I wanted to send out a note that may help some on this list with a first-time RMS encounter. Please take this with as much skepticism as necessary.
It's good to keep in mind that RMS is mildly autistic. I had a few interactions with the man, all online, and initially thought he was just being difficult and curmudgeonly. His behavior often comes across as rude. As a single-pointed Free software advocate he appears to have a lack of sense of the realities that some people have to deal with (one minor example is how Open Source vs. Free Software is largely irrelevant to most of us but one that he has very strong opinions about). I'm putting this out there because he'll potentially piss you off and sound like a complete a**hole for asking a well-meaning question. He'll be obtuse and unclear about what he really means (as has been demonstrated by his "mischievousness"). But he's a ridiculously smart guy and has (in addition to mild autism) the disease of the ridiculously smart - a bit of ego which will not condescend to the unwashed masses. Interact with the intention to learn and brush off any slights by him. If you want to learn, be persistent - it doesn't matter if RMS thinks you're an idiot. Most of the world is an idiot to him (legitimately or otherwise). I wrote off RMS because of my interactions with him until mutually close friends explained his behavior to me. I would probably have accepted his behavior better had someone explained things up front. So hopefully (perhaps, maybe) this helps someone. Cheers _______________________________________________ ILUGC Mailing List: http://www.ae.iitm.ac.in/mailman/listinfo/ilugc
