Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!sharkey!itivax!vax3!scs
From: scs@vax3.iti.org (Steve Simmons)
Newsgroups: gnu.gcc
Subject: Re: GNU's not GNU...
Summary: Holster those flamethrowers, brothers and sisters.
Message-ID: <878@itivax.iti.org>
Date: 27 Mar 89 15:47:14 GMT
References: <27674@apple.Apple.COM> <6396@cbmvax.UUCP>
Sender: news@itivax.iti.org
Reply-To: scs@vax3.iti.org (Steve Simmons)
Organization: Industrial Technology Institute
Lines: 31

In article <27674@apple.Apple.COM> jk@Apple.COM (John Kullmann) writes:
>I think it is bullshit that just because Stallman has a bug up his ass about
>Apple's corporate policies and actions that the GNU project 
>will have nothing to do with A/UX.  . . .
>
>[ and got lots of counterflames from lots of folks... ]

Tho Kullman made his point in a rather execreble way (doesn't that sound
better than "bullshit"? :-) ) it's still one we should consider.

Apple has P-Oed rms, and in response he's refused to put AUX stuff into
FSF software.  I think this policy is misguided at best, and at worst is
counter to the expressed philosophy of FSF as I understand it.

If FSF wants to change Apples way of doing things, the *best* possible
way is to make Apple dependant on free software.  The *worst* possible
way is to make free software completely irrelevant to them.  The current
policy penalizes all those Apple employees who might otherwise be a voice
for FSF.  FSF can be either a very large carrot or a very small stick.  It
has chosen the latter, which I feel is a mistake (no pun intended).

As for counter to FSF philosophy: it appears that *every* hardware and
operating system under which FSF software works is proprietary.  It appears
the vendors want to keep it that way.  DEC, IBM, and others regularly sue
over 'intellectual property' rights.  What makes Apple particularly evil?
Free software should be free.  Its content should be determined by those
willing to do the work, not by the political opinions of Stallman.

   Steve Simmons         Just another midwestern boy
   scs@vax3.iti.org  -- or -- ...!sharkey!itivax!scs
         "Hey...you *can* get here from here!"