Topic: Gnu

John C. Dvorak provides a "Tip of the Day" recommending Microsoft Power Toys, a suite of free utilities for Windows users that includes image resizers and keyboard remappers. Adam Curry counters by stating he has completely removed Windows from his life in favor of GNU Linux, leading to a humorous exchange about the merits of open-source operating systems.

Mimi is scheduled to attend the SQM meetup in Washington to sign books for listeners. Adam Curry discusses the "Curry Caster" software he built for the show and jokingly acknowledges the "Linux Nazis" in the chat room who insist on the term "GNU Linux."

The hosts discuss the No Agenda Social Mastodon server, which has been operational for over three years as part of the decentralized Fediverse. They credit the server's administrator, Aaroner, for managing the high bandwidth and storage requirements. The platform is presented as an alternative to centralized social media, rooted in older protocols like GNU Social.

Richard Stallman's return to the Free Software Foundation board has sparked an open letter calling for his removal, accusing him of being "misogynist, ableist, and transphobic." Stallman, known for his rigid adherence to "GNU-Linux" terminology and eccentric personal habits, remains a polarizing figure in the tech community.

The administrator of No Agenda Social, Aaronor, announces plans to migrate the instance from Mastodon to Pleroma once a migration tool is available. The move is motivated by technical and political friction within the Mastodon developer community regarding vulnerability reporting and the use of Ruby on Rails. The hosts discuss the broader "Fediverse" and the importance of decentralized social media.

The hosts discuss the decentralized social media platform Mastodon and the tendency of some server administrators to block content based on cultural misunderstandings. Specifically, they mention the blocking of anime content deemed "problematic" by Western standards, comparing this to the removal of Southern monuments by those outside the culture.

As the show concludes, early results from France indicate a decisive victory for Emmanuel Macron with 65% of the vote. The discussion shifts to tech pioneer Richard Stallman, who explains the philosophical difference between "Free Software" and "Open Source." Stallman argues that the term "Open Source" was a PR-friendly campaign designed to separate software from the philosophy of freedom.

A technical aside explores the mathematical basis of encryption, specifically the use of elliptic curves and calculus. The theory is presented that encryption protocols may be compromised at the fundamental mathematical level rather than through software backdoors.

Adam Curry describes his migration away from Gmail toward a local MySQL database using a program called Mail Steward, which allows for near-instantaneous searching of 300,000 emails. The show concludes with the hosts sharing their Thanksgiving cooking plans, including recipes for yams and kosher turkeys. They sign off with their traditional "Soviet spy" and "Silicon Valley" personas.

John C. Dvorak explains why free software advocate Richard Stallman has not appeared on his show, Cranky Geeks. Stallman reportedly demands that hosts use the term "GNU/Linux" exclusively and refuses to compromise on specific terminology. The hosts debate whether accommodating such requests is worth the effort to secure an interview with the controversial figure.

The hosts share personal anecdotes regarding corporate censorship and the demands of high-profile figures. One host recalls being reprimanded by MTV's press department for criticizing Madonna in TV Guide, and another describes a contract requirement to refer to Michael Jackson as "The King of Pop" in every segment. Additionally, they discuss Richard Stallman's refusal to appear on "Silicon Spin" unless the hosts agreed to use the term "GNU Linux."