"Yes, Richard Stallman, the Free Software Foundation leader
who created a stir at last April's LinuxWorld, admonishing
reporters to use "Gnu/Linux" instead of "Linux" and programmers to
use "free software" instead of "open source," was a surprising no
show."
"Suffice it to say, he was sorely missed. For beat reporters
hungry for attention-getting quotes, it was like covering the NBA
without Charles Barkley or Washington D.C. without James Carville:
a good dish but not exactly a full meal. After all, this was the
guy who, when receiving the Linus Torvalds Award and a check for
$25,000 on behalf of the Free Software Foundation, quipped, "Giving
the Linus Torvalds Award to the Free Software Foundation is a bit
like giving the Han Solo Award to the Rebel Alliance."
"In an effort to cleanse my palate of the previous week's PR
gumbo, I offered to meet the legendary Stallman for lunch at a
restaurant of his choosing. Ironically enough, our meeting place
was less than a penguin's flight away from the San Jose Convention
Center."
