Bonum Certa Men Certa

Inside the Free Software Foundation (FSF) - Part VI: The FSF Without Richard Stallman Emphasises Tolerance, But It's a Hollow Façade

The 'seat warmer' or 'seat-filling' mentality can actually alienate women (my wife says it's known as "clappers" in the context of beauty pageants)

Free Speech and Free software



Summary: We're led to think that after Stallman's departure women are suddenly "safe" or "welcomed"; the truth of the matter is, Stallman was never a barrier to their acceptance and the real obstacle is women's perception that they're used as pseudo-political pawns

THINGS aren't so grim at the FSF; Stallman and the FSF can cooperate through the GNU Project. People who 'ousted' Stallman could only convince him to step aside from the FSF but not from his "baby" (what he calls GNU).



As we've just shown or included in Daily Links, the official FSF Blog published "Celebrating women in free software for International Women’s Day" and as a supporter of women's rights himself, we're pretty certain Stallman is (or would be) happy to see that.

"People who 'ousted' Stallman could only convince him to step aside from the FSF but not from his "baby" (what he calls GNU)."Throughout the day today I saw various examples of corporate exploitation by companies looking to make a profit from hijacking women's rights (there will be examples in tomorrow's IRC logs). That's not to say that there's something wrong with this day; how it is misused by for-profit men-run companies is the problem. Like February 14th, this one too they're looking to exploit for little but money-making. The Linux Foundation too is guilty of that and hours ago, linking to a puff piece in a Microsoft propaganda site that defames Stallman, the sole editor of Linux.com (a Linux Foundation site) tweeted: "Suddenly Microsoft has become a company I can say I now admire and ‘love’."

Congrats, Linux Foundation. You are another Microsoft now. It worked. You are rapidly being absorbed and there's a point of no return.

"At the moment, from what we can gather, LibrePlanet will accept a wide range of corporate sponsors and reciprocate."You can either support Linux or the Linux Foundation. Not both. Those two things aren't compatible anymore.

As for the FSF, it emulated the Code of Conduct and chooses a 'business model' reminiscent of the Linux Foundation. This concerns us just a bit. While Stallman was at the helm some of the things the FSF nowadays does just weren't done.

"Also," an associate of ours noted, "note that [particular groups] are being weaponized against Software Freedom. They will try to drag you into fight about [their causes]. Stay focused on the freedom they try to distract from."

We don't want to 'offend' the wrong people, as can happen when one brings up subjects like this one. "It's a very big case which touches on two big problems," our associate remarked, "though one is actually part of the other. The infiltration and hijacking of FOSS from within projects and organizations is part of the bigger fight over who controls and monitors communications (computers) in the world."

"While Stallman was at the helm some of the things the FSF nowadays does just weren't done."At the moment, from what we can gather, LibrePlanet will accept a wide range of corporate sponsors and reciprocate. Will Google be one of those? We don't know for sure, but SFC was happy to take money from both Google and Microsoft for a conference about copyleft (which ironically Google and Microsoft attack).

This does not look like a good trajectory. Not at all. Taking money from one's opposition compromises oneself and months after the said sponsorship the SFC pushed Stallman to leave the FSF.

We've meanwhile learned about the scary possibility that the upcoming LibrePlanet (which isn't canceled for health reasons by the way) will be used to grant SFC people an award. And for what? Ousting the FSF's own founder?

"As we said almost 6 months ago, Kuhn was responsible (to a large degree; there were others) for what happened.""Some media pressure about the clearly biased schedule," one person told us, "and inquiries about Richard Stallman's and Bradley Kuhn's being eligible to the award, might help the FSF do the right things..."

As we said almost 6 months ago, Kuhn was responsible (to a large degree; there were others) for what happened. He leveraged social causes to rationalise the current leadership vacuum the FSF still experiences the following year. After that he left the FSF's board, abandoning the very Board that he harmed (2 people other than him were no longer there). So he left somewhat of an empty shell.

