Stallman's Discontent
The day before Command & Conquer. In an MIT lab, two men in hippie attire sat before a computer. They were Richard Stallman and Daniel Clayton, both well-known for the ID Office Security Challenge.
“Are you sure about this?” Daniel asked, eyeing the visibly agitated Richard Stallman with concern.
“What could possibly go wrong? You don’t seriously think posting this will ruin my life, do you?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“It’ll be fine. If anything happens because of this, I’ll take full responsibility.”
The two were bickering over the post they were about to upload—an article reviewing ID Technology’s latest product, the Android Enterprise edition. Far from a simple impression piece, it contained sharp criticism that crossed into outright condemnation of several features and policies.
“Sounds like you’re expecting trouble.”
“I almost wish something would happen. At least then people might actually listen to us.”
While not quite on the level of their attacks against Microsoft at its peak, the tone was undeniably pointed. Their expectations for Android Enterprise had been high, and the disappointment was equally profound.
“Why don’t we try contacting ID Technology first?” Daniel Clayton, ever the peacemaker, suggested an alternative.
Richard Stallman shook his head firmly. “Why would ID Tech even respond to us?”
“Why? Because you’re the chairman of the famous Free Software Foundation.”
As Daniel said, Richard Stallman was both a programmer and the founder of the Free Software Foundation. He believed that widespread adoption of free software would ultimately benefit users. To that end, he had created several programs, most notably the Unix text editor Emacs and the open-source compiler and debugger tools GCC and GDB. True to the Foundation’s principles, he had released the source code for all of them.
He had also crafted the GPL, an open-source license requiring that any derivative works using GPL-licensed code must also have their source code made public. This mechanism was designed to steadily increase the amount of free software available. Naturally, some companies tried to use open-source code without acknowledging it. The Free Software Foundation had been established precisely to monitor such violations through reverse engineering and to pressure violators into releasing their source code.
“Why drop the ‘self-proclaimed’ part? We barely have any members, and everyone already sees us as thieves anyway.”
Richard Stallman’s self-deprecating remark reflected the reality: the free software movement had never gained significant traction. In fact, several major corporations had actively worked to obstruct it—most notably Microsoft and Macintosh. Bill Gates had even compared the GPL’s mandatory provisions to cancer cells, claiming they harmed the computer industry’s progress. From his perspective, the astronomical investment of time and money in developing proprietary software could be nullified overnight if a subcontractor casually inserted GPL code.
Because of this, Richard Stallman harbored a deep dislike for both Microsoft and Macintosh. In his view, whenever the free software community created something worthwhile, those two companies would study it, modify it just enough to avoid GPL violations, and then ensure their products remained incompatible with anything from the Free Software Foundation. To him, Gates was little more than a thug.
That was why he had found it so satisfying to watch Microsoft attempt to devour the upstart ID Technology, only to be consumed in return. With Microsoft gone and ID Technology’s products becoming the standard, Richard Stallman had allowed himself a measure of hope.
That hope had been only half-fulfilled. Products like the graphical interface operating system named Android and the ID Office suite boasted a level of polish far beyond anything Microsoft had achieved. Speed, convenience—nothing was lacking. Moreover, Android received patches every hundred days that felt like complete overhauls. The true masterpiece had come when the “Alpha” label was replaced with version 1.0. The shift from the unstable DOS environment to a full Unix-based system had been dramatic. Though the transition brought confusion, the resulting stability was undeniable. No other Unix-derived product had ever been as accessible to beginners as Android 1.0.
What Richard Stallman particularly admired was the novel adware model that reduced user costs to virtually nothing. Being able to use Android 1.0 for free simply by viewing a small palm-sized advertisement every hour was revolutionary. Even someone as technically proficient as himself could easily crack the ad system by replacing the image file with a single-pixel placeholder.
Yet there were still complaints. Because it was Unix-based, multiple user accounts could be registered on a single machine, remote access was possible, and permissions could be configured differently for each account. All of these features worked in Android 1.0. The single problem was that root administrator privileges remained inaccessible no matter what.
“Version 1.0 didn’t make a big deal out of root access. After all, it’s easy for someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing to break the system. I could even understand removing root access entirely. But applying the same restriction to the Enterprise edition? What’s the point?”
This was the point that disappointed Richard Stallman the most about Android Enterprise.
“System administrator privileges? What good is that fake version?”
The Enterprise edition had introduced a new “system administrator” privilege. Richard Stallman had initially assumed it was equivalent to root. But after creating an administrator account and testing it, his expectations were shattered.
“What kind of administrator can’t even modify system directories? And driver installation? It demands certification!”
