Re: why isn't stallman on lp2022 speakers list?

[Akira Urushibata]

I have spoken on numerous occasions on free software philosophy placed
in the context of the development of software technology.  I notice
that many younger engineers have no idea on what computing was like
before GNU/Linux became popular.  For some years GNU was available
without Linux.  Bash, Emacs, Gcc, Gawk, etc. were used on Sun and
Hewlett Packard workstations and MS-DOS PCs.  In those days GNU
was praised by users for its high reliability and portability.

But outside the computing community, the idea of free software was
little known.  Most everyone associated with software, it seemed, was
chanting that strengthening of intellectual property rights was most
necessary for the industry.  Richard Stallman was alone.  To me he
looked like a man shouting into the gale.  In other words it was an
uphill struggle.  Many people paid no attention to what he was saying.
The greatest encouragement for supporters came from the fact that the
quality of free software surpassed that of proprietary alternatives.

I do not deny that people other than Richard Stallman made important
contributions to free software.  When you speak of the history of free
software, or more generally the history of information technology, you
are free to name whomever you consider the key contributors.  I do so
in my lectures.

I don't know about LibrePlanet for I have never participated, but in
general, I notice that many speakers in software events spend most of
their allotted time talking about their own achievements.  As such
there is not enough education to younger engineers on how the movement
and technology evolved, especially in the early years.  I believe this
should be an important consideration when deciding who should speak.


Akira Urushibata