Hence Stallman's decision to use it as an
illustration.
As I read the story, I feel Stallman watching me
intently. I look over to notice a proud but child-like
half smile on his face. When I praise the essay, my
comment barely merits a raised eyebrow.
"I'll be ready to go in a moment," he says.
Stallman goes back to tapping away at his laptop. The
laptop is gray and boxy, not like the sleek, modern
laptops that seemed to be a programmer favorite at the
recent LinuxWorld show. Above the keyboard rides a
smaller, lighter keyboard, a testament to Stallman's
aging hands. During the late 1980s, when Stallman was
putting in 70- and 80-hour work weeks writing the first
free software tools and programs for the GNU Project,
the pain in Stallman's hands became so unbearable that
he had to hire a typist. Today, Stallman relies on a
keyboard whose keys require less pressure than a
typical computer keyboard.
Stallman has a tendency to block out all external
stimuli while working. Watching his eyes lock onto the
screen and his fingers dance, one quickly gets the
sense of two old friends locked in deep conversation.
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