To Richard Stallman, true administrator privileges meant the absolute authority of Unix’s root—unrestricted access to every corner of the system, with the ability to delete or modify anything. Android Enterprise’s system administrator, however, was only a half-measure, granting only a fraction of root’s capabilities. Many system settings remained locked, and certain system files were completely inaccessible.
Even attempting reverse engineering to check whether ID Technology had illicitly used code managed by the Free Software Foundation was impossible on the Enterprise edition. The only workaround was to boot into DOS or Android Alpha via the bootloader and then navigate to the Enterprise installation directory for analysis.
That said, it wasn’t as though they were deliberately blocking access to hide unauthorized use of open-source code.
“Yeah, demanding certification does seem excessive,” Daniel agreed.
Both men had been using computers for a long time and owned a variety of unusual hardware, including discontinued models. Richard Stallman, for instance, still used an Atari joystick that connected via serial port. It let him relive old memories while gaming. When Android 1.0 arrived, he had simply adapted the existing Unix driver for it—a task he could handle alone. The custom driver had worked without issue on version 1.0. On the Enterprise edition, however, it was rejected as an uncertified driver.
There were countless other restrictions. Despite offering powerful features like multi-core support, large memory handling, and internet services, the Enterprise edition’s many limitations left him deeply disappointed after purchasing it for only $120.
“This is outright deception!”
His anger rising with each passing thought, Richard Stallman’s voice grew louder. Before Daniel could stop him, he slammed the upload button. Through an automated distribution program, his review was simultaneously posted to MIT’s bulletin board as well as major platforms like Nextcom, CompuServe, and America Online.
Even though the Free Software Foundation was small, Richard Stallman commanded a significant following, and the reaction was substantial.
“I have nothing to say,” Yoo Jae-won muttered, shaking his head after reading Richard Stallman’s scathing review. He had always respected the man, but he had never expected their first real conflict to unfold like this.
Still, he could understand where Stallman was coming from. Before Android, operating systems had obeyed every user command without question. DOS allowed anyone to wipe the entire system with a simple “format c:”, and Unix could erase a hard drive back to factory condition with “rm -rf /”. Computers were designed to treat user commands as their highest priority.
The problem was that while experts could use such commands responsibly, beginners or those with only superficial knowledge could cause catastrophic damage. From the very beginning, Yoo Jae-won had designed the Android operating system with the assumption that users were fallible. They could issue destructive commands or unknowingly execute malware. That was why Android protected its core system files and prevented unauthorized modifications. Even applying patches required a password to access system files. The same principle applied to drivers—only certified ones were allowed, to prevent the installation of malware or viruses hidden inside them.
The consumer version 1.0 had been less strict, which was why Richard Stallman’s custom joystick driver had loaded successfully. The Enterprise edition, however, enforced security policies rigorously.
“Besides, how many people are going to play games with a joystick in a server management room?”
The Enterprise edition had been built for internet servers and high-performance computing. It was designed to safely store vast amounts of user data and maintain stable concurrent connections. A security breach on such a system would be far more devastating than on a personal computer. That was why stringent security policies had been implemented.
Of course, there was a solution to Richard Stallman’s criticisms: simply grant full root access. That alone would resolve ninety-nine percent of the issues raised in his review. The problem was that the internet era was about to begin. A single vulnerability could be exploited across every connected machine, causing damage on an uncontrollable scale. Blocking threats at the source—and layering multiple protections—was the only responsible approach. That philosophy had shaped the current Enterprise edition.
“Our perspectives are different, so I suppose it can’t be helped. Still, this is a bit much.”
—Exactly. If he wants to tinker freely, he should just use Linux. Why pick on Enterprise like this?
A reply appeared almost immediately. Since they were still connected via ID Talk, John Carmack responded directly to Yoo Jae-won’s grumbling.
Linux? In this timeline, Linux had indeed been released on the internet the previous year, with full source code disclosure as standard. Yoo Jae-won had been too busy to pay much attention, but if John Carmack was mentioning it, the project must have progressed considerably.
Checking the most active news channels covering Linux, he found it had developed a decent foundation. It could boot and run basic programs like a text editor. Recently, developers had been working on a terminal program to support Telnet connections. However, it still lacked the graphical interface and broad hardware support found in commercial operating systems like Android. It remained largely a hobby project for Unix enthusiasts.
That said, it would be a mistake to dismiss it. In the original timeline, Linux had grown rapidly, acquiring features and stability until it eventually dominated internet servers. Its growth had been fueled by its integration with Richard Stallman’s GNU Project—an initiative to create a completely open-source operating system. Stallman had been developing his own system for the project, but with limited success. Upon discovering Linux, he had immediately adopted it as the GNU Project’s core and thrown his full support behind it. The pairing of Stallman, who demanded free software, and Linus Torvalds, who had always intended to release his source code, had been perfect.
