Richard Stallman speaker visit guidelines

https://secure.mysociety.org/admin/lists/pipermail/developers-public/2011-October/007647.html?

by pearjuice • 12 years ago

7 6 12 years ago

secure.mysociety.org

na85• 12 years ago

I was really put-off when I saw video of him throwing a temper tantrum on the podium, smashing the microphone into the table and generally making a fool of himself.

I like what he's done for Free Software and GNU is an important part of computing (even if their kernel is awful). His personal choices about how he does his computing, i.e. wgetting each page and reading it with less or another pager are a little strange but I figure it's good to have someone on the fringe like that.

I'd never seen video or heard audio of RMS before and always assumed him to be a sort of Gandalf-type figure, wise and soft-spoken.

In reality he appears to be a fucking child. It was really disappointing.

That impression I got was reinforced when I read these guidelines; he seems really full of himself. I really got the primadonna vibe when I read some of the "guidelines". He requires they set aside an additional 45 minutes for photos after a 75 minute speech? Cringe.

Maybe it's just a cultural thing, but holy ego, Batman.

mattl• 12 years ago

So, a couple points.

He uses wget to get pages because he's on the road almost constantly. His life is in his email, and he tries to respond to all of it, but gets a TON, and responds pretty quickly. He does this partly because he's using his own email client and his own editor, both of which he's been using for 35 years or so. In Emacs he has a ton of abbrevs for various common responses.

Because he travels all the time, he has a lot of experience of what works and what doesn't work, and is trying to make things as smooth as possible.

45 minutes of photos after a speech isn't his ego, its him asking the organizers to make sure they have plenty of time after the event for all the people who'll want him to sign a book or their laptop, or talk to him about free software.

I went to Brazil with him on a trip and I'm pretty sure there were photos and signing and things for a few hours after. We had to have a dedicated photographer to cope with the sheer number of people.

This is a guy who travels so much, someone bought him a parrot as a gift because they thought he'd like it, and it forced him to ask people to not buy animals as gifts. That's the scale of what he's dealing with.

ggchappell• 12 years ago

I would avoid reading too much into guidelines like those posted.

In his capacity as travelling speaker, RMS is essentially a performer, and all major performers have lists like this. They have to. They are putting on a show that requires a great deal of time, effort, and planning. If you are inviting them, then they are doing it because you want them to. You do not know what it takes to put on their show. They do. So they are telling you. The audience may react to them in ways you do not expect. They know how audiences react. So they are letting you know how to prepare for it.

Yes, it makes them look like prima donnas. But that is not why the lists exist.

That said, it is clear that the reality of RMS as primary spokesman for software freedom, has some serious problems. Respectful disagreement is not something we find him doing very often. He has been seen to explode at people over minor issues. He leads a movement that has some of the characteristics of a cult, in which his personal preferences are enshrined as policy.

Most tragically, he has created an atmosphere in which supporting software freedom, but having disagreements with RMS, is a difficult position to take. I think this hurts the cause considerably.

smadge• 12 years ago

Please do not ever mail me a file larger than 100k without asking me first.

Quote from an email that is 50k of pure text.

axaxs• 12 years ago

Him again. Look I appreciate his zeal and previous ventures, but why he has any relevance at all is beyond me. He's a pregnant prima donna who has lost touch with reality. I'd rather listen to the temple os guy talk to be honest.

fluxon• 12 years ago

RMS's guidelines are very very old news. His temper tantrum is now two years past. Exactly how is this relevant to Hacker News?

Richard Stallman speaker visit guidelines

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