--- Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org> wrote:
quoted text
>     >     Why do you use (obviously flawed) research methods?
>     > 
>     > My method is to ask other people to do it for me.  I use that
> method
>     > because it is efficient.  Its results are accurate, too.
>     > 
>     > However, when a person tells me his OS is free, I have not
> always
>     > checked.  Sometimes I just took his word for it.  The problems
> that
>     > have been reported here in various free systems (and, mostly,
>     > corrected) show I need to discuss the criteria more carefully
> with
>     > them.
> 
>     You contradict yourself.  You say it's efficient and accurate and
>     then point out its inefficiency inaccuracy.  I find it stunning
>     that you can reconcile this.
> 
> There is nothing to reconcile -- you have combined two statements
> about two different things, so the resulting contradiction didn't
> come from me.

You said:
"""
My method is to ask other people to do it for me.  I use that method
because it is efficient. Its results are accurate, too.
"""

But, we have seen very much inaccuracy from things that you've said was
researched.  I recall OpenSolaris being among them in this thread. 
This is something that you've had to go back, check on and change, etc.
 This means that your research methods are inefficient because you have
to do them over and over.

Wow, look at that!  The two statements are actually related!


quoted text
> When I want research, I ask people to do it.  That is efficient, and
> we have not seen any errors in it.

See above.  I will also recommend that you re-read much of this thread
because there are... many more examples.


quoted text
> In the case of AROS, it's possible I did not ask anyone to do
> research.  I might have just taken the developers' word that the
> system is free.  It was years ago and I do not know what happened.

\begin{sarcasm}
Taking someone's word for it.  Yah, that's responsible...
\end{sarcasm}

Btw, not keeping an endorsement list up to date is wildly irresponsible
for a person in your position.  If you don't have the time or energy to
maintain a list, then don't have one.


quoted text
> However, most of these problems had nothing to do with quality of
> research, because they did not arise until after I had decided to
> endorse a program.

I want you to seriously think about this statement and why it is
horribly wrong.  Consider it homework in critical thinking.  Something
which you sorely need.


quoted text
> Research can only check the present, not the
> future.  For instance, the reference to unrar on BLAG's site was in a
> wiki; it was posted by a user in the recent past.  (It is possible
> that this happened with AROS too.)  Likewise for the GNU/Darwin
> problem.  I think this occurred in several others too.

If you're checking wiki sites instead of reading the licenses
themselves?!?!?  Just stunning.


quoted text
> My conclusion is that I should do more detailed discussions with the
> developers of the FSF-endorsed systems about these specific possible
> problems and how to avoid them.

What, like actually do research?  Are you sure you're up to it?

best regards,
Reid Nichol

President Bush says:

War Is Peace
Freedom Is Slavery
Ignorance Is Strength


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