this post was submitted on 29 Sep 2023
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From his website stallman.org:

Richard Stallman has cancer. Fortunately it is slow-growing and manageable follicular lymphona, so he will probably live many more years nonetheless. But he now has to be even more careful not to catch Covid-19.

Recent video of him speaking at GNU 40 Hacker Meeting. Screenshots of video stream.

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[–] [email protected] 201 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Sad news about a pioneer of internet freedom. He has earned his fair share of criticism and detractors, but he has also given a lot to the Linux and free software ecosystem. I personally run [email protected] on all my rigs to support open-source cancer research, I hope one day we can finally cross cancer off the list of humankind's foes.

[–] [email protected] 112 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Stallman is like the friend you'll never introduce to your family.

[–] [email protected] 42 points 1 year ago

The guy in your WoW guild who carries hard but you know you never want to meet.

[–] [email protected] 135 points 1 year ago (2 children)
[–] drbi 56 points 1 year ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 36 points 1 year ago

Unprivileged users are stuck with cancer. Life ain't fair.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago

Unknown proprietary blobs intervening his free-functioning body

[–] [email protected] 112 points 1 year ago (3 children)
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[–] [email protected] 78 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Seeing him without his beard and hair feels so wrong and even uncanny. I hope he has a lot more years ahead of him and he kicks cancer's ass.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago

His great hair is just too iconic, I would never have recognized him.

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[–] ptrckstr 67 points 1 year ago (1 children)

From what I read it slow growing and pretty manageable as far as cancer is manageable of course. Hope he'll make a quick recovery, and start growing that magnificent beard back.

[–] pillars_in_the_trees 27 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

If Hank Green is anything to go by, it'll only come back stronger.

Edit: His beard I mean.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 year ago

Yikes. Your comment was very easy to take out of context.

Until I read back, it looked like you were saying Hank's cancer was somehow back stronger than before (which would have to have been practically fresh breaking news), and not a comment on post-chemotherapy beard growth being different, perhaps stronger, than before.

Follicular cancer doesn't sound like it bodes as well for a beard as other kinds of lymphoma (like Hank's was) but hey, you might still be right.

(RMS is a controversial character in some regards. While I wouldn't strictly wish the loss of a greybeard's beard as cosmic correction of controversial behaviour, I'd much rather that than cancer. That'd be too far, Universe.)

[–] [email protected] 67 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

His page doesn't load so it must be overwhelmed with visitors.
Linux users all around the world who want to be close to him.
When things matter, we are a good community guys <3

[–] [email protected] 48 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Eff cancer :(

Hopefully some day we get to the point where it's as rare as polio. I think that's the same kind that Hank Green had though, IIRC. Hopefully it's as manageable.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Your comment confused me since I thought you were saying the EFF was cancer at first.

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[–] [email protected] 48 points 1 year ago

Really unfortunate. He looks rough. May his days be long yet.

[–] [email protected] 35 points 1 year ago

man, those screenshots hurt

[–] JoeKrogan 34 points 1 year ago

Wishing him a speedy recovery.

[–] Aba 28 points 1 year ago

RMS is a hero he will survive. I really respect this dude commitment to his beliefs and values and everyone know that he is right despite any personal biases against him. Foss is the way.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Is he accepting medical treatments that require non-free software? Serious question, from what I know of him he would rather die. I don't know if that changes when you're actually faced with it though.

[–] [email protected] 79 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Software freedom applies only to hardware you personally own. It wouldn't even apply to machines you interact with but do not own (such as ATMs or kiosks) since you aren't the one who agrees to the proprietary software license.

Stallman himself explains it in his computing FAQ.

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Yes Stallman have issues but you dont wish someone dead! I know someone who is currently battling cancer and on chemotherapy and its an awful situation just to see it. I hope RMS can beat the cancer.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago (2 children)

What? Who's wishing for Stallman's death?

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

93A1A71EABD6B6CD658458CC1F4

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago

🫡 to a real one.

May he live as long as possible.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

Cancer and clean-shavenness aside, I disagree with much of his talk. I don't see making social media (or "anti-social media" as he calls it) illegal is the best solution.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago
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