Richard Stallman reveals he has cancer in the GNU 40 Hacker Meeting talk [video]

Post by calderknight » Fri, Sep 29, 2023, 1:29 PM UTC

robertlagrant wrote: post #534

calderknight wrote: post #520

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It seems that you have come to agree with me, but haven't realised it yet! You're saying that we must look at more than just the skewed sample, and that's exactly my point.

I don't think that's correct. The point is you can't just dismiss based on selection bias. You could say that the survivors of the Titanic didn't want to drown, sure, but you're selecting for the people who survived. The people who all drowned might have wanted to! I.e. there's a balance. People basically always migrating in one direction must tell you something other than "those exact people just wanted to".

Post by asrt » Fri, Sep 29, 2023, 1:29 PM UTC

hutzlibu wrote: post #328

hkt wrote: post #304

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There are phases in which change happens: Stallman's preaching to people who can actually make free software (eg, people you might find on HN) has accomplished a huge amount of capacity building. He's tremendously good at encouraging it, and always has been. That provides the raw material for people who are perhaps a little more adoption focused (and apt) which is work that can't happen if there's no capacity.

Well, I am also good at making software, share the goal of a world where everyone fully controls their devices - yet I am appalled by many things around him. Mostly the "superior" ethical stance. You do things this (my) way, then it is ethical and you love freedom or you are not ethical and don't want freedom. Sorry, but I just have some different opinions about some things, but I rather feel not like working togethe…

Post by gentleman11 » Fri, Sep 29, 2023, 1:30 PM UTC

leidenfrost wrote: post #390

dEnigma wrote: post #346

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I feel similarly. While I absolutely can't and won't operate under the severe restrictions that an ideologically pure stance on software freedom ala Stallman would impose, I'm glad that there are some people, like Stallman himself, who take it to those extremes, tirelessly advocate for improvement and thus move the needle towards a better middle ground for everyone.

It's a lot more understandable if you consider the state of computing he experienced while growing up: Programs were way simpler, and shipping the source code in paper was the de facto way of distribution. It's not like he was a wacko around his peers. He just created what seemed a logical step from that. I'm just sad that there's no young people to pass the torch for when the time comes and the founding fathers are…

Post by NegativeK » Fri, Sep 29, 2023, 1:35 PM UTC

oblio wrote: post #392

jeltz wrote: post #342

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PipeWire made sound finally work flawlessly for me on Linux, Proton made it possible to play a ton of games, graphics drivers being stable, especially for Vulcan and Firefox enabling hardware acceleration. Some things are worse as you note, but there have been som important improvements.

Is there a mainstream laptop on which Linux runs as well as Windows? I'd really want one that doesn't cost 3k+.

Post by NegativeK » Fri, Sep 29, 2023, 1:36 PM UTC

omgmajk wrote: post #361

leansensei wrote: post #320

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Since 1997 here -- still my OS of choice, for desktops, laptops, and servers. I enjoy FreeBSD and NetBSD too, but Debian feels like "home". No surprises, no gotchas, no telemetry, no nonsense. Every time I have to use my Windows 10 corporate laptop, I become even more bewildered that people actually tolerate such a farce as their daily computing environment.

You and I are quite alike it seems, Linux always on some device, server, laptop since 1997 - Debian is home. I do tolerate Windows to some extent however, it doesn't bother me too much. But that might be the gaming nerd inside talking.