Richard Stallman: The high priest of hi-tech who shuns technology

Richard Stallman, creator of the GNU computer operating system

Richard Stallman is about as hi-tech as they come. For decades he has been one of the world's most famous computer programmers and holds a position as a research affiliate at the renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

But despite this hi-tech pedigree, he is one of a number of people who chooses to restrict his use of popular technologies in a way that may seem contrary.

he simply doesn't want to waste his time.

The handful of high-technologists who have retreated from digital life are part of what Kevin Kelly, a founding editor of Wired magazine, has labelled the "Neo-Amish

Stallman believes the problem is that too many are in thrall to the promises made by new developments. "It's almost as if they worship technology and they don't care about the social consequences of using it," he said.

not everybody is in a sufficiently privileged position to give up entirely