Sam Williams' biography was well-written and well-researched, a suitable testament to a compelling individual who, regardless of whether you agree with his worldview or not, will likely leave a tremendously important legacy to the world. It kept me engaged from the first page to the last, and I would recommend it to anyone who holds even a remote interest in the world of free and open source software.
It is worth noting that I was at first under the impression that Mr.
Williams did not sufficiently empathize with his subject given that he
wrote about RMS not with unadulterated adulation, but with a perspective
that presented both the qualities that make his rhetoric and force of
personality so compelling and the qualities that often vex and frustrate
those around him. This is a portrait of Richard Stallman warts and
all. However, after exchanging e-mails with someone who knows him
personally, I discovered that he "... believes that Richard is a hero
and that future scholars will recognize him as a major intellectual
influence."
If you are even remotely interested in tech sector or intellectual
property in the digital age, buy this book. It will at the very least
make you think. And it's a real page turner; the kind of book that you
should not start reading late at night unless you aren't counting on
getting any sleep anyway.
|
