(BDS OFFTOPIC) Re: Venue for RMS

[Omer Zak]

On Wed, 2022-05-18 at 20:36 +0300, Eli Zaretskii wrote:
> If you distinguish between his views and deeds, you don't know RMS.
> This is the man who never uses a smartphone, or a Web browser with
> JavaScript support, because that could cause him to use non-Free
> software.  His views and his deeds are inseparable: he acts on his
> views immediately and without any compromises.  Thus, if some of his
> views are incorrect or silly, so will be the deeds.  I don't always
> agree with his radical approach to these matters, but I admire his
> ability to live 110% according to his principles; you won't find many
> people capable of that.

It only makes his decision, to boycott Israeli institutions not
approved by the Palestinian, worse. Much worse.

> > I don't think we'll lose by this.
> 
> Your opinion, to which you are entitled.  I don't think it's based on
> anything substantial, but even if it is, why should you take upon
> yourself to decide for others whether they will hear something new
> and
> useful, and might lose by not hearing that?  IME, one can usually
> take
> something useful out of hearing a smart person, even if one disagrees
> with some of his views.

Personally, I am not affiliated with TAU or HUJI and cannot organize a
venue for him. I can only urge people in those institutions not to
cooperate with the BDS supporter. You are free to encourage those
people to cooperate with him.

I base my opinion about novelty of RMS's opinions upon the lack of
anything substantially new from him (except for scandals) during the
last few years. I cannot recall anything really new he created or led
since the GPLv3 effort.

Other people now maintain Emacs. Other people maintain GCC. Other
people work on GNU/Hurd.


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