should embrace his point of view)
4) he isn't saying that by using the GNU prefix one is suddenly declaring 
their distro a part of the GNU project

> But as long as anybody's software is part of a campaign against
> everything which is not GNU, I have big problems with it.

5) this has got to be the most egregious misrepresentation of the facts I've 
seen.  RMS, the FSF, and AFAIK no one no the planet is engaged in any kind of 
"campaign against everything which is not GNU."  Where on earth did you come 
up with that stuff?

In any event, since that characterization is demonstrably false, can I assume 
that means, in light of this correction, you have no problem with his GNU/ 
prefix request?

Frankly, as one who doesn't care one way or the other, 'anti-GNU/' rants like 
this are coming off as far more zealous than any of the pro-GNU/ requests 
I've seen to date (including the less-than-diplomatic one posted to this 
list).

I would encourage you to actually listen to RMS, and not his opponents 
characterizations of his words.  Your comment sounds very much like something 
I would have said, before I'd heard RMS speak myself, and back when my view 
of the man was tainted by his 'lignux' diatribe in USENET of 7 years ago.  
Judge the man, and his views, on the basis of what he does and says today (or 
within the last couple of years), not on the basis of a flame fest seven or 
eight years ago.  Unless, of course, you'd like to also be judged on the 
basis of things you've said and done almost a decade ago ... I know I 
certainly wouldn't want that for myself ;-).

I don't give a damn whether Linux is called Linux, Gentoo, GNU/Linux, GNUs Not 
Lignux, or Billy Bob's Mondo Penguin OS, but these ad homonem attacks against 
RMS, to whome all of us owe some debt of gratitude whether we like it or not, 
particularly when such attacks are based upon flagrantly incorrect 
information if not outright disinformation, need to be countered, and 
vehemently so.

Jean.