Richard Stallman Blue Forest http://www.lslnet.com January 23, 2000 21:29
Author: Fang Xingdong
Lead: Under the theory of Richard Stallman, the user's copying software is not only "pirated", but reflects the mutual help of human nature. For Richard Stallman, freedom is fundamentally, users can freely share software results, copy and modify code. He said: "Think about it, if someone said to you: 'As long as you guarantee that you don't copy to others, I will give you these baby copies.' In fact, such talents are devil; and tempting as a devil It is a person who sells high-priced software. "It can be concluded that the maximum change in the software industry is the full revival of free software. Under the wave of free software, the commercial model of the software industry will be reborn, and the selling code is centered on the service.
Richard Stallman White: Five short body, not trimming, long hair, even beard, fashionable half-sleeve beach, a beef dress dress up. It looks like a wild man in modern urban. If he puts a "burlap" to wear a round wide-side hat, there is a radope on the holy avamery in the painting. When a blink of an eye, he turned into the Jesus Christ in the Bible, exudes the predominant majesty and strength.
Five short body, not trimming, long hair, even the beard, fashionable half-sleeve beach, a big dress dress. It looks like a wild man in modern urban. If he puts a "burlap" to wear a round wide-side hat, there is a radope on the holy avamery in the painting. When a blink of an eye, he turned into the Jesus Christ in the Bible, exudes the predominant majesty and strength. Savage and Christ, just the spiritual leaders of free software leaders Richard Richard Stallman: he is both a savage subverstrist in today's exclusive (private) commercial software, and is a sacred freedom in countless programmers and users. God.
Under his theory, users who copy software from each other are not "pirated", but reflect the mutual help of human nature. For Richard Stallman, freedom is fundamentally, users can freely share software results, copy and modify code. He said: "Think about it, if someone said to you: 'As long as you guarantee that you don't copy to others, I will give you these baby copies.' In fact, such talents are devil; and tempting as a devil It is a person who sells high-priced software. "It can be concluded that the maximum change in the software industry is the full revival of free software. Under the wave of free software, the commercial model of the software industry will be reborn, and the selling code is centered on the service.
Some people say that Richard Stallman should be the greatest, software written in the world. However, Richard Stallman really power is still his thoughts. Free software is the tradition of computer industry
Freeware is not a new thing, but a computer industry and the tradition there. Overview of computer development history, from 1946 to 190s, from the IBM Blue Giant to Arpanet, from the integrated circuit to the PC, from the Internet to telecommunications freely, there is a "free" shadow in every period.
It can be said that free copy and source code open is the entire computer industry, including natural software development and propagation modes in two major areas of the Internet. As early as the 1960s, there was a university as a position, and the styles of young people were freely exchanged, and there were fruitful results in software development and research: such as UNIX, TCP / IP, Fortran, Pascal, Lisp, etc. When AT & T was forced to exit the computer industry, Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritche took the Unix source code from the Bell Lab. As a result, it attracted thousands of programmers to improve, revised, added, and was born. Over the years, the most important operating system of high-end systems - the prosperity ofunix.
In the mid-1970s, the personal computer revolution is still brewing. The software at that time was encouraged to copy free copy (there were no more invented piracy), which is this free copy, information sharing spirit ignited the personal computer revolution, It has contributed to the development of the software industry. Even the Basic, which is a home, is also popular with this free software, is for the facts. In fact, many softwares have been successfully relying on sharing.
In the early days of the Internet Development, the programmer is also freely sharing the source code. At that time, USENET community is based on UUCP-based UUCPNET and TCP / P-based Arpanet (the Internet), which is the purpose of sharing the source code exchange experience. In the 1990s, some key technologies in the Internet explosion, such as Bernas - Li Faming WWW technology, browser, and apache, bind, etc. are not born in the proprietary software world. It can be said that it is the spirit and innovation of free software lays the core of the entire computer industry. The tradition and role of ignoring the free software is unscientific.
