Re: Article: IBM wants to "clean up the license" of Linux

Mirian Crzig Lennox (mirian@xensei.com)
22 Dec 1998 12:26:09 -0500

Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org> writes:
>
> Freedom includes the right to sneer at freedom; no one can force you
> to care about anything. But that won't change the fact that the
> idealism you despise is the reason why your operating system exists,
> and the reason why it is free software. And the system is likely to
> remain free, only as long as people who care about their freedom make
> the effort to keep it free.

But there's another kind of freedom which Linux gives you which I
think you're forgetting about; unlike other operating systems which
tie you to a specific environment, Linux makes no assumptions about
your operating environment. Person A might well be using a mostly GNU
environment, which Person B might be using a mostly BSD environment
with his Linux kernel. Person C might be using a mix of GNU, BSD and
home-written software. There's no way to know. That's what's so
wonderful about Linux.

I think this kind of freedom is very valuable, and it is this freedom
which I am emphasizing when I say I use _Linux_, not GNU/Linux.

Linux: the freedom to be truly unique.

-- 
Mirian Crzig Lennox                                Systems Anarchist
          "There's a New World Order coming every minute.
                      Make mine extra cheese."


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