gnu-misc-discuss
[Top][All Lists]
Advanced

[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: Open source - Free software


From: v4vijayakumar
Subject: Re: Open source - Free software
Date: 27 Sep 2006 03:54:22 -0700
User-agent: G2/1.0

Chris wrote:
> v4vijayakumar wrote:
>
> >> I think the OP needs to clarify what /he/ meant by free software as
> >> we seem to be reading his intentions differently.
> >>
> >> To the OP when you say 'free software' to you mean free as in freedom
> >> or free as in no cost?
> >
> > Sorry, I never thought that there is more than one meaning for "open"
> > and "free". I meant "not open" by "free", because this is my problem
> > area.
>
> This is the problem of the English language as free can mean both 'open'
> and no cost :-( In other European languages the distinction is much
> clearer. Hence, those terms are often borrowed: the term 'gratis' is
> used to refer to no cost software and 'libre' to refer to open source
> software.
>
> Generally, people use the terms free and open interchangeably. However,
> as someone else mentioned, freeware is something else. It is usually
> not libre but it is gratis.
>
> > Proprietary software is also not open but they are not "free".
>
> Proprietary software can be gratis, but cannot be libre.
>
> > By "open", I meant software that we have access to its source code.
>
> Yes the term open is less prone to confusion.
>
> > Still, I think "open" and "free" mean the same way in "Open Software
> > Foundation" and "Free Software Foundation".
>
> ITYM the Open Source Initiative? To many people open and free/libre mean
> the same thing, but advocates of FSF and OSI often have a disagreement
> over /exactly/ what it means. I think it comes down to licensing in the
> end and the rights of the author.
>
> > If this is wrong, then,
> > could you please let me know the right questions to ask myself?
>
> I don't know what the right question is? What is it you would like to
> know?
Here, I mean the free and open the same way I mentioned.

Why the split, FSF and OSI? OSI is free, but why FSF is not open? :(



reply via email to

[Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread]