I've got 2 more this week.....
Anyway, Stallman basically described the events in his life leading up to the formation of the FSF. He was frustrated with proprietary software in particular because: 1) Since he was from an academic background where everything was shared, and 2) He had the ability to modify any software to better suit his needs, he formed the opinion that proprietary (can't get the source) software impedes the progress of mankind, and must therefore be eliminated.
He went on to lay out his political platform and ask the members of the audience to do a few simple things: 1) Whenever you say "Linux", you should actually be saying "GNU/Linux" since the FSF had GNU going while Torwalds was still an undergrad. He said that most of the programs in any GNU/Linux system were made by FSF. 2) Understand the diference between Open Source and Free Software. It's a political thing. Open Source is pretty non-political, while FSF is VERY political.
One thing that happened was pretty funny. Stallman was talking about how most of the GNU OS was built, but the HURD kernel was far from being usable by the masses. Then some people took an early Linux kernel and built it into the GNU OS. Torwalds' little invention was the last part of the OS to be finished, and that feat carried Stallman and the FSF across the glorious finish line!
At this point, an auditorium full of C.S. PhD's and grad students were openly laughing a Stallmans audacity! Stallman just looked at us for awhile, like "Y'all aren't buying this are you?"
There were also a couple of funnies related to vi & emacs.
Anyway, he wants more credit for the FSF for it's role in developing the OS you're using right now. I guess he feels that if WE start saying "GNU/Linux" then the guys at Forbes and the Wall Street Journal will start saying it, too, and his politics and organization will recieve more attention.
He had some scary stuff to say about the direction that the "powers that be" want to take personal computing. Pretty paranoid stuff, I'll try to never buy on of those machines he was talking about---a computer that does the will of its creator, not its owner. Like a proprietary desktop --> no tinkering under the hood.
All in all it was a very worthwhile lecture. I think Stallman has a lot of great ideas, and I hope this society can move towards some of his ideals. Unfortunately, I have ZERO faith in the American political system, and only a little faith in my fellow Americans. Stallman's talking about a technological Utopia, and it's a long way off.
But generally I am grateful for the DSL and the fact that I can run it with linux 
Today's the day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
