Essay RFC delayed.

[Ean R . Schuessler]

On Mon, Aug 30, 1999 at 02:18:26AM -0400, Eric S. Raymond wrote:
> Richard, you don't understand "human behavior" worth a damn. If you
> did, you would have done the job of persuading the non-hacker world
> competently fifteen years ago.

Richard couldn't have convinced the non-hacker world to adopt free 
software fifteen years ago because the Internet was not there to fuel 
such a revolution. Elimination of the costs of fabrication and 
distribution has been a key component in the recent success of free
software. This seems to be a well understood concept.

> Unlike most people, I don't consider the above observation to be an insult.
> If you were less monomaniacal, we might not have Emacs and a large number
> of other good things.  Arguably you made the correct choice -- and in fact
> I have so argued to people who complain (for example) about your personal
> hygiene.  Can't stand RMS?  Fine.  Don't deal with him.  Trying to change
> him in any fundamental way is a waste of time, and probably not a good idea
> if you could manage it.

We might as well start talking about your inability to walk correctly
if you are going to work something like "Richard's personal hygine"
into your discussions. Don't be crass.

-- 
___________________________________________________________________
Ean Schuessler                                             As above
Novare International Inc.                                  so below
--- Some or all of the above signature may be a joke