In any society there will always lot of heavy works to be done. Sometimes it may not be visible and sometime its happen as a sudden disaster.
For example 9/11 was a sudden disaster. 2,977 people got killed immediately. The twin towers fell down. Huge amount of debris and dust piled up. Nobody knows whether there any living person in that debris. Also the place has to be cleanup.
That was an emergency. Lot of ordinary patriotic Americans united there and started rescue operation and cleanup. They worked very hard. And foundation stone for a new tower was laid. Bush thanked everyone. All called them as true heroes. Bush went to Iraq and after few months everything became normal.
But what happened to these rescue workers? Anybody asked? Any media talk shows? Nothing. Its American ethics. Use and throw.
But there a hidden danger. The dust from the debris was poisonous. More than 20k workers got affected by that. All got lung diseases and cancers. These never became a burning issue. America ignored these patriotic citizens. Government ignored them.
Even Michael Moore took few of them to Guantanamo because the prisoners there are getting better health care than the American patriots. But they could not enter there. So he took them to Cuban hospitals. See that part in his documentary Sicko, the woman was crying and saying its an insult to get medicine in few cents. (Similar thing happened few weeks back when Bernie Sanders took few American patients to Canada.) Still these poor innocent people are fighting for life.
FSF is corrupt, Fix it
Similar thing happened to Stallman. Actually in an ironic way. This community is created by Stallman only. By 1980s beginning software sharing community was ceased to exist. Then 1983 Stallman himself gave birth to a new community with all legal protection. Because before there were no legal framework for sharing software. Stallman used copyleft idea and GPL to create such a community. There were no help and there were no support. Last 35 years he worked for that.
Now some new bosses think that he dont look good. He is boring, repeating same thing all these 35 years. Lets get rid off him. You idiots, actually this is his house. You people piggybacked there.
Still you can have a say if Stallman did anything wrong about free software. But there is nothing he did wrong. Still again I may support you if you with some guts initiate a trial against him on your own behalf. But you did nothing. Instead what you a shameless creature did? Hiding bind an upset woman reacting to smear campaign and lies. This is unacceptable and unethical.
And this happens in a time when the top propitiatory software development companies branding themselves as OEM Source Software companies (Open Source), rewriting history and attacking freedom of users. So attack on Stallman cannot be considered as just his own personal issues.
FSF, the most important thing an organization need is it integrity to its cause. So FSF correct your actions. Apologize to Stallman and get him back. We want a united FSF under Stallman.
In 1983 Richard Stallman began the battle of software freedom. Nobody was with him at that time. He alone fought for it. This happened when he faced an injustice while using the Xerox printer software. So he decided that he will work for creating softwares that give justice to its users.
So he started developing a system which does that. He called it Gnu. Also he created laws to protect that system. It is called GPL license. Lot of software developer joined his movement and finally we got complete working Gnu system. But the battle never ends there. Fight for freedom is a never ending task. Because those who want to chain us will always tries to find some way to annihilate our freedom. So the battle goes on and we see that now also.
Ethics of free software
Anything happens in our life or society can be seen through lens of ethics. So software also has that. But that ethics is comes from the perspective of developer. Stallman says he dont want develop software that chains its users. That is a strong ethical point. But it comes from developer. Some egoistic developers and companies sees this as a charity from software developers or companies.
User’s right is above developer’s ethics
Software developer or company is just a worker. We cannot rely on them for our rights. We have our rights. So I think its user right issue. For example, I want to use some software. but I can say that (1) I should get the right to run the software, (2) I should get the right to see the source code, (3) I should get the right to share the software and source code, (4) I should get the right to modify and share the modified version. If I am not getting these rights I dont want your software. I will ask somebody else to write softwares with those rights for me. Thats all. Simple.
But it can become ethical issues for someone when he or she takes decisions on it. For example, a school management can think like should we impose software that cannot be shared in school. Or somebody asks you can copy of the program. Usually we tell kids to share things. But its a rare case compared to huge individual use of software.
Trap of the ethics
Right and ethics are different issues. Ethics is vague. But rights are specific and clear. Ethics changes with person’s world view. In the above section I mentioned developers who think they are doing charity to society. So people have their own ethics bubble.
If you treat free software as ethical issue, then all ethical issues of capitalism will haunt you some time. Thats why this lady is arguing with Stallman about animal right issue. She want to merge free software and animal right. Lot of free software people thinks like that and unnecessarily jump into the trap of planted ethics. Capitalism creates millions of ethical issue, eg polluting the environment, selling poor woman’s body, you cannot solve all with one stroke by your organization.
