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Eben Moglen: How I discovered Free Software and met RMS

roblimo
Talks
YouTube
1 HN user recommended this talk1 month2017–2021 score 1.5
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026

Cited for a short talk that frames graphical interfaces as point-and-grunt versus language-based Unix, and for showing Moglen's regard for Stallman.

A clip in which Eben Moglen tells how he grew up when software was freer and how his path crossed Richard Stallman's. He describes how they came to work together to make software free again.

“only 10 minutes long but jam packed with wisdom” (HN, 2019)

1 strong recommendations · 2 citations · Talks

3 Hacker News comments

From the HN archive; up to 20 kept per video, favoring different commenters. Recommendations first.

@marble-drink Sep 2019 Strongly recommends
on HN thread Learn Just a Little Awk (2010)
There is a short talk by Eben Moglen [0] which is only 10 minutes long but jam packed with wisdom. One part which changed the way I think about using computers is how he describes GUI interfaces: as a "point and grunt" or "caveman" interface. Using UNIX, on the other hand, is to use language to communicate with the computer and comes with all the benefits that we have when using it to interact with people. [0] [this video]
Short talk framing GUIs as point-and-grunt versus language-based Unix

Citations, criticism and jokes

@loup-vaillant Sep 2017 Cites it
on HN thread Alan Kay is still waiting for his dream to come true
Read more
> (and by execution I don't just mean invention of a prototype but actual productization and distribution) So, the STEPS project I mentioned above¹ doesn't count? Bret Victor's work wouldn't count? That's incredibly short sighted. You seem to have missed the part where it's really really hard to be successful with unnatural stuff, even when that stuff is unbelievably useful and valuable. Writing is unnatural, and took a long time to spread. It's still not there yet, and with the television and YouTube, we're actually reverting back a little bit. Computing is even less natural, so instead of a Victor-esque interactive wonder, we got the caveman interface, where you point and you grunt². Speaking of badmouthing, my heart breaks every time someone implies that recent Apple devices are cool. They're dystopian demons that seduced people into giving into thinking digital prisons are cool. The Apple ][ was cool. The iPad is crap (it could be cool, with the right OS). [1]: [link] [2]: [this video]
Source of the point-and-grunt caveman interface idea
@d_tr Apr 2021 Cites it
on HN thread Free Software Foundation and RMS issue statements on Stallman’s return
Read more
> He's actively covering up Epstein's crimes. As Andrew_nenakhov said, you can repeat this all you want. Specifically this is the most ridiculous accusation which has been debunked to death. You might want to try going over the actual facts again. > All it does is taint the movement. If the perception of a "taint" is based on lies spread by a bunch of idiots on Twitter and some "journalists", this is not Stallman's fault. As for "the movement" itself, Stallman is a thought leader and an uncompromising idealist who left MIT to pursue it. He is the kind of person people like Eben Moglen [1] considered a giant. Stallman's statement speaks volumes about his character. Unless the damage and the harm inflicted upon him by the mob and the lies is fully repaired, I do not care about whatever actually valid reason someone might have to get him to step down. [1] [this video]
Cited as showing Moglen's regard for Stallman

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