I know this is probably flame bait, but what's a little more gas on the fire?

For a while now, people have been arguing whether or not linux should be 
ported to Macintosh computers.  Frequently, someone will mention that the FSF
does not want people to port code (specifically, their code), or even write 
original code for the Macintosh.  Occasionally, some people will respond to 
this with words to the effect of, who cares what the FSF or GNU project wants?

The FSF and GNU projects have presumably given thought to the issue (I myself
am not directly involved with either group) and have decided, for whatever
reason, that they would prefer that people not write or port programs to Apple
computers.

When you tell people not to write software for a given platform, you are 
telling them why you think things would be better if they did not write the
software, and then you hope they agree with you and don't write the software.
So, if you don't agree with the FSF's stand on Macintosh, you should (and
probably do) feel free to write as much software for the Mac as you want.

When you ask someone not to port your software to a given system, especially
if you hold a copyright to that software, you are telling them not to do a
specific thing with your software.  So even if people don't agree with your
reasons for not wanting the software to exist on that platform, you would 
have reason to believe that if the people are courteous, they will abide by 
your wishes.  Given the nature of GNU software, you cannot actually prevent
someone from porting software to the Mac, but that does not mean that people
have a perfectly good justification to port the software against the author's
wishes.

Consider commercial software.  If a comercial company decides not to support a
specific platform, that's it.  The issue of whether or not you agree with 
their reasons for not supporting it will never come up.  You simply have no
options.  In the case of GNU software, by it's very nature you have more 
freedom in how you choose to use the software (now somebody is going to 
object to that statement, we've already heard the objections, so unless you
think I'm a blithering idiot, consider your point made), and this freedom does
include the freedom to port the software to other systems.  But if the author
of the software specifically asks that people do not port his software to a
particular system, you should not disregard that author's wishes.

If you own a Mac, but you want GNU software, I'm not trying to imply that 
you are a bad person for having bought a Mac.  I'm not saying that you should
trash your Mac and buy a new machine.  I am saying that unfortunately, you 
are a member of a group that a significant provider of free software has
decided not to support, and like it or not, you should try to abide by their
wishes.  If you disagree with FSF's and GNU's reasons for denying support to
the Mac, try and change their minds.  If you believe that the FSF's point would
be better made in some other way, convince them you're right.  If you think
the FSF is full of crap, start your own foundation for free software for 
Macintoshes.  But please think twice before you disregard the program author's
wishes.  Good programmers who will distribute their work for free are a rare
commodity, and they should be nurtured.  This means listening to and respecting
their opinions, even if you think they are wrong.  Free software is a wonderful
thing, but it relies on the goodwill of the software developers.  To antagonize
them is only to hurt everybody.

If you're going to flame me, your going to flame me, but please restrict 
personal attacks to email.

-Doug