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My Talk at Microsoft

stallman.org

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Re: My Talk at Microsoft

#11

Post by ryukafalz »

Operyl wrote: post #3

> Direct GitHub to promote correct and clear use of licenses and the best use of copyleft (GPL version 3-or-later). Ehhhh... I very much like that my source code repository host isn't consistently nudging me to a specific license, thanks :).

Sure, but it should at least differentiate between GPLv3 and GPLv3 or later. The SPDX license list does this: "GPL-3.0-only" vs "GPL-3.0-or-later". GitHub does not.

(Also, GitHub already does recommend licenses to some extent; there's a short list of highlighted ones in the license selection dropdown.)

Re: My Talk at Microsoft

#12

Post by kuu »

incompatible wrote: post #7
yummybear wrote: post #6

> Help make the web usable with Javascript deactivated. I don't quite understand why that is a goal in itself. If it's due to accessibility why not ask to "Help make the web more usable for people with disabilities"? Maybe I'm missing something here.

Stallman doesn't want to run proprietary software on his computer, and that includes proprietary Javascript.

What about proprietary HTML ? CSS ?

Re: My Talk at Microsoft

#13

Post by Dude2029 »

yummybear wrote: post #6

> Help make the web usable with Javascript deactivated. I don't quite understand why that is a goal in itself. If it's due to accessibility why not ask to "Help make the web more usable for people with disabilities"? Maybe I'm missing something here.

Good idea regardless of motivation to be honest.

Re: My Talk at Microsoft

#14

Post by close04 »

duckerude wrote: post #8
yummybear wrote: post #6

> Help make the web usable with Javascript deactivated. I don't quite understand why that is a goal in itself. If it's due to accessibility why not ask to "Help make the web more usable for people with disabilities"? Maybe I'm missing something here.

A lot of non-free software is written in Javascript and runs on webpages. If you want to avoid using non-free software you have to disable Javascript on many websites. Ideally the Javascript would be freed, but making it optional might be a more feasible goal.

> A lot of non-free software is written in Javascript

Dropping JS will just lead to a lot of non-free software written in [something else]. It's not like non-free software will suddenly stop existing. You're not banning English because of the content that might use it.

There must be a better approach to this than "I'm not running any code because some of it may be non-free".

Re: My Talk at Microsoft

#15

Post by nirui »

I somehow want to quote this too:

> Direct GitHub to promote correct and clear use of licenses and the best use of copyleft (GPL version 3-or-later).

I remember when I was very green, that list of licenses on the GitHub repository creation page is very very confusing to me. I don't know which is which and which one I should use, and most importantly, what's the effect of my choice.

It could be great if GitHub can improve that list a bit to help people to make wiser choice before a repository is created.

Re: My Talk at Microsoft

#16

Post by 5trokerac3 »

> I resisted Steve Jobs's snow job in 1989 or 1990; I am no easy mark for those who want me to change my views.

Why do people still prop this insufferable person up? Interacting with everyone like an angsty teen is no way for anyone who considers themself a professional to publicly talk.

IMO FOSS is where it is today more despite Stallman than because of him. Being an asshole isn't necessarily a sign of being a savant. Sometimes people are just assholes.

Edit: Just a reminder that, only a week ago, this man was fired for using a technology forum to defend a 74 year old man having sex with a 17 year old prostitute on pedophile island.

Re: My Talk at Microsoft

#17

Post by dimitar »

Crinus wrote: post #2

> And one other suggestion, which I made to a vice president but perhaps not in my talk. > > Release the source code of Windows under the GNU GPL. > > I know that is a stretch, but from what I heard there. it isn't totally impossible. I do not remember who or where exactly it was, but i remember someone influential from Microsoft that was asked about open sourcing Windows (not necessarily under GPL) and they also sai…

Given that Windows is a considered a "service" it makes sense unless there is something to hide (some odious telemetrics, perhaps). No one is going to replace Microsoft in selling Support and Updates, unless it isn't some niche that it doesn't care about anyway, just like Oracle didn't destroy the RHEL market with their own Linux.

I'm thinking it can help them win some government contracts outside the USA (by saying "you, and anyone else can see that there aren't any backdoors"). The potential open-source community can expand Windows markets the same way it did for Linux, making sure Microsoft remains relevant.

Re: My Talk at Microsoft

#18

Post by Iv »

Zhyl wrote: post #5

>Publicly take back Microsoft's attacks on copyleft made in the 2000s. Ballmer called the GPL a "cancer". Allchin called it "un-American". (from the "Suggestions I gave to Microsoft" section) This is something I agree with. I don't think that Microsoft are likely to apologise for EEE [1] as that is likely just considered 'business' and part of the zeitgeist; neither do I think that Microsoft necessarily needs to endo…

I do believe we are coming in an age where reputation is going to be increasingly important to companies. Those that change their opinions based on the hype and the short term profits are going to only have features and price as sales arguments whereas a company with a strong reputation and clear values will be able to charge a premium.

I have no doubt that Microsoft is in the first category, but a company that would be in the second one would understand the importance of making public excuses for past stances.

Re: My Talk at Microsoft

#19

Post by dhruvmittal »

Zhyl wrote: post #5

>Publicly take back Microsoft's attacks on copyleft made in the 2000s. Ballmer called the GPL a "cancer". Allchin called it "un-American". (from the "Suggestions I gave to Microsoft" section) This is something I agree with. I don't think that Microsoft are likely to apologise for EEE [1] as that is likely just considered 'business' and part of the zeitgeist; neither do I think that Microsoft necessarily needs to endo…

> They should, however, be a bit more repentant about starting a McCarthy-esque red scare against all things open source.

Especially since we're still suffering from it. There are enough project & program managers who see the words "open source" on an engineering document & send us back to build or buy some alternative.

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