[qzw]

I too have a Stallman encounter story from years ago. He used to work/sleep one floor below the research group I worked for as an undergrad, and he would wander up to our floor regularly. He would sometimes walk by and nod at me when I was working on the computer. One day he stopped and asked me what language I was using. I told him it was Java, and he said, unsurprisingly, that I should help contribute to gcj, gnu’s free Java alternative. Not really knowing how to respond, I kind of mumbled something to the effect that I’ll look into it, and then added that I was at least using Emacs. A few days later, I went to use the bathroom on my floor, and who should be standing at the next urinal but the man himself. He recognized me, and while we were both emptying our bladders, he asked if I had checked out gcj yet. I had to admit that I hadn’t yet and that I was hosed that semester because I was taking some tough classes. He reiterated that I should contribute if possible. Well, after that, I did checkout gcj and eventually used it quite a bit, including in production. Sometimes I wonder if I might be the only person who’s ever had a urinal conversation about free software with Stallman, but given his whole life of gnu advocacy, I believe there must be many more of us out there.

Edit: spelling