In the late 1970s, the founder of Microsoft's founder Bill Gates "to the computer hobby" is a sign, "the" Bern Convention "" Bern Convention "in the World Intellectual Property Organization, and the software has entered the era of Copyright. With the development of modern commercial software, the crazy chasing of profits not only splits the tradition, but greatly deviates from the basic spirit of the computer. And it is still increasing. Therefore, the rejuvenation of free software is the first to be a strong rebellion to the existing copyright system.
Software source code is the main medium of communication technology, exchange ideas, and the traditional science is to communicate through the paper and work. In order to protect software intellectual property rights, the enterprise is secretly unprepared, and has deviating the basic spirit of intellectual property protection innovation.
"Why should the software don't have 'owner'? "It is pointed out in the article that the software writer will look at the Software" According to your own ". However, you must see that a software is not a simple tool. Once the software writer spreads it, it is not simply providing "tools", but is propagating "thinking." At this point, the existing copyright system uses the so-called "Expression" and does not protect "Idea" two-point method, which sets uninterrupted obstacles for software protection, causing software spirit. Split.
At the same time, freedom and sharing are also the inner spirit and eternal pursuit goals of computer development. It is pointed out that the Internet is advertised as "resource sharing", "resource optimization" cutlery, but it is impossible to realize "sharing" and "optimization" for software products. This can't be said to be a huge irony. Hacker
STEVEN Levy's famous "hacker: Hero of computer era" discusses the history of your personal computer. The last chapter of the book tells the story of Richard Richard Stallman. The topic is: "The last real hacker". This is the most appropriate evaluation of him. Even his opponents also said: "If there is no Richard Stallman, human beings should also create him."
In 1971, young and smart programmers Richard Stallman entered MIT artificial intelligence laboratory and became an important member of the software sharing community. In fact, this community has existed for many years. Of course, software sharing is only limited to this particular community. It is as long as the history of the computer. Just like ingredient sharing as an old as cooking. The tradition of the computer industry is: everything is shared by everyone. Private is laughing, dedicated. At that time, the artificial intelligence laboratory used an ITS (incompatible division-time system) time-time operating system. The hackers (not the safety destruction of the mass media, but the person who loves to be programmed) is a PDP-10 designed and written in the assembly language to DIGITAL. PDP-10 is one of the most famous computers at the time. As a community member and laboratory system hacker, Richard Stallman's work is an improvement system.
No one called it for free software because the word did not exist. But actually is this. Whether it is a company member or another university wants to get it, everyone will be very pleased to give him the source program. If you see someone else who has never seen and what is meaningful, you can calmly ask him to program so you can read it, change it, or disassemble the part for new programs. In the 1980s, this freedom has changed dramatically, and the PDP-10 series of DEC has interrupted. Its free architecture is strong and advanced in the 1960s. But in the 1980s, it was stretched, there is not enough address space. This means that almost all procedures written for ITS are invalid. The hacker community also collapsed.
However, by the 1980s, the computer's commercialization and software proposal swept the entire industry, and the gambled era of hackers was over. Another talented MIT programmer left the campus and put into the market's embrace. Especially Symbolics, the establishment of Symbolics, digs many hackers in the community, and greatly hurts the MIT artificial intelligence laboratory. Richard Stallman feels that an era is over.
Richard Stallman said: "At that time, the artificial intelligence laboratory had no longer supported it. I was the last I would like to make it live. But I can't do it, because a person does not play." Start, he feels that there is no significance of fighting with reality. But he finally saw that his real enemy is not Symbolics, but a commercial software industry that does not open source.
In 1981, when the artificial intelligence laboratory purchased new PDP-10, the leaders decided to replace ITS with Digital's proprietary system. At the time of the computer, both VAX or 68020 had their own operating system. But there is no one is free software: You have to get an executable copy that must be signed an agreement that is not allowed to open outward.
