Date: Wed, 19 Sep 2001 23:47:05 +1000 From: Stephen McKay <mckay@thehub.com.au> To: Brett Glass <brett@lariat.org> Cc: Stephen McKay <mckay@thehub.com.au>, Terry Lambert <tlambert2@mindspring.com>, freebsd-chat@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: RMS: A threat to society? Message-ID: <200109191347.f8JDl5i21378@dungeon.home> In-Reply-To: <4.3.2.7.2.20010918092037.046e2a90@localhost> from Brett Glass at "Tue, 18 Sep 2001 09:26:55 -0600" References: <3BA3248D.5E47FDC9@mindspring.com> <4.3.2.7.2.20010913023437.045fae70@localhost> <4.3.2.7.2.20010913002733.05261930@localhost> <4.3.2.7.2.20010912203732.0492cc80@localhost> <20010912225151.58FCD37B40B@hub.freebsd.org> <20010912215547.98067.qmail@web20806.mail.yahoo.com> <01091219512600.11358@proxy.the-i-pa.com> <20010912225428.A9675@citusc17.usc.edu> <4.3.2.7.2.20010913021952.045974f0@localhost> <4.3.2.7.2.20010913185102.0497c9e0@localhost> <15266.22869.722204.601040@guru.mired.org> <3BA3248D.5E47FDC9@mindspring.com> <4.3.2.7.2.20010918092037.046e2a90@localhost>
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On Tuesday, 18th September 2001, Brett Glass wrote: >At 08:01 AM 9/18/2001, Stephen McKay wrote: > >>Well, he's certainly >>eccentric (not yet a crime), is wildly hairy (still not a crime), >>and writes opinionated articles (soon to be a crime if encrypted). >>This just makes him interesting. > >If that's all he did, it would only make him interesting. But his >articles amount to propaganda, and he is attempting to lead a hateful >jihaad with many of the characteristics of a terrorist action. At >this point, he crosses the line between mere eccentricity and being >a true threat. Hmm. ``Propaganda, n: The systematic propagation of a doctrine or cause or of information reflecting the views and interests of those advocating such a doctrine or cause.'' Fair cop. But is that a problem? You do the same. So do I. So did Martin Luthor King, but he was better at it than you and me, and had a better cause. Now about this "hateful jihaad", I've seen no evidence. And "terrorist action"? What on earth do you think he has done that is remotely like a terrorist action? >>Well, he certainly opposes intellectual property law, loudly and >>frequently. But he doesn't break it, > >There's good reason to believe that he does and encourages others >to do so. (Note his assertion that "piracy" should be called "sharing >information with your neighbor.") There's quite a difference between saying "piracy == sharing" and actually illegally distributing copyrighted works. I'm sure he's said the former frequently, but I know of no cases of the latter. Saying "there's good reason to believe" is the same as saying "I really want to believe". >>Hardly the way I think of him. RMS is very useful as an unwavering >>marker signifying the most extreme (yet viable) point of view in >>the intellectual property/software debate. Any further and you >>reach lunatic territory (illegal actions, violence, whathaveyou). > >What he is doing is, in fact, likely to be illegal in that it >uses the same anti-competitive and predatory tactics that Microsoft >used to destroy Netscape. I suppose it could be illegal if RMS were a recognised software monopoly. Until that time, his actions appear to me to be completely legal (and honest too for that matter). You obviously disagree with him, but amongst intelligent people your purpose would be better served by reasoned argument against his philosophy, not by attacking his person. Stephen. To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-chat" in the body of the message
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