Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!rutgers!sri-unix!hplabs!decwrl!decvax!linus!philabs!tg!scott
From: scott@tg.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.os.minix
Subject: Re: MINIX - From the mouth of the horse
Message-ID: <109@tg.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 29-Jan-87 02:24:51 EST
Article-I.D.: tg.109
Posted: Thu Jan 29 02:24:51 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 31-Jan-87 05:34:33 EST
References: <1026@botter.cs.vu.nl> <4564@mit-eddie.MIT.EDU> <4654@mit-eddie.MIT.EDU>
Reply-To: scott@tg.UUCP (Scott Barman)
Distribution: world
Organization: Townsend Greenspan & Co., Inc.
Lines: 45
Keywords: GNU MINIX FSF freedom

In article <4654@mit-eddie.MIT.EDU> tower@prep.ai.mit.edu (Leonard H. Tower Jr.) writes:
>rms asked me to post this followup to article <1026@botter.cs.vu.nl>
>of ast@cs.vu.nl (Andy Tanenbaum).  I apologize for the delay (I was
>keyboard-less at USENIX for the last week  ;-} ).
> ... much deleted ...
>   I do not understand why Tanenbaum calls the GNU project "empty
>   promises".  Several pieces of GNU software are already in
>   distribution, complete with fanatical admirers and detractors.
>   I think we have demonstrated that we can deliver what we promise.
>   
>   There is no charge whatever for using GNU software for any purpose.
>   The Free Software Foundation charges for mailing tapes, but this is
>   not the same as a charge for the software on the tape.  That is free,
>   and you can make as many copies as you like for anyone at all.  The
>   Free Software Foundation is a tax-exempt charitable organization and
>   the money that tape distribution brings in is spent on the creation of
>   more free software.  (None of it goes to me personally.)

First, let me publicly thank Richard Stallman for sending me the GNU
Manifesto and EMACS "agreement" in machine readable form.  I am distributing
it, as I recieved it, to some other people who are interested.

There is only one comment I want to make on GNU: it's too ambitious and
altruistic!  I cannot think for a minute that DEC, IBM, or any software
house will adapt this idea in this capitalistic society and suspect that the
practices will continue ad nauseum.  I also think that the treatment of
programmers in this document is wrong since GNU will NEVER (and I do mean
NEVER) solve all computing problems.  If I can give an example from my
current job, how about publishing?  Will GNU set up the publishing environment
we have been using for seven years?  I seriously doubt it.  Besides, I still
believe a system that will be all things to all people will turn out to be
a big kludge like OS/VS MVS (and I hated using it too!!).

Minix seems more realistic in the relm of society and applaud the idea.  Just
as soon as I can get the book and software, I will install it (or try to)
on my clone.  Thanks Andy Tannenbaum, I like the idea.

Just one last note to the GNU people:
The reason all groups trying to change peoples values in any area fails is
because they never work with the goup they are trying to change (the women's
movement finally learned this).  Most try to radically change it from the
outside with alot of resentment!

Scott Barman
{philabs, pyrnj}!tg!scott