This means using a computer to promise: you can't help your neighbors and friends. This is a terrible first step in soft software industry. A community that cooperates with each other is banned. Rules made by proprietary software owners: "If you share with your neighbors, you are piracy. If you want to change, you have to beg us to do." Who violated morality
In fact, it is precisely the idea of proprietary software - it is not allowed to share or change the software - it is anti-social, it is also unpunition, and it is also completely wrong. However, for a long time, software publishers have made people believe that software is born. This one-sided understanding has brought people's thinking. When they talk about how to enhance copyright or combat piracy, they also determine that this is a natural earth, and people will accept without any objection.
Their first hypothesis is that software companies have no doubt that they have no doubt that they can apply to all users. (Because if it is natural power, no matter how much damage is caused to the public, we can't resist.) But what is interesting is that the US Constitution and the US legal practice have denied this view, copyright is not a natural power, just one The item is exclusive by the government, and he limits the natural power of the user. Another potential hypothesis is that the only important thing for software is that it allows you to do. And our computer users don't have to consider the social situation we are in, passively accept it. The third assumption is that if we do not allow software companies to apply power to users, we have no software available. This assumption seems to be not. In fact, when free software is boosted, we have a lot of excellent software without wearing a chain.
If we refuse to accept the above assumption, we will consider the problem from the basic moral knowledge of "user first", then we will have a distinct conclusion. Computer users should have freedom according to their own demand correction procedures; users have free sharing software because helping others are the foundation of society. Software vendors can not apply pressure to users, depriving users' freedom.
Richard Stallman has experienced painful experience. In the 1970s, the laser printer was like a jeep, so Xerox sent an image laser printer to the artificial intelligent laboratory, people found that only the Jiuchai machine room with the artificial intelligence laboratory was found to be released. it. Everyone in the building will make some instructions on their respective computers, called the printer to help you.
Its print speed is satisfactory, just sometimes paper printing or clipping the paper, a lot of people's printing work is all stopped. Sometimes someone wants to print a lot of things, and some people have to climb the nine floors when they print one or two, change the control of the press, so that it first prints one or two. So I climbed the next day, no one was got.
Fortunately, when the printer is sent, Xerox attached the source code of the driver, and the laboratory people have modified the function of the printer driver. Everyone saves a lot of trouble and sweat. Richard Stallman recalls: "After your printing work is finished, it will notify you; if you clip the paper or you want to ask something to print, it will let you know."
In 1978, everything has changed. Xerox sent a new printer called Dover to the artificial intelligence laboratory, but did not want to attach the source code. Richard Stallman said: "So we can't modify the driver, so the printing efficiency of the entire building returns to the past, card paper or prints the paper, you can't know below."
He and the artificial intelligence laboratory add functions to the printer so that the machine is better, I hope to get the source code for the printer control program, and the result is severely refused. "So, I can't convince yourself that I don't open the agreement is pure and white. When they refuse to share with us, I can't make more string, and do the same thing for others." Naked moral choice
"With the end of the community, I face a moral choice. The simplest is to devote from the proprietary software world, sign the non-public agreement, and promise to not help the peers, colleagues. And you are also likely to write software, And on the premise of the non-public agreement, go to the same foil, forced more people to betray their principles. Obviously, go to this road, you can make big money, and add a job to the work of the code. But I know, when I have been finalizing my career, I will look back in the 'wall' of these years to separate human beings. I will feel that I will use my life to make this world worse. "
Another choice is straightforward, but it is unpleasant, that is, from this way to the computer. "So my skills will not be abuse, but will also be wasted, I will not be guilty because of differentiation and restrictions on computer users, but these things will continue to happen." "So I start looking for a way out, so that the programmer can Do a real good thing. I asked myself, what software I can write, can I let the community re-enhance the machine. "The answer is very clear: First, it is a operating system, which is a key software that starts using the computer. With an operating system, you can do a lot, there is no operating system, and the computer cannot run. With free operating systems, we can set up a hacker community that cooperate again. And anyone uses free software without having to deprive him / her share rights with friends family.
