The Free Software Foundation (FSF) has just released in tandem the second edition of its president and founder Richard Stallman's selected essays, Free Software, Free Society, and his semi-autobiography, Free as in Freedom: Richard Stallman and the Free Software Revolution.

I have interviewed Richard Stallman and other members of the Free Software Foundation often enough that he remembers my name (no small feat, I’m sure, considering the hundreds he meets each year). Once or twice, I think, in talking about parrots and folk music, I may have caught a personal glimpse of him. But, even if I haven’t, I generally support the Free Software Foundation.

"When Richard Stallman announced the GNU Project back in 1983, he launched a movement that would, in time, transform the software industry. The Free Software Foundation, also created by Stallman and now sponsor of the GNU Project, has become a driving force behind the adoption of the widely used GNU GPL software license.

We discussed some of the more recent developments with Richard Stallman, whose passion for freedom in computing remains intense. The following Q & A explores the goals of free software, progress that has been made, and ways to maintain or instill freedom in software that we use..."

"Conference by Richard M. Stallman at the First International Conference Free Knowledge, Free Technology - Education for a free information society in Barcelona (Spain), 15 July 2008, on the production and sharing of free educational and training materials about Free Software..."

"The best known GNU/Linux hacker Richard Stallman was in Costa Rica since October 12th until October 13th, 2007. He spoke about the “free software”, the GNU project and the work of the Free Software Foundation. Stallman made two shows.

"Richard Stallman, otherwise known as rms or the founder of the free software movement, will be in town for a series of lectures at UBC and BCIT. I have been reading Stallman’s stuff since I wrote my master’s thesis in 2003. Although sometimes passed off as a crank, much of Stallman’s work has proven accurate, insightful and even prescient over the years.

Richard Stallman raised more than a few eyebrows when he signed the letter objecting to the MySQL purchase. Endorsing, or seeming to endorse, the practice of selling proprietary exceptions to GPL'ed software seemed entirely out of character with Stallman's comments on Free Software up to that point.

"We are holding our first public presentation and Richard Stallman will be our guest! [..] The Founder of the Free Software Foundation, Richard Stallman, is stopping in Ottawa for meetings with government and non-governmental officials. He is enroute back to MIT after receiving an honorary degree from Lakehead University, Thunder Bay.

"In an exclusive interview with vnunet.com, Stallman discusses his views on free versus proprietary and open source software, social networking sites and privacy issues..."