The Shaggy God  Richard Stallman is the tech genius behind a
software revolution that continues to transform the wired world.
But instead of cashing in on his big idea—well, let’s just say
he’s taken a different path.  Like most people who use computers
but rarely think about them, I had not heard of Richard
Stallman, and might never have if I hadn’t tried to get into the
Stata Center at MIT one day last fall. That’s the postmodernist
building, designed by Frank Gehry, that looks as if it’s
bursting apart at its metal seams. Unfortunately, the front
doors were locked tight.  "I can get you in," said a pleasant
voice from somewhere behind me. I wheeled around and discovered
a plump, wildly unkempt middle-aged man. My first thought was
that he should be institutionalized. But then I remembered this
was MIT, and he was probably some genius. "It will just take me
a moment." He proceeded to pull from his pocket not a proper
swipe card, but rather a strange gadget that looked like a
miniature football wrapped in du