As a developer of an operating system, Richard Stallman is undoubtedly the most conscious. "Although I don't think I can succeed, I realize that I am in this work." Richard Stallman chose to be a UNIX-compatible operating system. This is easily transplanted, and UNIX users can easily transfer. The name of GNU is determined to follow the hacker tradition and is a recursive thrombin: "GNU * S Not Unix."
An operating system does not only mean a kernel, and it is not enough to run other programs. A complete operating system, there must be a complete system, an instruction processor, assembler, compiler, interpretation, debugger, text editor, mail software, etc.
Free software "Free Software" is a widespread word, this "free" is completely unrelated to prices, refers to "freedom". This is like "Free Speech" and "Free Beer". Its main connotation is that users can freely run software, can freely modify software according to their requirements, users can sell software themselves, whether they are charged or free. Free software is not conflicting with the sale software.
Developing a complete system is a huge project. Richard Stallman decided to use existing free software as much as possible, such as the beginning he uses TEX as a primary text format identifier, and after a few years, he uses the X Windows system as a GUN's diagram system.
Thought is more flashing than the code, but there is no code, the idea is no body. A person's war
In January 1984, Richard Stallman resigned as MIT, he worried that MIT would require product ownership, will give the product to its own sales conditions, and eventually become proprietary software. At first, the GNU plan only him alone. He found himself in the office of the artificial intelligence laboratory, and he did not distribute it to other people, he slipped in the evening. Over time, he also ran to the computer in the laboratory during the day.
At that time, the artificial intelligent laboratory director Patrick H. Winston did not interfere. Because Winston never resigns the resignation of Richard Stallman, as long as Richard Stallman can create some good things to everyone, there is really no need to send this past 13 years old colleagues to walk. So he refreshfully invited Richard Stallman to continue using the laboratory equipment. Since then, Richard Stallman has become a special member.
After the engineering startup, Richard Stallman heard a Free University Compiler Suite (VUCK). He went to the letter to ask if you can use the GNU. The reply is mocking, saying that the university is free, but the software itself is not. So, determine that the first software he wrote for GUN is a multilingual, multi-platform compiler. He wants to use the source code of the Pastel compiler, but finally give up. The new compiler is written from the head, named GCC.
In September 1984, Richard Stallman started Gun Emacs, early 1985, it started working. This allows it to edit with UNIX systems. At this point, people have begun to use Emacs. So a reality is: How to spread it? Of course, he put it on an anonymous server of the MIT computer. However, when the Internet was not popular, it was difficult to get a copy via FTP. And unemployed Richard Stallman also needs income. As a result, he announced that anyone can get a program with a price of $ 150. Free software distribution business model is born. Today, the entire Linux-based GUN system is so. In order to prevent it from using free software to make it excisent. Richard Stallman does not think of Copyleft's license. All GNU programs follow a "copyleft" principle, you can copy, can be modified, available, just one: Source code All improvements and modifications must be disclosed to each user, all users can get the source code after the change. It guarantees the continuation of free software propagation. Market out of the market
Emacs is the most difficult to start. Once the first version is launched, there is a lot of people to play it, then strive for fine, the more it is better. There are currently hundreds of EMACS's sub-programs, which can be used on more than 50 computers, and Emacs can be used from microcomputer to CRAY.
Due to the success of Emacs, Richard Stallman set up a new foundation: Free Software Foundation (FSF)); contributing to FSF and GNU plans, can also enjoy tax reduction. Single Single 1989, FSF received $ 26,7782 dollars, the Foundation also earned $ 3,3,377 due to the sale of GNU program manuals and computer tapes. In addition, Richard Stallman no longer swank back into the artificial intelligent laboratory "borrow" computer, because many manufacturers have provided hardware equipment such as high-performance workstations for FSF, including HP, Thinking Machine, Sony, and even Unix --- Bell Lab also contributed a lot of equipment. There are also some vendors to donate cash and send technicians to FSF to learn Richard Stallman, and pay Richard Stallman's employee salary.