Corporate media always push those ethical issues which will be useful for the ruling class. So if you prisoned yourself in that you may think that 50% of the free software should be developed by women. Good idea. If its like that then its good. It doesn’t matter who you are. If you are free software developer develop free software. Thats all. Your job is creating free software and issues related software. Others will take care of other issues. Its good if you can join other progressive movements. But its not mandatory. But don’t let them dictate your movement. Don’t try to be superstar. Its only in fiction. Don’t make free software movement as a fiction.
If your protest is hurting other progressive protests then remember that its a trap designed by the ruling class. Don’t fall into that. Be careful.
Richard Stallman, the founder of Free Software Movement, resigned. Did he do something wrong? No. He had some wrong beliefs that he openly told to a semi private email list. Thats a good thing. He openly said things. So others get opportunity to correct him. Right? No. It created a land slide. Finally he was forced to resign from the same institution he founded in 1984 to protect software user’s rights. Then his own project members rejected them. I could not find any genuine reason for all these.
All these happened because he said something about a news article appeared on a news portal. Actually he was analyzing the words used in news article. Ok let it be a bad thing. So you decided it was wrong and asked for his resignation. You have to make a press release about things. Every is fine. I will accept it.
But this was not happened. In the same email discussion somebody wrote that that person was worried about the mail get leaking to press. That happened. Email reached outside. Online lynch mob began. Facebook events organized for protest against him. There was a smear campaign event in officially started. Lot of media telling all kinds of lies about Stallman. Then Stallman’s comment came that he was forced to resign from FSF president position.
This is wrong. I cannot accept it. But FSF did that. By accepting the resignation what FSF tell the world that they approves all smear campaign and lies spread in the society. In another words you can say that FSF secretly conspired with others for these smear campaign to fire Stallman. That usually happen in power structures.
Stallman is not a popular figure. He is only known to people in free software movement and and few other tech people. Sex trafficker CIA agent, his connection to MIT, one computer scientist’s resignation, all the in media give completely wrong information about Stallman. And a lot of lies about Stallman also spreading. People are even putting Stallman’s name for what other people did. They are painting Stallman with what ever paints they like. Complete lies. Some even comes back saying apologies too. But that does not help since the damage is actually done. Complete character assassination based on lies are happening. There is reason for all these. Stallman’s idea actually reduces profit of companies. Means it shrinks economy where all are crying for, what Greta Thunberg mentioned, “eternal economic growth”.
At this context rejecting Stallman’s resignation was the only decision FSF should have been taken. Lets FSF apologize to Stallman and take him back to his position. Lets have a united FSF for defending user’s freedom.
After 2008 financial crash, US government come up with a new law called Dodd-Frank Act. It put new regulations to bankers so that there will not be any more financial crisis in the future. But bankers dont like regulation. So there were lot of discussions against the law in the media and other events, and private discussions. Then lawmakers started discussing it. Then finally American government realized again that its bad to put regulations! And they repealed the act. So this act acted only for less than 10 years.
Any memory?
In 1930s similar financial crisis happened. Millions lost job. Similarly one of the root cause was bankers doing risky investments using depositors money. So FDR government came up with a law called Glass-Steagall Act. It separated commercial banks and investment banks. Investment banks can do anything with their own money. Commercial banks serves public is separated from the risks. Then next 50 years American economy had no major issues. But as usual bankers were not happy. They organized and had lot of discussions. Finally Bill Clinton repealed Glass-Steagall Act. In 10 years another Great Depression happened.
Why I am saying this
Initially women had no voting rights as per the law. People discussed, organized, protested and finally women got voting rights. Same do for environmental laws.
This is the way democratic system works. There will be laws already. People who have different ideas tell that in public. That will trigger a discussion. If the idea is good more people will accept that and starts organizing for it.
But what if the idea is bad? Nobody or very few will accept it. People will reject it. Nothing happens. The person/persons who brought this up can change their positions.
Stallman also did the same
He had some wrong idea about personal life. Nobody accepted it, including me. They openly told its wrong. Stallman changed his views. End of the story.
But idiots of FSF think that he dont know US laws. So he cannot be in position of president. Then all of his own projects started rejecting him. Its stupid thing. Its a smear campaign.
If they were right then there is no change should happen. Women should not get voting rights, there should not be any environmental laws. To impeach Trump first you have to discuss about it. If these are not possible the only solution you suggesting is violent uprisings breaking all laws and all decency. FSF, are you advising for that? Not allowing free speech, you are advocating for violence. That itself is a crime.
