[Fsf-friends] Free(dom) Software?

[Seth Johnson]

"Free" conveys "free from" the bad stuff (bogus exclusive rights policy +
restrictions on the key freedoms).  Plus, "free software" speaks in the
manner of a description of software, speaking in a way more like that's just
naturally the way it ought to be, whereas "freedom software" is a title one
assumes, more like explicitly taking a stance, creating a separate category.

I use "free software" for the above reasons, without compunction, while also
delivering the advisable clarifying statements that make clear what I'm
talking about for those unfamiliar with the term.

I also use the term "free source" in some case where you might feel inclined
to say "freedom software," to really throw the "open sourcers" off kilter. 
Combining "free" with "source" beats the tendency to hear "free" in the
wrong sense, plus it asserts to the "open source" folks that nope, I'm
really going to talk about freedom, using a phrase that actually shows that
that other term with the word "source" ("open source") has unnecessarily
been taking some of us in the wrong direction.

It's a good turn of phrase to remember, though you should use the term "free
software" to describe and identify what you're talking about and where
you're coming from in a way that just says how it should naturally be.  The
"free source" phrasing stratagem is a cool one I came up with because saying
"free" about "source" rather than the presumptive "compiled binary" takes
the phrase away from any confusion that lets it sound like it means "free as
in beer."  "Free source" strongly implies free as in freedom, because
"source" is something you work with to make something else, the product, not
the product itself that would ostensibly be for sale or not.

Seth Johnson

Senthil_OR@Dell.com wrote:
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Raman.P
> >  --- Krishna Pagadala
> > >   I am calling "free software" as "freedom software"
> > > these days. This is to emphasize that we are talking
> > > about freedoms, this way I am able to avoid the idiom
> > > ``free'' as in ``free speech,'' not as in ``free
> > > beer.'', and I hope that the idiom will become
> > > unnecessary.
> > >
> > >
> > >   Also in written communication, I am writing
> > > "Free(dom)" instead of "Free", should I just be using
> > > "Freedom". Please let me know.
> > >
> > >   RMS, if you are reading this. Do you have any
> > > opinion on this usage?
> > >
> 
> >
> > I am using Free(dom) term for nearly two years in all my talks in
> > schools/colleges and organisations. I found it convenient and the
> > message is driven easily.
> 
> The term "Freedom Software" is really good.  If it had been used intially,
> It could have perhaps ( In my opinion)
> 
> 1) Conveyed the Meaning of the movement
> 2) Could have avoided all the Open Source Software Vs Free Software (term
> tussles)
> 3) No child process of the name FLOSS
> 
> RMS, Did you think of using term "Freedom Software" for the entire concept?
> 
> I am yet to find your comments (on www) regarding this.
> 
> -Senthil
> 
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