Core Memory: He Comes Promising AI Freedom For All With Ashlee Vance
Core Memory, Friday, May 16th, 2025
Back when I first began covering technology in the early 2000s, my favorite thing to write about was open source software. I was young and idealistic, and the hardcore free software and open source zealots spoke to me.
Code was meant to be by the people, for the people. Richard Stallman and Eben Moglen seemed like heroes. Microsoft and its proprietary code-fueled desktop monopoly seemed clearly evil. I enjoyed the energy and vitriol on both sides during the peak of these debates. Linux 4EVA!!, I would write on my all-too hard to use Debian machine.
The software religious wars kind of, sort of linger on but in much more muted forms than I remember.