Re: [tlug] Zurus distributions experience

["Stephen J. Turnbull" <turnbull@example.com>]

Lars Kotthoff writes:

 > I see your point. But hey, at least everybody can get the old version :)

You know, it occurs to me that we're discussing entirely the wrong
things here.  It's not supposed to be about "getting versions", ie,
economics (though the economics are important).  It's about *freedom*,
and it's different visions of the meaning of freedom that divide the
free software movement from the open source movement.  The FSM sees
freedom as absence of constraint[1]; the OSM sees freedom as a social
framework for cooperation while respecting the individual.

I think one thing that divides the libertarians (ESR, me, Curt) from
the Stalinist faction of the FSF is that is that the Stallmanists are
fundamentally selfish.  It's all about *my* *right* to see anybody's
code.  And Stallman himself is even worse.  Anybody who has worked on
a Stallman-led project is well-aware that cooperation is hierarchical:
Stallman gets 100% of what he wants, and he makes effort to be clear
about what he wants so as not to interfere with others' goals -- er,
not more than getting 100% of what he wants requires.  He does not
compromise, he does not trade.  And if that is not acceptable to you,
and you refuse to work to his specification, and fork, he labels you
"uncooperative" and even a "backslider".  He says "I wish you wouldn't
do that," but never offers (or even accepts) a compromise.  Not even
with the official maintainers of Emacs!

The libertarians, on the other hand, see software freedom as one form
of the freedom of association.  It's all about cooperation, whether
economic (the vulgar interpretation of ESR-ism) or more social (the
friendly XEmacs/SXEmacs fork, the friendly CMUCL/Steel Bank CL fork).
And we don't mind if businesses follow the profit incentive.  There
may be consulting revenue :) in it, and if they do something really
cool that they won't release to us, usually their hackers commiserate
(even Larry McVoy is a nice guy in person, fun to talk to about
software, and dedicated to support of open source though he doesn't
implement it in his own business), and we ourselves are sad, but often
inspired to emulate.

We recognize that the reason for software freedom is precisely that
different people have different goals, and freedom of each to work
toward his own goals is the best way to do support that.

Footnotes: 
[1]  Viz Stallman's opposition to marriage and support for pedophiles.