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Birth of Richard Stallman
Born in New York City, USA. He would later become a key figure in the free software movement. -
Started Work at MIT AI Lab
Joined the MIT Artificial Intelligence Lab, where he was immersed in a culture of software sharing. -
GNU Project
Announced the GNU Project with the goal of developing a free Unix-like operating system. -
Founded the Free Software Foundation (FSF)
Established FSF to support the free software movement and promote freedom-respecting computing. -
Released the GNU General Public License (GPL)
Introduced the GPL, a free software license that ensures user freedoms to run, modify, and share software. -
Received the MacArthur Fellowship
Awarded the prestigious MacArthur “Genius Grant” for his contributions to software development and digital rights. -
Stepped Down from MIT and FSF
Resigned from positions at MIT and FSF after controversy, though he later returned to FSF’s board in 2021.