Software should be free, but not autographs

[david at thekramers.net (David Kramer)]

Bill Ricker wrote:
> Ho hum.  If RMS started charging for grapes at SciFi conventions, that
> would be shocking.
> 
> For FSF to charge for souvenir celebrity autograph/photo as a
> fund-raiser, hey, whatever works. When you don't charge for your
> primary IP output, fundraising has to be creative. Since the death of
> dialup and the ubiquity of distros, they're probably not getting many
> $10 tape handling fees.
> 
> F/LOSS licensing is appropriate for source code, but as has been noted
> in the Debian dispute over the GFDL, licensing of other forms of IP
> gets into other issues. Maddog is carfully protecting Linus's rights
> in his eponymous trademark, as he should. Celebrities -- among which
> RMS can be counted -- have certain rights to their "image", whjch is
> worthy of protection. For RMS to use that for the good of the mission,
> as Linux, maddog, and the LMI are with the trademark, makes good
> sense.

Oh, I absolutely agree.  I just posted it for the humor value.  If he
were pocketing the money himself, that might be different.  Maybe.