Noam Chomsky Apparently Does Not Understand or Care for Software Freedom
Looking a decade back
Professor Noam Chomsky, who specialises in linguistics but is more widely known for his political commentary, will turn 96 if he makes it till December (lots of online speculations about his health these days). Richard Stallman (RMS) and Noam Chomsky met for the first time 9 years ago. Here's one account of the meeting:
Noam asked, what is the Free Software Foundation and movement all about? Richard responded that The Free Software Foundation is a nonprofit with a worldwide mission to promote computer user freedom and to defend the rights of all free software users. We raise awareness about computing privacy issues and users rights, by exposing things like Digital Restrictions Management. The movement is our outreach to users seeking adoption of free software and informing the network on issues that support free software and working to change attitudes and support laws that make free software remain free.
RMS had spoken to Chomsky before that, but probably not in person. One gentleman called Mats SjΓΆberg recalls: "I remember hearing Richard Stallman telling that he had asked Noam Chomsky about free software, and he didn't seem interested or understand the issue. I'm not sure where i heard this, it might have been the recent interview on HPR[1] (I'm too lazy to relisten to it now and locate the point :). Unless things have changed since then, Chomsky may not understand and see the relevance of free software, so I'm not sure how approach him with a question about that.
"Perhaps a starting point would be presenting the idea of user control of digital communications and computing becoming crucial in today's world, especially for political activists. Today's digital networks and personal computing can have both an empowering tendency, and one of increased top-down control and surveillance. Free software is one important strategy to help achieve the first one. A question could be crafted around that... not exactly sure how to phrase it, though :)"
This links to Hacker Public Radio, an episode dated 2012.
Chomsky has a wealth of knowledge, but when it comes to technology he hasn't been keeping up. He helped perpetrate disinformation about the invention of E-mail, for instance, resulting in SLAPP against TechDirt and a whole lot of revisionism. β