Richard Stallman has cancer. Fortunately it is slow-growing and manageable follicular lymphona, so he will probably live many more years nonetheless. But he now has to be even more careful not to catch Covid-19.
Sad news about a pioneer of internet freedom. He has earned his fair share of criticism and detractors, but he has also given a lot to the Linux and free software ecosystem. I personally run [email protected] on all my rigs to support open-source cancer research, I hope one day we can finally cross cancer off the list of humankind's foes.
From what I read it slow growing and pretty manageable as far as cancer is manageable of course.
Hope he'll make a quick recovery, and start growing that magnificent beard back.
Yikes. Your comment was very easy to take out of context.
Until I read back, it looked like you were saying Hank's cancer was somehow back stronger than before (which would have to have been practically fresh breaking news), and not a comment on post-chemotherapy beard growth being different, perhaps stronger, than before.
Follicular cancer doesn't sound like it bodes as well for a beard as other kinds of lymphoma (like Hank's was) but hey, you might still be right.
(RMS is a controversial character in some regards. While I wouldn't strictly wish the loss of a greybeard's beard as cosmic correction of controversial behaviour, I'd much rather that than cancer. That'd be too far, Universe.)
His page doesn't load so it must be overwhelmed with visitors.
Linux users all around the world who want to be close to him.
When things matter, we are a good community guys <3
Hopefully some day we get to the point where it's as rare as polio. I think that's the same kind that Hank Green had though, IIRC. Hopefully it's as manageable.
RMS is a hero he will survive. I really respect this dude commitment to his beliefs and values and everyone know that he is right despite any personal biases against him. Foss is the way.
Is he accepting medical treatments that require non-free software? Serious question, from what I know of him he would rather die. I don't know if that changes when you're actually faced with it though.
Software freedom applies only to hardware you personally own. It wouldn't even apply to machines you interact with but do not own (such as ATMs or kiosks) since you aren't the one who agrees to the proprietary software license.
If you would like to put my speech on the Internet, or distribute it in digital form, I insist on using the formats of the free software community: Ogg Vorbis or Ogg Speex
Streaming is a kind of Internet distribution, so everything in the previous section applies. In particular, you must use only Ogg format or Matroska VP8 (Webm).
It seems reasonable to wonder if he'll allow an MRI image of his cancer if that image isn't saved in a Free format. I don't know where he draws the line, but his requirements seem to go quite a bit beyond what he owns or interacts with.
Yes Stallman have issues but you dont wish someone dead!
I know someone who is currently battling cancer and on chemotherapy and its an awful situation just to see it. I hope RMS can beat the cancer.
I certainly hope no one is actually wishing for Stallman's death, but I feel at least a few people will be "glad he's gone" as Stallman said of Steve Jobs.
Cancer and clean-shavenness aside, I disagree with much of his talk.
I don't see making social media (or "anti-social media" as he calls it) illegal is the best solution.
It's incurable but usually has a good long term prognosis (97% 5 year survival rate and most people live 20+ years from diagnosis). Seems that the best RMS will get is remission but not cancer free.
On the one hand... Dude, even as someone who loves dark humour, I couldn't bring myself to make a cancer joke upon news of a diagnosis unless the person was a true shitstain on the earth, like Trump.
On the other hand...that was fucking brilliant and works on so many levels.
I had pretty much the same thought process.
It's dark, but brilliant.
Yet I can't imagine RMS being offended by this, so I shouldn't either.
That's the kind of thing I wouldn't be too surprised to hear from the guy himself.
The world is a better place because of him and I wish him well.
Well it's dark humor and I can see how some are deeply offended. The post even says it's a slow growing treatable form, so personally I'll laugh at the joke. It's not like he's end stage untreatable form of cancer. Like you know arch linux running on WSL level cancer.
Dunno why you of all people are insulting their intelligence.
While they made a clever double reference to the GNU/Linux meme and tying it in with the Ballmer 'Linux is cancer' rant, you not only come out with a one word response, but that one word makes you look infinitely worse than the person who literally made a cancer joke upon news of a diagnosis.