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Comment by poolpool | Hacker News Reader

The RMS rider is full of lecturing and childish demands. I'm amazed people are applauding him for it.

I'm hardly a fan of RMS, but if you want him to speak, it's on you to meet these rules. It's what I call "autistic-friendly": print up this list, check off each and every item, and you don't have to worry about anything else.

He has codified his behavior expectations. If someone didn't know RMS was particular, they weren't paying attention.

It's an operating manual - if you stick to it, it will be fine.

I think it's more brutal honesty, than anything. As an engineer and a disliker-of-politicians, I appreciate it, even though I agree it can easily be seen as egotistical or eccentric. When I have hosted guests, I have really wished I had such a clear "opeating manual" (as others in this thread have called it) for them, so I know how I can make them feel comfortable and make their trip most effective.

It's not even brutal.

> The RMS rider is full of lecturing and childish demands.

They are no more demands than a request for him to speak somewhere is a demand.

Someone asks if he is willing to travel and speak to their audience, he says "yes though only if these conditions are met", and the someone then has a free choice of whether to continue or not.

A childish demand would be "we can't agree to X, but we expect you to come and talk anyway".

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