2006/10/25, Dinesh Shah dineshah@gmail.com:
What credible answers we can provide? Instead of RMS refusing to talk to this fellow just because he calls GNU/Linux as Linux, is just a lost opportunity to make your *point*.
RMS is the founder of Free Software movement, so anything he tells will be associated with Free Software Movement. He started the GNU project so that all computer users will be Free, when you call it just Linux more than the technical reason you are completely ignoring the importance of GNU project and Freedom (Linux is never associated himself with Freedom).
It would have been a no issue if we already won the game, but it is more important than ever that we speak about Freedom and teach others why Freedom is important as there is greater threats to Freedom. If Software Patents becomes a reality (everywhere) Free Software development becomes illegal as it is not possible to keep track of the patents you might violate and comply with all. Also when devices that use Free Software but deny the Freedom becomes more common it is not enough that we get the source code.
RMS clearly understand the importance of Freedom and why we should teach people to respect Freedom. So it is quite natural that he insist using the right words and he stresses Freedom above all other motivations because it most threatened.
Regards Praveen