FSF uses these money to raise 14 Foundation members: 9 programming designers, 3 responsible for technical information. Although Richard Stallman did not pay, he could not expect his colleagues as well as him, and hungry belly is ideal. The FSF programming is only 20,000 US dollars a year, which is half or a third of the general manufacturer. The reason why Richard Stallman treats people is to be able to work more than a few like-minded hackers.
GNU is very beautiful at the workstation and microcomputer market, many workstations / UNIX and microcomputer manufacturers, all incorporate GNU into their operating system, including Convex Computer, DAC, DATA General, and previous next.
The GNU engineering incentived a lot of young hackers, they wrote a lot of free software. Finally, Rino Tomas wrote the system kernel, called Linux, connects all software and hardware. The Linux kernel is a full number of JNU project.
Richard Stallman said that Linux does not represent the entire operating system. Linux is just a kernel, and the entire system also contains hundreds of software tools and utilities, mostly completed by GNU hackers. He believes that the entire operating system is called GNU / Linux.
Richard Stallman believes that in the Copyleft era, software companies can make money by service and training. If your company has no one you will use the source code, you have to please programmers, help you modify the Copyleft program from FSF; you don't have to pay the procedure you change to change to another, because the company Maybe change your face for this software, help it caught insects, or modify, or add some new features. In the case of any copy, you will benefit. Therefore, the programmer is absolutely hungry, and it will still be like the era of high-priced software. There are many "service" big money to earn, but it is impossible to accumulate the world's first huge wealth. The GNU software can also make the writer more productive, because he does not have to start from zero, and can be improved according to the existing software. So Richard Stallman hopes that one day of software industry is not the current "Copyright" copyright law, forcing customers to spend huge amount of money to purchase software, but to provide services (such as technical support, training) to get the payable, this compensation may It will be higher than the average person, but it is absolutely impossible to cultivate hundreds of millions of millionaires for a small company. In short, the basic criterion of future software industry is "Resource Free, Service Charge".
In recent years, with the rapid rise of Linux, no one has doubts about the new business model of free software. Under the guidance of Richard Stallman's idea, free software has successfully entered the market mainstream, accounting for the market. After all, today, the idea is depreciated. Free software can only achieve its strength status after winning the market regime, so that the entire software model will have a giant change. Lonely is the home of thinkers
The momentum of the current development shows that the free software standing at the side of the user is unable to resist. It is the only enemy or the split and battle inside the free software. In addition to the original monopolists of the market, this is what anyone wants to see.
Richard Stallman is always a servant, and the bag is comparable, and it is in all around. He took a laptop, but this is not his personal, but is a Free Software Fund (FSF). In fact, Richard Stallman has never had a computer. Always use only free software (of course he has never used Windows). Moreover, he also has its own car, TV and real estate. The 46-year-old single Han Dynasty lived in a rental house. It has been 15 years, and there is no formal salary for a month. Because his job is to give the software freedom. Today, people are more willing to chase wealth, not a noble thinking of the poor Richard Stallman. Therefore, it is not enough to blame, and many people in the free software group began to go to him.
With the rapid rise of free software, the influence is increased. Richard Stallman is uncompromising personality and thinking makes it increasingly controversial in the free software. With the increasing popularity of the Apache web server and the GNU / Linux operating system, new generations of hackers are encouraged, and they have put into commercial sectors, and more and more people join free software, they are a new hacker: On the one hand, I have echo free software The spirit, one side and actively embraces the business world. They advocate software products that can create more flexible "bugs" more flexible than proprietary software, while actively capturing every business opportunity.
Therefore, "different political views" change the label of free software to "open source software". It seems that it seems to be compatible, but Richard Stallman believes that the biggest difference between the two is that the latter will put the freedom to the first place. But for business people, free and free (free) is the same word. Unlike Richard Stallman, "Free Spirit", they are more willing to talk about practical problems. In order to avoid that the investors have been "scared" by Richard Stallman, they have to join hands and put the Richard Stallman. Richard Stallman does not like pragmatism, he claims that even a free software is not his best solution, he is willing to be preferred. For Richard Stallman, freedom is the basic morality: all computer users should have freedom of collaboration, sharing, and copying and switching source code.
