I didn't realize how crazy smart he is until I attended a couple of LibrePlanets (FSF annual conference).
I have a vivid memory of a young hacker's face, full of pain and confusion. Stallman was belittling him for taking too much time fiddling with his smart phone camera--you know, the kind that has only an onscreen shutter button... The kid had traveled across the country to snap a photo with the folk hero of his culture.
I watched the faces of his keepers/coworkers, too. Their lips were tight, they said nothing.
They are no slouches! They aren't socially inept. Yet, yet... they tolerate him, even while keeping him away from starry eyed kids as much as possible. For the greater good.
I heard again and again that he's a genius. That the little trick he pulled with that now famous software license has irrevocably changed the world for the better.
I get the impression that to this day, he protects the FSF from making mistakes that would eventually land it in history's dustbin. He's a strategist. (Or tactician? I'm not clear on the distinction. I'm no genius...) NB: I'm not talking about simple mistakes; I'm saying that what they are trying to achieve is really hard.
Stallman has a second sight for how systems plus inputs will unfold (oh, the parent post used the word prescient--good word!) and he saw something terrible in our future, so he has dedicated his life to changing it.
But he's still a world-class asshole.
Does anybody else have his talent? And maybe a little charisma? Or at least compassion?
I agree with most of what you said, although I wouldn't call Stallman a "strategist". He is an idealist who is unwilling to do moral compromises (which has positives and negatives).
As an aside, his "political notes" are a great news aggregator for anyone who cares about the world.
I have a vivid memory of a young hacker's face, full of pain and confusion. Stallman was belittling him for taking too much time fiddling with his smart phone camera--you know, the kind that has only an onscreen shutter button... The kid had traveled across the country to snap a photo with the folk hero of his culture.
I watched the faces of his keepers/coworkers, too. Their lips were tight, they said nothing.
They are no slouches! They aren't socially inept. Yet, yet... they tolerate him, even while keeping him away from starry eyed kids as much as possible. For the greater good.
I heard again and again that he's a genius. That the little trick he pulled with that now famous software license has irrevocably changed the world for the better.
I get the impression that to this day, he protects the FSF from making mistakes that would eventually land it in history's dustbin. He's a strategist. (Or tactician? I'm not clear on the distinction. I'm no genius...) NB: I'm not talking about simple mistakes; I'm saying that what they are trying to achieve is really hard.
Stallman has a second sight for how systems plus inputs will unfold (oh, the parent post used the word prescient--good word!) and he saw something terrible in our future, so he has dedicated his life to changing it.
But he's still a world-class asshole.
Does anybody else have his talent? And maybe a little charisma? Or at least compassion?