In a democracy people should have the right to free speech. Stallman only used that. But his idea was wrong. He accepted that and corrected it. By asking his resignation FSF made lot of confusion. They should have to apologize to Stallman and the public for making this unnecessary issues. Lets bring back Stallman to FSF and Gnu.
Free speech should be projected. (hate speech and lies are not free speech. its violence)
Open source software is just fake name used for a trojen horse to destroy Free Software Movement, which is defending the right of users. It is nothing but a new name for the old concept of OEM.
OEM means Original Equipment Manufacturer. It is a company that produces parts and equipment that may be marketed by another manufacturer. But there are different mode of operations. We have to focus on one particular way of OEM.
For example, US government spent huge amount of money in telecommunications and electronics. Once the technology was ready the iIdiot company took required knowledge and designed a new product. They then gave all these details to a Chinese company called Foxconn which employs child labour. Because children have delicate fingers useful for assembling components. (Around their office there are nets placed to avoid frustrated employee suicide. I dont know how they avoid other forms of suicide So the fancy gadget you hold in your may has blood all over.) They will manufacturer the equipment. But put sticker of original company. Then it will be shipped to all over the world.
This is the classic OEM definition. Now whats really happens here? The first company shares all the details of the product to the second company. Means first company is OPEN to second company. The second company may have signed some NDA kind of agreement.
What about consumers? Nothing. This relationship is transparent to consumers. Nothing changes at their side.
This is the whole Open Source Software in reality. It is old wine (OEM) in a new bottle (open source). Software developers or companies can cut a deal with another software developer or company to be an OEM. After that they can get all source code. They will get all the rights that free software gives.
What user will get? They can get the service of the software if they pay to get a license to run the software (Freedom 0 of free software). They are just uses without any rights. May be they can see the source code in some cases. (at least should get a feel of open!) But what an ordinary user get just reading the source code.
So the OEM software aka Open Source Software is a Free Software that works only for other software developers or companies. Users are thrown out from the rights provided by the Free Software.
Its beneficiaries are programmers or companies. Not the users. Thats why companies are so passionate about it. They get free volunteers for developing softwares. Then late they can make the software propitiatory. It will increase their profits and expand market in the economy. Free software is completely opposite to it.
It is a Trojan horse to destroy Free Softwares by inverting the meaning and scope of Free Software. After the forced resignation of Richard Stallman they are working aggressively to achieve their goals.
Users of Free Software, do you let it happen? Get united and build a software users right movement.
During 1983 Richard Stallman of MIT got some particular idea about software usage. It was about giving full rights to software users. He called it Copyleft. Its inverted copyright. The concept of copyleft was described in Richard Stallman’s GNU Manifesto in 1985. You can read more about it here. Based on that he created 4 laws for softwares. They are following:
1 The freedom to run the program as you wish, for any purpose (freedom 0).
2 The freedom to study how the program works, and change it so it does your computing as you wish (freedom 1). Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
3 The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help others (freedom 2).
4 The freedom to distribute copies of your modified versions to others (freedom 3). By doing this you can give the whole community a chance to benefit from your changes. Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
These all together is called Gnu General Public License (GPL). If any software which is released under this is called Free Software.
Why I have to write this again?
After 1990s there were few people appeared with a “new” idea called Open Source (ie, Freedom 1 in Richard Stallman’s list). All they did was just made confusion about software user’s rights. Since the forced resignation of Stallman from FSF, last month, they are trying to swallow the entire movement from the beginning and rewriting history.
Do not let it happen. Lets all freedom loving people get united under Stallman in united FSF.
Bring him back.
When Richard Stallman began Free Software Foundation in 1984 there was nobody to help him. There is no money. So he cannot recruit anybody to work for the foundation. So he volunteered for that work saying himself “Stallman dont need any money so recruit him!”. Rest of the 2 decades nobody cared about free software. So there was no job opportunity was there with free software. Most of the work happening was voluntary work. Nobody has issues with politics of free software.
After 1990s when the first running free system became alive then people started noticing the movement. Gradually more are more systems became free software and employment opportunity with free software increased. It became part of mainstream economy. Now there is a whole lot of people find their living on free software.
That became a problem to free software politics. Now if you say something open, then you may loose job, or project or removed from group. Dont worry, its happens diplomatically that you yourself never going to notice it. Everybody knows this. So people keep quite. Do the work and go home.
Those who are confident on their skills may have independent opinion and they express that too. But there is a catch. How you get confidence in your skill? You have to work hard on the technical side. If spend more time on technical stuff you tries to avoid or ignore the ‘other’ things, means the politics. “Oh politics is a mean thing. We have more important real work there”. So you end in as a follower of your boss or puppet of corporate media who spreads all pseudo issues like identity politics.
