I understand why you're writing this but I don't think you are making much sense. Don't get me wrong, I see how Stallman sounds utterly ridiculous. But he is Richard Stallman. Also, you are sort of making a whiny "wah wah let's get rid of this open source hogwash cuz I want my money wah wah wah -- but don't think I am against open source" argument.
FSF has a particular agenda, an agenda most of us here should at least understand. This javascript stuff does pose potential problems for complete free software types from following their principles and using the Web. It makes it difficult. So Stallman is proposing a means by which one can know if a JS is GPL. Fine. I had been wondering for a couple years now why I hadn't heard much about this issue.
If this is what put you over the edge about Stallman, then you just haven't been paying much attention.
In a way you're right. But I do know what Stallman stands for and respect what he's done. I was just hoping he would lay off the web.
The web is open, by definition. Anybody can view a javascript file in the browser cache, and it's not hard to work out how it works even if it is minified/obfuscated.
I just don't see the need to start blocking scripts because the developer doesn't subscribe to his radical views.
In the unlikely event of his idea taking off, it could dampen innovation rather than encourage it.
Well, but minified or "obfuscripted," if you like, Javascript is not really in keeping with the views of FSF. A programmer sufficiently dedicated can work out and deal with assembly code of a given executable. The point is that, according to FSF, it should be utterly free.
As far as dampen innovation, eh, I doubt it. I don't think enough people will take Stallman's view seriously for there to be any real danger here. I certainly don't. But I understand your reservations.
FSF has a particular agenda, an agenda most of us here should at least understand. This javascript stuff does pose potential problems for complete free software types from following their principles and using the Web. It makes it difficult. So Stallman is proposing a means by which one can know if a JS is GPL. Fine. I had been wondering for a couple years now why I hadn't heard much about this issue.
If this is what put you over the edge about Stallman, then you just haven't been paying much attention.