faif-2.0

170 CHAPTER 11. OPEN SOURCE
sion of Tcl, meaning it would in effect use that small contribution to
win community approval for much a larger amount of nonfree software
development. Stallman rejected this position and denounced Scriptics’
plans. “I don’t think Scriptics is necessary for the continued existence
of Tcl,” Stallman said to hisses from the fellow audience members. 6
“It was a pretty ugly scene,” recalls Prime Time Freeware’s Rich
Morin. “John’s done some pretty respectable things: Tcl, Tk, Sprite.
He’s a real contributor.” Despite his sympathies for Stallman and
Stallman’s position, Morin felt empathy for those troubled by Stallman’s
discordant words.
Stallman will not apologize. “Criticizing proprietary software isn’t
ugly – proprietary software is ugly. Ousterhout had indeed made real
contributions in the past, but the point is that Scriptics was going
to be nearly 100% a proprietary software company. In that conference,
standing up for freedom meant disagreeing with nearly everyone.
Speaking from the audience, I could only say a few sentences. The only
way to raise the issue so it would not be immediately forgotten was to
put it in strong terms.”
“If people rebuke me for ‘making a scene’ when I state a serious
criticism of someone’s conduct, while calling Torvalds ‘cheeky’ for
saying nastier things about trivial matters, that seems like a double
standard to me.”
Stallman’s controversial criticism of Ousterhout momentarily alienated
a potential sympathizer, Bruce Perens. In 1998, Eric Raymond
proposed launching the Open Source Initiative, or OSI, an organization
that would police the use of the term “open source” and provide
a definition for companies interested in making their own programs.
Raymond recruited Perens to draft the definition. 7
Perens would later resign from the OSI, expressing regret that the
organization had set itself up in opposition to Stallman and the FSF.
Still, looking back on the need for a free software definition outside the
Free Software Foundation’s auspices, Perens understands why other
hackers might still feel the need for distance. “I really like and admire
Richard,” says Perens. “I do think Richard would do his job better
if Richard had more balance. That includes going away from free
software for a couple of months.”
Stallman’s energies would do little to counteract the public-relations
momentum of open source proponents. In August of 1998, when chip-