For example, I talked about the issue of Stallman’s resignation. I think its wrong. FSF should not accept his resignation. But people I talked dont care these issues. They says people come and go, what they are interested is to find technical solutions of the problems.
I can see the pressure in their life. In this 21st century after 2008 crash and with this gig economy etc finding a living is very difficult. So people are taking the easiest paths. So do the FSF.
To be with strong backbone, you need courage. Meas other source of income or determination to live your life as you wish. So if you are an activist, then you must find other source of income. Otherwise eventually you will betray your politics.
I am not saying all are like that. But to be stick to your ideas you need Stallman kind of power. Thats why he was removed from the same organization he built.
A way forward
I dont know how to make a person political for common good. Actually all are political. But its for the profit for the few. You can make a living only if you stick to that model. (Exceptions are there including me. But generally its different.) That is not good for the society. In the case free software I think there is a chance. We have to organize the beneficiaries of free software.
Who are the beneficiaries. Its the users. Free software defends freedom of the user. The software developers, companies etc are just facilitators. Its the users have to be organized. They can tell that we want software with such and such features will full copyleft rights. Then all the problems we are facing now will end.
If users want software that chains them lets give them that. If they want free software lets give them that. Software engineers and companies dont have a say in that. What ever the demand they just provides that.
In this case users are driving the system. Only users need to be educated about their rights. I knows its a difficult thing. But in this case money cannot corrupt the system.
[I am not an English speaker. But I am not sorry for that. Because bloody English is part of bloody British colonialism from that we are still suffering.]
The beginning
Richard Stalman, the founder of Free Software Foundation, was forced to resign from his own institution that he created and built. This became a big news. The reason for that was his 40 years of bad behaviors and problematic opinions. About Free software? Hahaha… No…. Its about his beliefs in his private life. What a strange thing.
But why now?
40 years are you waiting for this time?
Do you need a CIA agent to hang himself in a jail cell to make a point? Lets give him “Feminist of 2019” award.
Then how many CIA agents need to suicide to get justice for the women in this world?
Shame on you people.
The Trigger
Jeffrey Epstein (left) with Harvard professor Alan Dershowitz. If you started your vilification campaign on right time, against real criminals, you could save your dear girls. Rick Friedman / Getty Images
All these happened when one person shared a link from news site The Verge about the testimony of one of CIA agent Epstein victims and asked opinion in MIT mailing list. The news article says the woman was directed by Epstein to have sex with MIT professor Marvin Minsky
Stallman took the news at face value. and replied his assumptions. Another person who a mechanical engineer and a not a professional journalist saw these comments and became very upset. She wrote a blog post and in that she twisted, lied about Stallman’s comment and asked to Remove Stallman…. A hate campaign started against Stallman as usual. People started to write about things about him from birth, real, imaginations and lies.
Online media took this further. They further lied and twisted Stallman’s comment. Main stream media which was looking for distraction caught this and made big issue. (why? If media is honest they should expose all the detailed working of the CIA agent who suicided. There are people think that he was killed.)
Attack on Stallman
This is not the first time Stallman is attacked. The moment he started Free Software movement it started. So its not new to him and he dont care about those.
But this time the tone was different. The is a social sympathy tone was present as background towards those girls trafficked by CIA. But as usual, people dont say it openly. So they say some billionaire with some extra ordinary sex tastes trafficked under aged girls as per US law. So there is this huge sympathy for these girls and the distraction US deep state needed caused a firestorm. That need a pray. Stallman with strong commitment to Software Freedom that made him lot of enemies, with strong criticism towards capitalistic market system and with very successful alternative became a good pray. All are happy. Thats what happened.
Again he never said anything wrong. All accusation in the press are lies.
Harvard professor Steven Pinker. Nick Cunard / AP
Old story
In 2006 also this same CIA agent was caught by law enforcement agencies and there was a case against him. At that time his personal friend and Harvard lawyer Alan Dershowitz joined his defense team. Dershowitz called on the expertise of one of his Harvard colleagues, famous linguist Steven Pinker to help find the precise meaning of a federal law about using the internet to entice minors into prostitution or other illegal sex acts. So the CIA agent escaped from that case in 2006. Alex Acosta who was resigned from Labor Secretary position was the US attorney for the Southern District of Florida when this CIA agents’ plea deal was agreed. Its Acosta said this person was working for intelligence. I am not accusing that.