Interestingly, the two men had never been particularly close on a personal level. Unlike Stallman’s absolute insistence on open source, Torvalds had been more open to commercial use of his code. In the past, Stallman would have focused entirely on advancing the GNU Project through Linux, but so far there had been no major developments. He had likely been too preoccupied testing and criticizing Android Enterprise to pay attention to Linux.
Pairing Richard Stallman with Linux would immediately neutralize his complaints about Android Enterprise.
“Should I arrange a match between Linux and him?”
The slight concern was the potential synergy between Stallman and Linux. If it grew as explosively as it had in his previous life, Android would gain a formidable rival.
“Well, there’s no reason not to.”
After a brief moment of deliberation, Yoo Jae-won decided to proceed. Linux was an open-source operating system and not exclusionary. If, by some chance, Linux surpassed Android in completeness, he could simply adopt its source code. Just as users had transitioned from DOS to Unix, Android’s greatest strength was its ability to retain a familiar interface while swapping out the core. That flexibility was its advantage.
Having made up his mind, Yoo Jae-won launched ID Word Processor to write a rebuttal to Richard Stallman’s post. As the blank white page appeared on his monitor, he hesitated. Despite his initial momentum, facing the empty document left him at a loss for how to begin.
He could have asked executives like Ellen or Choi Kang-wook—both former lawyers—to draft something polished, but he didn’t want to. Richard Stallman’s review, though sharp and aggressive, had been written out of genuine affection for Android. Yoo Jae-won wanted to respond with the same level of respect and address the misunderstanding directly.
Writing source code came easily to him, but creative writing was another matter. He first shared his unfiltered thoughts on Doom 2 with John Carmack over ID Talk, then ended the connection. Pouring himself a cup of coffee, he set it beside his computer and began thinking.
After about ten minutes, the thread of his argument came together. Richard Stallman’s misunderstanding stemmed from a lack of understanding of what the Enterprise edition actually was. It was an operating system designed for internet servers and large-scale data management, not merely a high-performance version with added networking features. Any system constantly connected to the internet required far stricter security, and Stallman had failed to grasp that.
Yoo Jae-won began writing an explanation of the internet’s implications and the importance of security, politely suggesting that anyone seeking a DIY operating system should try Linux instead. Starting with “Dear friend Richard Stallman,” the words flowed faster and faster until the once-blank page was filled with text. What had begun in the afternoon was completed as a violet sunset painted the sky outside. After a quick check for typos, he uploaded the post.
He posted it himself on Nextcom, where he had an account, and entrusted the rest to the PR team, instructing them to ensure it appeared on every platform where Stallman’s review had been posted. Anyone who had read Stallman’s critique would now also see Yoo Jae-won’s rebuttal.
The public reaction was immediate. Naturally, most netizens responded more favorably to Yoo Jae-won’s post. Even those who had been outraged at ID Technology after reading only Stallman’s review found themselves nodding along. While not particularly eloquent, the post was clear and informative, and that was enough. The mention of Linux, in particular, turned the project into an overnight sensation. Many were impressed that the company behind Android had openly recommended a potential competitor.
Not everyone was convinced, however. Richard Stallman, who had been most incensed by the idea of treating users like children, still could not accept being denied root access. Many of his supporters, however, had shifted their stance after recognizing their own lack of understanding about internet security. They did not immediately produce a second rebuttal. Moreover, Stallman had become too absorbed in exploring Linux to craft another response right away. With its incomplete but fully customizable nature, Linux offered endless possibilities for modification, and Richard Stallman lost track of time tinkering with it.
His most ardent fans, familiar with his passionate personality, eventually lost interest while waiting for his counterargument. It wasn’t only Stallman who had been drawn to Linux. Countless others who learned about the project through Yoo Jae-won’s post had begun contributing their own time and effort, swelling the ranks of the open-source community.
Yoo Jae-won himself remained busy. A few days after posting his rebuttal, at the end of March, Allen personally visited his office with surprising news.
“Boss, we’ve scheduled a meeting with Candidate Clinton. He wants to meet as soon as possible in early April.”
Clinton?
“William Jefferson Clinton?”
Yoo Jae-won asked in disbelief.
“Yes, the Democratic rising star—Bill Clinton.”
It had only been a few days since he had told them to make an exception for Bill Clinton. And now a meeting had already been arranged. This was moving far faster than expected.