"Dear organisers of LibrePlanet (and anonymous committee), please be aware that community members are ready to revolt if you reward the ousters of your own founder, based on deliberate misinformation and a campaign of whispers."For that, if he ever receives an FSF award, he deserves much condemnation/scolding. For decades he did do some commendable work, but in recent years he and Outreachy (a colleague) often led witch-hunts that instead of supporting women felt like an exploitation of feminism for an SFC power grab, trying to present (or get across) SFC as the more ethical alternative not just to SFLC (which it had disputes with) but FSF as well.

Dear organisers of LibrePlanet (and anonymous committee), please be aware that community members are ready to revolt if you reward the ousters of your own founder, based on deliberate misinformation and a campaign of whispers.

Recent Techrights' Posts

US Government: 6.1% of Site Visitors Use GNU/Linux
GNU/Linux has a considerable share and it is growing
Why the FSF No Longer Recommends Debian, as Explained by Richard Stallman This Month
some weeks ago
Defeating LLM Abuse (State-of-the-Art Plagiarism) in the Area of Linux and GNU, Free Software, BSD, Security and So On
The aim is to get them to stop using LLMs to rip off other people's work
Digital Sanitation Good Practices
leave behind Microsoftism
 
As Economies Crumble Free as in Beer Will Matter, Not Just Free as in Freedom/Libre (Libertad)
French regions choosing to embrace Software Freedom
25 Years Ago, an Explanation of How Reducing Free Software to 'Apps' Would Interfere With Freedom Goals
there's nothing unreasonable about it
A List of 63 Known Gemini Clients (Software to Browse Geminispace Content With Gemini Protocol)
Not counting browser plugins for Web browsers
Gemini Links 19/10/2025: "Firma Odin Is Transforming" and Bot Attacks While "AFK"
Links for the day
LLM Slop Could Not Rise to Prominence Without Media Complicity and Artificial Hype
Inane garbage disguised as "journalism"
All the Latest Half Dozen Articles by Mehedi Hasan (UbuntuPIT) Only Admit at the End That He's Using LLM Slop
Disclosure is OK, but the practice of using slop is not
The 'Modern' Web of Fake Security and Easy Censorship of Whole Domains
Each year it gets worse
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Saturday, October 18, 2025
IRC logs for Saturday, October 18, 2025
The Term "AI" is Not New and What Today's Media Calls "AI" Isn't Even AI
Only the hype was new... and totally artificial
Gemini Links 18/10/2025: "Planetary Rings", Steam, and PSU Replacement
Links for the day
Links 18/10/2025: Russell Vought in Charge, US Government Leans to Russia Again
Links for the day
Credit Where It's Due: LinuxConfig.org Quit Doing LLM Slop, Back to Original and Real Articles
We waited for a while to say this, now it seems conclusive
Of Note: UbuntuPIT Aware of Critics of Slop, Adds Disclosure of Use of LLMs
We appreciate the honesty
Links 18/10/2025: Madagascar's President Flees and ICE Arrests Protest Comedian Robby Roadsteamer
Links for the day
Richard Stallman Near the European Patent Office (EPO) in 3 Days From Now
It'll be a good opportunity for patent examiners to listen, ask questions, and maybe greet him in person
From Scholar to Booster of Slop (and Even Slop in His Own Blog)
We're going to keep an eye on future posts of his
End of Vista 10 Also Good News for the BSDs
There are many news sites that recommend trying GNU/Linux this month
What's Wrong With Liking Parrots or Birds as Pets?
They'd demonise people for speaking about freedom, no matter what they say or do
10 Days Ago Richard Stallman Gave a Long Interview in French (linuxfr.org)
English translation
Science, Not Fast Food/Junk Food
The commercial exploitation of users won't stop until users exercise full control over their software or - more broadly - their computing (including data)
The Free Software Foundation, Which Has Appointed a 43-Year-Old President, is Looking to Add Another Board Member (or Treasurer)
expect the FSF to add more people
Richard Stallman Confirms Next Week's Talk at Technical University of Munich, We Urge EPO Staff to Attend
That's probably late enough for EPO staff to attend after work
