Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!gatech!purdue!ames!apple!sticks.aux.apple.com!dwb
From: dwb@sticks.aux.apple.com (David W. Berry)
Newsgroups: gnu.gcc
Subject: FSF Hypocrisy
Message-ID: <2129@internal.Apple.COM>
Date: 30 May 89 23:20:37 GMT
Sender: usenet@Apple.COM
Reply-To: dwb@sticks.aux.apple.com (David W. Berry)
Organization: Apple Computer
Lines: 58


	It has now been slightly over a week since I made my original
posting noting that GCC Version 1.35 for A/UX was available for anonymous
ftp from apple.com.

	The work necessary to port GCC was done on my own time, at
my own expense, (and the request of Hugh Daniel, John Gilmore, and
The Grasshopper Group) because collectively we felt that A/UX needed
a better compiler and the most effective way of achieving that was
to port gcc.  Subsequently, the changes were made available via
anonymous ftp so that the work I performed, and for which I received
no compensation, could benefit others.

	In the intervening week I have received mail from Len Tower
observing that no postings advertising products for the great demon
Apple were acceptable in this newsgroup which is the private property
of the Free Software Foundation and the GNU project.  It went on to
state that if I didn't voluntarily refrain from further such postings
that measures would be taken to prevent me from making further postings.

	At the same time, there was a posting by Richard Stallman
turning my simple effort to assist those around me, into a political
action.  I was accused of "gloating... because he turned the GNU project's
own mailing list toward the end of prohibiting free software."  And
you were urged "don't cooperate with Apple's use of GCC."  Cooperate
with it or not, Apple doesn't currently use and to the best of my
knowledge, has no intentions of using gcc.

	My original posting was very intentionally nonpolitical, because
my goals in porting and providing support for various GNU products
is that I wish to use them for my own personal development, and was hoping
to avoid all other issues.

	Richard, Leonard, and the rest of the Free Software Foundation,
claim to stand for free rights to software for all individuals.  I
believe it is well within their right of free speech to urge you
to boycott Apple and with their rights to boycott Apple themselves.

	It's a crying shame that they can't see the hypocrisy involved
choosing to deny me my right to free speech in a publicly accessible
and publicly supported forum.  Whether they like it or not gnu.gcc
is not the private property of the FSF, but is a public forum which
I choose to use to notify other users of A/UX and Gnu products of
new ports.  Remember that FSF bears NONE OF THE COST OF DISTRIBUTING
either the gnu.gcc news group, mailing list or any of the other news
groups.  The extent of their support is in answering questions posted
to the group and in maintaining the mailing list assosciated with gnu.gcc.
All other expenses (ie., the phone charges that perform all of the
distribution) are carried by other individuals and corporations.

	Given the current censorship threats on the part of the Free
Software Foundation I can but hope you see this message.

	David
Opinions:  MINE, ALL MINE! (greedy evil chuckle)

David W. Berry		(A/UX Toolbox Engineer)
dwb@apple.com		973-5168@408.MaBell		AppleLink: berry1