His attitude makes some people who are "open source" community factions are uneasy. In fact, they marked the "open source" new banner to classify the boundary line with the radical molecule Richard Stallman. It is undeniable that Richard Stallman leads the free software movement. It is the multi-line program code he developed to make today's "Linux" becomes a whole and will be successful. But for a new generation, Richard Stallman is an embarrassment, an obstacle, a messy molecule. He must push him at the price of the room, so as not to scare investors. Realism and idealism
There is no doubt that whether the free software movement is still open from the source, he is from the efforts of 15 years ago, which is definitely the most popular legendary story in the history of the computer. For the current success, Richard Stallman is very happy, but there are more anxiety. Because he felt that he was obviously excluded. "Some people try to change history, denying my position in this movement" For people to refer to the entire operating system with Linux, Richard Stallman is very painful. He said that the correct words should be "gun / linux". Richard Stallman admitted that Tobass's contribution is critical, which is the kernel of GUN / Linux. However, Richard Stallman estimates that the kernel only accounts for 3% of the entire system. In contrast, the GUN project contributes 30% of the code, and the remaining 67% of the code is from other aspects. But what makes him please, some of the principles of GNU are still playing. He believes that this principle not only makes software development more dynamic, but also produces quality software, and it is also recognized that this is a bad guideline.
The critics believe that Richard Stallman trusts the GNU's legacy, which is the end of the branches of this movement, which is harmful to the entire free software. For most open source advocates, subversive Microsoft is the main struggle.
"I care about the spirit, is the philosophy in the Gun project. This philosophy is the reason it exists, that is, free software is not only for convenience, not just for reliable. It is not only to be reliable. The freedom of freedom is free. I don't care about someone or company. So I think it is simply in the direction of this movement with Microsoft. "
Richard Stallman's support is also, but most of Richard Stallman is still ignored by people. Nowadays, only "Linux" is full of media title, and the thoughts behind begin will gradually.
Richard Stallman was invited to participate in the "Open Source Developer Day" held in Silicon Valley Wan District. The event opened on August 21, 1998 is a big gathering of programmers and free software enthusiastic home, and is organized by computer book publishing company O * REILLY. The Richard Stallman has not been invited in April. As a result, the extensive criticism made the organizers never dare to "ignore" he. But the organizers warned him that he would pay attention to the "maintenance overall situation", so that he is exempt from the distortion. Insufficient, Richard Stallman makes many free software's peers very difficult. He is uncontrollable, and it is impossible to change. These unusual qualities have contributed to the rise of free software. However, with the prospects of free software open, Jiangshan refers to the day, and these personality begins to be obstacles. Richard Stallman's enthusiasm and belief guarantees the growth of free software, but now people think he is extra. In their eyes, now remove Richard Stallman, free software will not be blocked, but will be more smooth.
But not to be suspicious is that the strength of the Richard Stallman is the source of the free software running. The GNU-Linux system is indeed more than the Windows system problem, and Apache is also a better choice for the web server. But this is just a side of the problem, only combining practical and ideal, free software movement is convincing, in order to stimulate people's enthusiasm and dedication. In any case, Richard Stallman is still famous, still being respected, still considered a core figure of free software sports. Richard Stallman is in an important role in computer fields. In order to sacrifice Richard Stallman in order to make free software, it may lose this soul and direction of this major revolution. postscript
Richard Stallman still has no money, no potential, even many believers are differentiated. The only gain brought by this movement may be: No matter where Richard Stallman walks, some people will be willing to lend him to him, so that he can view emails in time. He still does not repair the edge, no conscience. But compared with the persistence of the year, his mental state began to present a new anxiety and disorder, and this is the success of the free software he created, and it is applied to him. And can be sure that Richard Stallman will be overwhelmed by the slump of the success of free software.
It is unpredictable in the future, the only thing that is certain: Richard Stallman ignited this revolution has completely transcended his row. This is also a lot of fate of many thinkers.
In fact, the story of human director is always the same.
