People can contribute to Free Software without holding mindsets that are so extreme in one end as those of rms. Perhaps de Icaza has just gradually shifted his views to the other end.
I completely agree, I have just read that Icaza was awarded the "Advancement of Open Source Software" a while back. I'm just curious as someone who has made such commitments to the open source and also to the Linux eco system, can use another platform so enthusiastically.
He still contributes open source all the time. He's just not an open source fanatic. He'll use an Apple because it's a nice computer, and he'll write open source on it.
I used to be a Gnome contributor as well, I worked on Ubuntu at Canonical. Now I use a Mac. Does that mean I'm not allowed to work on open source now?
Thats not what I'm saying nor am I criticizing him for it. From prior experience, when I make something I can use on a daily basis, I would find it hard to use something different.
Also being an advocate for open source software would make it more difficult to transfer to being a closed source software user. I'm not saying its not possible or wrong, I just feel his case is a curious one.
He is effectively a self proclaimed Apple fanboy on Twitter etc, and I would like to know more about the circumstances.
>From prior experience, when I make something I can use on a daily basis, I would find it hard to use something different.
Well, I think he feels that Gnome failed to build something he can use on a daily basis. Back in 1998 it was all about overtaking Windows and building the platform for the future. That didn't pan out that well -- Windows are still dominant, and OS X is more prevalent and useful as a desktop system than Gnome is. Nowadays Gnome is bleeding developers (GTK, the very core toolkit of Gnome has like 1 maintainer) and mainstream distros even think of switching away from it.