Does these female vigilanties really care about victims? If so what actually they should have to do? You decide.
Lynch mob
Few years back a scientist went some south east asian country for a conference. There he made some jokes against women. Within hours entire planet was discussing about is that right or wrong. The poor person have to resign from his position.
When I heard about this first thing came into my mind why an incident in that south east asian country became news in my small city, especially an incident at science conference? Usually media dont like science.
This is not acceptable. This is smear campaign. This is lynching. Not at all acceptable. This makes the original issue a fraud.
American way of criminal justice
Lets say one person stole a bag from a store or house. Police caught that person. What is the simple, ethical thing police can do? Tell that person whats wrong in doing that and take the bag and return it to the owner. But what if that person is sent to Rikers Island. Even without a trial? Even without checking his innocence? Its wrong. Its unethical.
US police shooting black people saying they are scared of black man. During Obama’s time US police was killing 1000 black men per year rate on American streets. Obama even had a kill list. Every week he approves to whom to kill internationally. There is no due process. American president is the judge, jury and executioner.
Thats these lynch mob doing. Taking revenge will not help anybody, except the system that create mother of all issues, capitalism. If you cannot face one’s opinion at face value peacefully please visit a doctor.
You have to educate people with wrong opinion democratically. Making it a global event is not provide justice. But just for distraction from other real issues happening individual societies.
Software Patents and Freedom of speech
Stallman used to say Software Patents are like mine field. Its like whenever a programmer writes code she/he has to check whether somebody else wrote same code or not before publishing. Otherwise they will come and sue you for breaking patent law. This makes software development more difficult.
Now free speech also getting same issue. Ideas appear in our brain like flash light. Of course environment affects it. But before you can say something if you want to verify it in a checklist makes it like software patents. Its almost impossible to do that. So what people will do. They try to avoid free expression of opinion. This is actually censorship.
Because of this lynch mob lot of people got fired, suicided, life screwed. It like mass surveillance. The panopticon fear makes people obedient. This is what big brother wants and political correctness, identity politics lynch mob doing exactly same.
Freedom of speech is dangerous
Long back we have slavery and feudalism. At that time if you talk against the system the master or king will kill you immediately. After capitalism that is not easy. They can jail people. How many whistle blowers/journalists are sent to jail by Obama administration breaking freedom of speech law.
Capitalism also found lot of workarounds. Thats much easier than applying force. One the tactics is identity politics. Create or twist some incidents and simply call the critics as misogynist. It will become fire in social control media, then news in media. Life become miserable for that person and finally has to surrender to the system.
Freedom of speech if fundamental
Without fear people should get right to speak. What ever it may be except hate speech. As per cognitive neuro biology, hate speech is a crime. What we are talking is opinion. People should have the right to express their opinions. Let the civil society discuss that. Make criticism. Inform the person. Lets give the opportunity for correction or no correction. But thats not happening.
Circle of ethics
On what basis FSF accepted rms’s resignation? Based on ethics? Its stupid. So the board is the supreme authority of ethics? Is that woman is the supreme litmus test for ethics? Shame on you people.
Gender issue is just one issue in the capitalistic society. Everybody has their own circle of ethics based on their environment and knowledge. For example, I see climate change is biggest issue. Its a do or die issue. But I cannot insist that you should accept it. And I cannot ask someone to resign from their position because they dont accepting climate issues. Gender issue is like that. See family separation by Trump administration. If you same thing wrong about it should you be fired from Free Software Foundation?
For those with long memories, Epstein’s “suicide” has a precedent
Unethical bloody educational institutions
MIT is one of the Unethical bloody educational institutions. It is founded by a slave owner.
It is funded by military industrial complex. So ever drop of blood spill from american wars, old and current stains hands of all MITians.
It has very close relations with US intelligence. CIA director John Deutch was a former MIT provost (equivalent of a pro-vice-chancellor). He is an emeritus Institute Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. So if you retire from MIT you get job in CIA. This bloody institution has very strong connection to CIA. Thats why the CIA agent put honey trap there.
Do you think they are ethical angels? Shame on you bloody people.
Lot of people reading this may be married newgens. So you may have strong opinions about social issues in the mainstream. But please dont be apolitical just to please your partner. Women please come out of petty feminism. Ask questions.
Attack on Stallman is not at him. its at Free software movement which is based on the idea of copyleft. Like old British tactics they accomplished to divide us. Its up to us whether let them rule us or not. Lets get united under Stallman, the real warrior of Free software, in the fight of software freedom.
Free Software Foundation(FSF) you have to apologize to Richard Stallman.
