[Gllug] Talk by Richard Stallman in London, 12 Feb

[Kieran]

On Sat, 26 Jan 2002, Richard Cottrill wrote:

> Mike Brodbelt wrote:

> > RMS has stated repeatedly and clearly his opinions that use of closed
> > source is morally wrong. You may choose to agree or disagree with this,
> > but he has always considered the sharing of software to be a duty of all
> > users. To permit this, RMS refuses to use software that is not free (as
> > in speech). Given that the man refuses to endorse use on non-free
> > software, sharing anything he is prepared to use is, by definition, not
> > piracy.
>
> True enough. I watched RMS refuse to so much as touch a CD that was given
> away by some enterprising individual in the crowd. Note that the 'moral
> obligation to share software' doesn't sound limited by copyright does it?
> Take one zealot (which RMS most certainly is), add a rambling talk, add a
> permissive audience, shake well with a curious and outgoing personality
> (which RMS also seems to have) and you will soon end up with something that
> sounds a lot like: 'you should copy any software you have without paying for
> it'.
>
Hmm.  I saw what sounds like the same talk a couple of years ago.  I
wrote a report on it which is available at
http://www.ukuug.org/newsletter/82/n82-02.shtml#T9

>From my recollection, he was quite specific about what he thought about
piracy: if your conscience was clear that you were doing the right
thing, then it was OK.  He didn't urge piracy: he urged people to follow
their conscience.

If you're just listening for keywords, or trying to troll, your post is
entirely correct.  From what I hear about Australia, respect for the
internet among politicians is rather thin on the ground.  I'd expect the
same problem to exist for free software.

Regards

Kieran


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