[ale] Richard Stallman at the University of Georgia

[Jim Kinney]

+1M for more examples in man pages!!!

On Thu, Oct 16, 2014 at 9:52 AM, David Millians <millia at panix.com> wrote:

> On 10/15/2014 11:51 AM, Charles Shapiro wrote:
>
>> Richard Stallman at the University of Georgia Chapel in Athens last
>> night was awesome.  <snip>
>>
>
> Yes, it was.
>
>  Stallman, feisty as ever, talked for almost an hour and a half about how
>> proprietary software enables mass surveillance on a scale never dreamed
>> of by the great tyrants of the past.  It was thought-provoking, not to
>> mention refreshing to see someone who honestly tries to live by the
>> principles he professes. <snip>
>>
>
> One thing was abundantly clear: I can't imagine how much more widespread
> adoption would be if he didn't come off a crank. I mean this in the best
> possible way- it's not a 'bless his heart.' He is not the most gifted of
> speakers, and he's got the hard core geek quirks things going on. But I do
> bless him for pushing, pushing, pushing. We are in a better place because
> of him, but if he had an Aaron to his Moses, well.
>
>  The Q/A period had some fireworks between students and Stallman, as well
>> as some other general rowdiness and applause and some genuinely
>> interesting responses.  "The long term choice is not between proprietary
>> software and no software. The long term choice is between proprietary
>> software and free software."
>> The whole thing didn't break up 'til almost 23:00. I got a wonderful mug
>> decorated with common Emacs commands, signed by the Great Man himself.
>>
>
> Had to leave about 10 since it was server maint time! Drat. Sadly missed
> the fireworks. I was almost tempted to tell him I'd be happy to write
> documentation if they'd just put all the info back in man pages instead of
> that abomination they prefer. Given how he said he wants doc writers so
> bad, I may do some anyway. Lord knows I am of the firm opinion that
> millions of hours would be saved with more examples at the bottom of man
> pages.
>
>  All in all, a most worthwhile trip, even though I got to bed around
>> 00:30 this morning.
>>
>
> Now you feel like all those from Athens feel when we have to go to
> Atlanta. w00t! ;)
>
> Didja notice the largest painting in the western hemisphere, at one point,
> behind him?
> David
>
>
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-- 
-- 
James P. Kinney III

Every time you stop a school, you will have to build a jail. What you gain
at one end you lose at the other. It's like feeding a dog on his own tail.
It won't fatten the dog.
- Speech 11/23/1900 Mark Twain


*http://heretothereideas.blogspot.com/
<http://heretothereideas.blogspot.com/>*
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