[ Thanks to Chris
Carella for this link. ]
“While browsing the web late Saturday night, I became suprised
at how some people still don’t understand “Free Software”.
Bertrand Meyer, recently in an essay titled “The Ethics of Free
Software”, slandered Free Software, The GNU, Richard Stallman and
Eric Raymond, often connecting unrelated points in an attempt to
thrash the Free Software movement.”
“Free software is not at all about what is described by Meyer,
he describes partially fictional community, and misquotes some of
the more outspoken proponents. I think it is important to note that
there is no leader of this movement. The GNU is way bigger than
Stallman and Raymond. I also find it interesting that the essay
didn’t include much of the voices of Linux Torvalds, Bob Young,
Bruce Perens, Tim Orielly, or Larry Wall. Those are some of the
really important voices in the Open Source community. It isn’t
quite fair to generalize the whole movement on only 2 people who
are in the public’s eye.”
“In Summary I think it is important to note, that others also
probably have misunderstandings of the Free Software movement. It
is more important than ever that us in the community advocate Free
Software, expalining it to as many as possible. Start by telling
your mom what it is, and keep expanding from there. Our beliefs
have just begun to invade the mainstream, and with some effort and
time they will get it.”