Zimran Ahmed writes: > I don't see the need for this antagonism. I don't either. I have repeatedly requested of RMS that he stop saying that the Open Source Initiative is any less interested in freedom than RMS or his organization. Obviously, he refuses to cooperate, and that's sad. > > I mean to make the point that you are not opposed, in principle, > > to using non-free software when it advances the goals of the free > > software movement. > > No--he *is* opposed to violating any of the four > freedoms on principle alone. <shrug>. Then why didn't he start the GNU project on bare metal? Obviously because he decided it would advance the goals of the free software movement to use non-free software. He compromised his principles once; he can do it again if he has sufficient reason. > There are people who claim to be free software movement who are, > infact, really part of open source movement. RMS will argue it's > because the four freedoms should be inalienable, a point that open > source disagrees on. I'm not sure you can reconcile the concepts of "freedom" and "inalienable", but that's just me. In this venue, I really don't care which community someone considers themselves to be a member of. What matters to me is: are they willing to buy my products and/or services. If not, then they're not a member of the most important community of all: my customers. -- -russ nelson http://russnelson.com | Crypto without a threat Crynwr sells support for free software | PGPok | model is like cookies 521 Pleasant Valley Rd. | +1 315 268 1925 voice | without milk. Potsdam, NY 13676-3213 | +1 315 268 9201 FAX |