Information has become increasingly valuable, especially with the invention of the internet and the computer. The early hackers from MIT, Stanford, and the Homebrew computer club all held that information should be open to everyone. Specifically, things such as codes or software are intended to be freely shared between all who would like to utilize it. Despite the growing prices and security of information, there was one man that still stood for the hacker ethic, as described in Levy’s Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution. His name was Richard Stallman and he fought to protect the freedom to modify, copy, and redistribute information, which is perhaps why Levy referred to Stallman as one of “the last true hackers” (Levy, pg. 437). Stallman maintained the hacker ethic and strongly valued the free sharing of information. As the hacker ethic has continued to erode over time, remnants of the ethical code remain today due in part to Stallman’s efforts, a commendable feat.
Early Life Born in 1953, Richard Matthew Stallman was fascinated with math when growing up in Manhattan, easily teaching himself calculus at a young age (Isaacson, pg. 370). Even from a relatively young age, Stallman was strong willed and very opinionated. In …show more content…
The free and open-source movements have given rise to many of the existing licenses and communities that currently exist. Fortunately, Levy was incorrect when he said that Stallman was the last of the true hackers. It is because of Stallman, however, that true hackers continue to exist. Though some hackers today use their talents for nefarious intentions, Stallman is a perfect example of how a hacker should be. Throughout his life, it appears Stallman did everything with two fundamental beliefs; information should be open to everyone and collaboration brings about the best products. Stallman never abandoned these ideas and continues to live by them even