A guy named Eben Moglen writes in


He describes himself as the “attorney of record” for the Free Software Foundation and says that on behalf of his client he is seeking to redress numerous inaccuracies in my posts about “the kernel, Linux.” First among these is that Linux is only the kernel of what should correctly be called “the GNU/Linux operating system” and that by referring to Linux as “an operating system” I am misleading my readers. Moglen demands that I correct this mistake immediately and send a check for one thousand dollars to the Software Freedom Law Center to cover his expenses, or risk facing the wrath of the “community.” Moglen also insists that from now on I must only refer to Linux as “the kernel, Linux,” or “the Linux kernel.”

But here’s the kicker. Moglen also urges me not to port iTunes to Linux. “The petition to which you keep referring was not sanctioned by the Free Software Foundation. We would never endorse the notion of mixing non-free code with free code. The kernel, Linux, is fast becoming a relic. The Free Software Foundation is working in a most determined manner to hasten this process. We encourage the community to abandon the kernel, Linux, in favor of a truly open alternative. Furthermore, the community has no need of your proprietary programs such as iTunes, so unless you are willing to liberate your code, which I am assuming is not part of your plans, please do not waste your time or ours in an effort to pollute the world of free software by creating non-free programs and inserting them into our pure programs. Such miscegenation will not be tolerated.”

He attached his photo and gives a phone number in New York and says I can call him whenever I’d like. I’m not sure but I think this could be Larry punking me. Has anyone ever heard of this guy? Sounds like a made-up name.