Remove RMS from the GCC Steering Committee

[Martin Jambor]

Dear Giacomo,

On Tue, Mar 30 2021, Giacomo Tesio wrote:
> Hi Nathan and hello everybody,
>
> On Fri, 26 Mar 2021 16:02:30 -0400 Nathan Sidwell wrote:
>
>> The USA is not the world and the SC is not the US government.  For
>> those in the USA, the (inapplicable) first amendment provides 5
>> rights, including showing an unwelcome guest the door. [...]
>>
>> If we fail to do so, it will continue to be harder and harder to
>> attract new talent to GCC development.
>
> I do not know if I qualify to speak here because I'm Italian and
> I ported GCC 9.2.0 to Jehanne (a Plan 9 fork, see
> http://jehanne.io/2021/01/06/gcc_on_jehanne.html), but due to the
> pandemic I wasn't able to align it with the new developments and
> contribute the port upstream. Also, I have no idea if you would be
> interested in running GCC on a Plan 9 fork and thus accept my
> contribution.
>
>
> Yet, after a careful read of this thread I realized that I might
> be considered the kind of "new talent" Nathan is talking about.
>
> So here is my perspective on this topic, "in the hope it helps but
> without any warranty". :-D
>
>
> I do not share many of Stallman's opinions (we are VERY different), but
> when I write free software and contribute to a free software community,
> what I want is long term assurances about one and only one topic: that
> the software will stay free as in freedom, as a common good for the
> whole humanity.
>
> As of today, GPLv3 is the legal tool that best suit this goal.
> I don't think it's perfect in this regards, but that's another story.

Nobody suggested that GCC would be relicensed and certainly not to a
non-free license.  If you decide to contribute your port upstream, it
will be safe with us, regardless of who will or will not be on the
steering committee or running the FSF.  Just read the copyright
assignment text that you have singed or would need to sign to contribute
and look for FSF obligations as the license holder there.

> As an Italian I'm having a hard time trying to follow your reasoning
> about Stallman being a problem to attract new talents.

I do not believe that being European or Italian has anything to do with
it. I am European, I understand and agree with everything Nathan wrote
and apparently I am not the only one.

The ability to see and stand up to consistent wrongdoing is universal
and every human of every nationality posses it.  Unfortunately, all
people are also able to close their eyes and ears and ignore mistreatment
when they are not the victims and when their friend or their favorite
public figure is the perpetrator.  There is absolutely nothing American
or European about either.

Sincerely,

Martin