There's a single-mindedness about both of them which, while undoubtedly a contributor to their greatness, also makes them divisive, unable to compromise, and therefore very bad candidates for the Nobel Peace prize.
Stallman is in a class by himself. Jobs eventually let them build Macs with fans, let iTunes for Windows ship, etc. Whereas Stallman has never wavered. Doesn't he still surf the web via email?
Ever since I stumbled upon this Steve Jobs submission on HN [1], anything positive I read about this man is disdain. There's a dark cloud hanging around his work. I'm getting the vibe that others are feeling the same way too.
I do realize the products Apple has built are the result of the ingenuity of thousands of Apple employees so one can't just discredit their hard work.
7 comments
[ 0.27 ms ] story [ 31.0 ms ] threadI'm so conflicted --- I like Richard Stallman's freedom defending approach, and I also like the capitalist fruits of Steve Jobs...
Anyone else on here want to help make a serious run for Nobel Peace Prize for Stallman?
I do realize the products Apple has built are the result of the ingenuity of thousands of Apple employees so one can't just discredit their hard work.
-- Cynical me
[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7111531
People have many facets - not all are good. It's dangerous to play someone up as a savior when they're simply human.