Perhaps you should actually read what he writes instead of letting other's interpretations of him get in the way. I have never found anything that he's written to be irrational or crazy.
The problem is that some people can't admit that they just don't care about FOSS as much as Stallman does and try to discredit him because they don't have the guts to say so.
It's okay to disagree with Stallman and he has never attacked anyone who has openly voiced an opinion against his ideals. It's not okay to say he is crazy when in reality he one of the most consistent and logical thinkers in FOSS.
I do read what he says directly; and I haven't called him crazy.
Also I feel extremely strongly about FOSS. Disagreeing with stallman doesn't make you a proprietary apologist.
Stallman has been fairl consistent and I feel like that is the root of the issue. It's a very hardline attitude but more importantly one that treats every other view as entirely wrong and disdainful. I can't agree with that: I find it very damaging.
But then I also feel the gpl is fairly damaging in it's attitude too. So I appreciate it might be just ones stance over hat Free actually stands for (for me it is "without limits" :-))
I doubt that. There are enough agitators in the open source world that turns it into an "us versus them" issue – thereby alienating almost all of the potential OSS users.
I would personally see a lot more level headed and rational programmers.
I'm not sure about level-headed, but definitely rational. Linus, for example, is a famous hot head, but he's most certainly pragmatic and rational in his approach.
