rms@AI.MIT.EDU (Richard Stallman) (11/12/90)
Porting GNU software to A/UX is not offensive. It is injurious--it helps Apple to injure the users of GNU software in particular, and computer users generally. This injury does not go away by virtue of apologizing for it. When people misuse this list to ask for help with porting GNU software to A/UX, they are saying that they are more interested in their own immediate projects than in the future availability of additional GNU software. By asking for your help, they are asking you to share their preference. It's not surprising when a person P considers today's project more important than the future availability of GNU. Our culture does not encourage long-term thinking. But do you consider person P's current project more important than the future availability of GNU? If not, I urge you not to spend your time solving or explaining these porting problems. With all the worthy causes on which you could spend your time, there is no reason to feel obliged to help those particular requests.