This event will be streamed LIVE at: www.HuffingtonPost.com/code
UPDATE: Given all the interest in Dr. Stallman's talk, we've opened up extra seating and set up a simulcast just across the street. Please try to arrive early: all unclaimed seats will be opened to the public when the event begins.
The NY Tech Meetup, HuffPost Code, and Cooper Union are delighted to present a talk by Dr. Richard Stallman, the founder of the GNU project (a free software, mass collaboration project) and president of the Free Software Foundation.
"A Free Digital Society"
Dr. Stallman will address the many threats to freedom in our digital society. He'll focus on issues of digital surveillance that undermine the foundations of democracy, including massive surveillance, censorship, digital handcuffs, non-free software that controls users, and the ‘War on Sharing’.
The event will be held at The Great Hall in Cooper Union's Foundation Building on East Seventh Street between Third and Fourth Avenues.
About Dr. Stallman:
Dr. Richard Stallman launched the free software movement in 1983 and started the development of the GNU operating system (see www.gnu.org) in 1984. GNU is free software: everyone has the freedom to copy it and redistribute it, with or without changes.
The GNU/Linux system, basically the GNU operating system with Linux added, is used on tens of millions of computers today.
Stallman has received the ACM Grace Hopper Award, a MacArthur Foundation fellowship, the Electronic Frontier Foundation's Pioneer Award, and the the Takeda Award for
Social/Economic Betterment, as well as several doctorates honoris causa, and has been inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame.
October 2
Excellent meetup all around.
What was the music synth app the guy was playing before the lecture started?
February 22
I went to the event firstly for networking purposes because I am looking for a job. Secondly to hear a technical speech about digital society. What I got was an anti American communist rant. Stallman was rude, chased half the crowd away. He spent half the time bashing President Bush. This was a tech meetup, not supposed to be political. Somehow I stayed to the end, to try to talk to people which I did a bit. Also he is just an honorary doctor, he never completed his doctorate.
2 · February 21
I really appreciate your comment, Vinney. This was a hugely challenging event for Katelyn and I to organize -- with more twists and turns than we could have ever expected. All the same, it was absolutely worth it. RMS is a polarizing, controversial, and complex figure who has done an incredible amount for -- and sometimes, against -- our industry. Whether or not you agree with him (and despite how shockingly unkind he can be), I feel deeply fortunate to have been able to expose the NY Tech community to a man who, for better or worse, has had a substantial impact on the way we use and build software today. If nothing else, the conversation happening here and elsewhere is an important one and, I think, helpful as we continue to grow NYC as a center for innovation.
7 · February 21
Brandon, thanks for your work organizing this event. Through most of Stallman's years he has been discounted as a crackpot. The Snowden revelations have done more to legitimize the Free Software movement than anything that Stallman could have said at the Grand Hall.
February 22
It was interesting to hear him talk, albeit a little painful. I imagine he purposely stakes out very radical territory to set the boundary of discussion very far left leaving ample room for others to fill in the spectrum. However, he’d be far more effective if he didn’t act like a boor. I’d personally like to see more focus on protecting our private data rather than worrying about being able to read every line of source code.
1 · February 21
I saw exactly what I expected. The experience of watching Stallman speak was a little like hearing out a swami master speak for hours on end about enlightenment (though, as Stallman would say, this comparison is irrelevant because he's not a swami master and programming is not enlightenment). In a culture of overtly positive and inspirational talks, Stallman's perspective was refreshingly absent of bravado and brought an extremely relevant and timely perspective on our rights in a digital society. And he told like 8 off-the-cuff jokes!
8 · February 21
Mr. Stallman was rude to attendees, and although I agree strongly with some of his goals, we was a poor public speaker besides the way he treated people with questions.
Cooper Union was pretty great unless you were sitting behind a column, which was a large fraction of the space. Otherwise, nice space.
2 · February 20
I know that RMS is difficult to host. He was fighting a cold. But from the unnecessary confusion about tickets, to the very weak pitching for product, the projection screens being randomly changed mid-performance and having the speaker wait 10 minutes for water... this was one of the most poorly organized events I've attended in NYC.
1 · February 20
I'm sorry you felt that way. We tried our best to keep the event organized (especially given the unconventional way RMS talks usually go) and had to find a way to meet Richard's requirements while honoring RSVPs. Please feel free to email me with any more feedback - we appreciate your thoughts: [masked]
1 · February 21
totaly agree with Richard's take on A free Digital Society -- Experience Free Trade at Instatrade.me , Now available in the Apple App store at instatrade.me/getapp
February 20
Can't get my ticket to print. I click on "print ticket" and it takes me to a page about the event. No ticket to print. HELP!
February 20
Mark - that's what I saved as a PDF and I'm emailing back to myself so I can just open it on my phone at the door and be done with it.
February 20
Just found out I have to work later than expected last minute and likely will be unable to make it. Will we be able to access the video of the stream after the actual event?
February 20
There's a small link on the meetup event page for Stallman's talk -- right beneath the big, bold event name -- that says "Ticket".
Clicking that link will take you to a printable page. You can bring a hard copy or simply show us on your phone (or even just show anything that indicates that you RSVPd to the event).
1 · February 20
I'm sic so I cannot attend & I have updated my RSVP. Will I still be able to stream via Huffington Post link?
February 20
The result of the "Print ticket" link doesn't have any identifying info on it. Will they be checking names at the door? I ask because my +1 and I will be arriving separately and I was hoping to print us each a ticket. Thanks for any info!
February 20
If you can't print it, simply email a copy of the ticket to your friend. As long as it's visible on your phones, you'll be fine. If your friend has any issues, just have them explain the situation to the check-in desk
February 20
I am releasing my spot for another person. Due to conflict with schedule at work I am passing this opportunity.
February 20
I just got an email saying I'm expected to bring some form of ticket. How, pray tell, am I to get one?
February 20
^
February 20
Am I missing something obvious: the size of the waitlist...? just want to know if there is any hope.
February 14
There is absolutely hope! Since this is a free event, we're expecting that there'll be a bunch of open seats. Feel free to stop by.
1 · February 14
This would be amazing. If you know anyone who might want to sing... please, please email me.
February 20
After quite a bit of hacking, we were able to put together a completely free-as-in-freedom streaming rig. That said... we'll see if it works tonight ;) -- fingers crossed!
February 20
They said there will be a livestream, but I hope it will be saved off to time-shift!
February 16
I just cancelled as I may have to stay late at work, so there's a spot open. Will try and catch the livestream.
February 20
So cool that this is the same podium where Abraham Lincoln introduced himself to the "Eastern Establishment", before that, no one really knew who the heck he was. Well, the rest is history. (there was no twitter back then, just to clear up that rumor) :-)
February 20
Yes, please cancel if you cannot attend. I would very much like to go and am also on the waitinglist
February 17
Please CANCEL your rsvp if you are not going. There is a long waiting list.
Thank you very much.
February 17
This will be my second NYCTM.. Can't wait to meet more people and listen to Richard Stallman..
February 8
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