Re: Code of Conduct and Foundation membership

["Lefty (石鏡 )" <lefty shugendo org>]

On 12/11/09 7:12 AM, "Richard Stallman" <rms gnu org> wrote:
>
> Stormy, we seem to be miscommunicating.  I said that people should not
> promote non-free software on Planet GNOME.  You seem to be arguing
> against something different.

I believe Stormy was quite clear and on point: It sounded to me as though
she were arguing against the sort of "prior restraint" that you seem to be
attempting to impose here.

> GNOME is not connected with the anti-hunting movement; there's no
> reason it should have any position on the question.

GNOME is not connected with the anti-VMWare movement, nor (that I'm aware
of) any "anti-proprietary software" movement.

> But GNOME is part
> of the GNU Project, and it ought to support the free software
> movement.

It does support free software, and does an effective job of it.

> The most minimal support for the free software movement is
> to refrain from going directly against it; that is, to avoid
> presenting proprietary software as legitimate.

This is simple nonsense. Software is software, and people write about what
they do. 

I use free software, and I also use things like Final Cut Pro, for which
there's no equivalent. You seem to feel I should be barred from writing
anything about film-editing, since it involves "proprietary" software.

My use of Final Cut is completely legitimate. There's no equivalent piece of
free software, and even if there were, surely my tools are my choice, are
they not? Your attempts to control what gets posted are completely out of
line.

> I think Planet GNOME should have a rule to this effect.  There are
> many ways to implement such a rule, of which "block the whole blog" is
> about the toughest one we might consider.  I'd suggest rather to try a
> mild approach; I'm sure that can do the job.

This suggestion, which verges on a demand for "censorship in the name of
freedom", is completely appalling. I have no interest in seeing Planet GNOME
turned into a outpost of "Bad Vista", thanks.

If muzzling people is a condition of being "part of the GNU project", then
maybe we should rethink _that_ aspect of things. Maybe the FSF should start
its own planet and set its own rules there rather than attempting to impose
its various litmus tests on the contributors to Planet GNOME.

I haven't got even the slightest interest in seeing this "job" get "done",
and I'd be opposed to anyone's trying it.