Gemini Links 18/10/2025: Notifications and Geminaut
Links for the day
Many Red Hat People Are Leaving, But It'll Be Framed Publicly as Leaving IBM
Similarly, IBM layoffs (or "RAs" as they're called) include Red Hat layoffs
Expect More Waves of Microsoft Layoffs This Month (at Least Two Rounds Confirmed Already)
From what we can gather, assuming the recent rumours about XBox are true, there will be at least 3 waves of Microsoft layoffs this month alone
Security Issues in Cisco and Jenkins Passed Off as "Linux" Problems
Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt (FUD) tactics
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Friday, October 17, 2025
IRC logs for Friday, October 17, 2025
[Video] Dr. Richard Stallman at Technické Univerzitě v Liberci
New/via libre-liberec.cz
Slopwatch: LinuxSecurity, Linux Journal (Slashdot Media), UbuntuPIT, and Google News (Noise)
egregious plagiarism
Links 17/10/2025: Better Answers Sought After Air Crashes, "China Fans Patriotic Sentiment as Trade War With U.S. Heats Up"
Links for the day
Security is Desirable, But Not When the Term Security is Misused to Imply Centralisation of "Trust" (Whose?)
'Security' is not an excuse for vendor lock-in
Links 17/10/2025: Fentanylware (CheeTok) Causing Problems, Japanese Government Blasts Slop
Links for the day
The Linux Foundation Seems to Have Turned Linux.com Not Only Into a Spamfarm But Also LLM Slopfarm
it's polluting the Web, even important domains like Linux.com, with spam and LLM slop
Links 17/10/2025: UK’s Largest Breach Penalty and Windows TCO Examples
Links for the day
Go Watch Video About Librephone, Get Microsoft Ads
Very ethical company...
Campaign of Defamation Against the People Who Built NixOS (and Are Now Pushed Out From Their Own Project)
We've already grown familiar with - and resistant to - such tactics
Links 17/10/2025: Nestlé Crisis, Canada Post Versus 'Gig Economy' [sic] and Vista 11 Breaks Itself
Links for the day
Tux Machines Has Helped Separate Opinions/Analysis From News
In September 2023 we decided to split things apart and not repeat links in both sites
Tux Machines Has Improved Navigation of GNU/Linux and BSD News
Some more 'wiring' work
What a World Would Look Like If Everyone Used Free Software Only
Freedom is what matters, not "Open".
The Media Helps Microsoft, Amazon and Others (GAFAM and Beyond) Lie About Mass Layoffs Amid Valuation Bubble
The media, instead of saying that there's an "AI bubble" crashing the economy might instead choose the narrative of "jobs replaced by AI"
Bad Tempered? You Might Have Just Given Away That You're Losing the Argument
Brett Wilson LLP is fully aware that it is being investigated
Richard Stallman (RMS) is a Target of Defamation Campaigns Because of His Views on Software (But Politics Are the Excuse for Defaming Him)
Here in this site we try to refrain from politics, except in Daily Links
End of Vista 10 and Rise of GNU/Linux as Client Side Operating System
It seems certain GNU/Linux will grow in popularity over time
Taking Stock of a Week's Worth of EPO Leaks
We remain committed to exposing EPO corruption as long as it keeps happening
Mathieu Parreaux claims FINMA knew since day one
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Calumny, Libel, Joerg Jaspert & debian-private untouchable cyberbullies
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Thursday, October 16, 2025
IRC logs for Thursday, October 16, 2025
Techrights Turns 19 in 3 Weeks
coverage of suppressed topics and protecting all sources/whistleblowers
International E-Waste Day Same Day as End of Vista 10
message from Akira Urushibata
The EPO's Central Staff Committee Presents Evidence That Staff Compensation Lowered While the Office Increases Income by Illegally Granting Invalid Patents
These people become millionaires by doing illegal things
Second or Third Wave of Microsoft Mass Layoffs in October 2025, This Time Portugal
Those are just the ones we know about, there may be several more
'Help Net Security' (helpnetsecurity.com) May Have Become a Slopfarm as Well
Zeljka Zorz, Editor-in-Chief at Help Net Security, was reported to us
Gemini Links 17/10/2025: Rant About Network Solutions, Strange Anomaly on Lagrange
Links for the day