Information | Detail |
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Date of birth | March 16, 1953 |
Nationality | American |
Residence | Cambridge, Massachusetts |
Education | Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Occupation | Software developer, free software activist |
Richard Stallman is an American software developer and free software activist. He is best known as the founder of the Free Software Movement, which promotes the universal freedom to study, modify, and redistribute computer software. He is also the founder of the GNU Project, a free software operating system, and the founder of the Free Software Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting free software.
Stallman began his career as a programmer at the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In 1983, he launched the GNU Project, which aimed to create a free software operating system. In 1985, he founded the Free Software Foundation, which promotes the development and use of free software. He has since become a prominent figure in the free software movement, and has been a vocal advocate for the rights of software users.
Stallman has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including the MacArthur Fellowship in 1990 and the Takeda Award for Social/Economic Betterment in 2002. He has also been the subject of several books and documentaries, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The New York Times, The Guardian, and Wired.
Richard Stallman was born on March 16, 1953 in Manhattan, New York. He attended Harvard University, where he studied physics and computer science. He then transferred to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he worked as a programmer at the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.
Stallman was an early proponent of the concept of free software, which he defined as software that users have the freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change, and improve. He was also an early advocate of the open source software movement, which seeks to promote the development and use of free software.
In 1983, Stallman launched the GNU Project, which aimed to create a free software operating system. He wrote the first version of the GNU General Public License (GPL), which is a widely used free software license. He also wrote the GNU Emacs text editor, which is still widely used today.
In 1985, Stallman founded the Free Software Foundation (FSF), a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting free software. He served as president of the FSF until 2019, when he stepped down and was succeeded by Geoffrey Knauth.
Stallman has also served as a visiting scientist at the MIT Media Lab, and as a visiting professor at the University of Glasgow. He has written several books on free software, including Free Software, Free Society: Selected Essays of Richard M. Stallman.
Stallman has been a vocal advocate for the rights of software users, and has been an outspoken critic of companies such as Microsoft and Apple. He has also been a vocal critic of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which he believes restricts the rights of software users.
Stallman has had a long-standing relationship with Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. In the early 1980s, Jobs invited Stallman to Apple's headquarters to discuss the possibility of creating a free software operating system. The two had a heated debate, but ultimately Jobs declined the offer.
Stallman has also had a long-standing relationship with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. In the early 1990s, Gates invited Stallman to Microsoft's headquarters to discuss the possibility of creating a free software operating system. The two had a heated debate, but ultimately Gates declined the offer.
Stallman is known for his outspoken views on free software and the rights of software users. He is often quoted as saying:
"Free software is a matter of liberty, not price. To understand the concept, you should think of free as in free speech, not as in free beer."
"The only thing that's worse than a software patent is a software copyright."
"Software is like sex: it's better when it's free."
Stallman has been criticized for his views on software patents and copyright. He has also been criticized for his views on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which he believes restricts the rights of software users.
Stallman has also been criticized for his views on the use of proprietary software, which he believes should be avoided. He has been accused of being overly ideological and of disregarding the practical needs of software users.
Stallman is a vegetarian and an advocate for animal rights. He is also an advocate for environmentalism and has spoken out against the use of fossil fuels.
Stallman is a prominent figure in the free software movement, and has been a vocal advocate for the rights of software users. He has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including the MacArthur Fellowship in 1990 and the Takeda Award for Social/Economic Betterment in 2002. He has also been the subject of several books and documentaries, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The New York Times, The Guardian, and Wired.