[Fsf-friends] Free Software [~Solutions [was So what is the problem?]

[Joe Steeve]

> Ramanraj K wrote:
> > "Free Software" is without ambiguity or overapplicability:
> Without ambiguity? You have taken a very common english word and added 
> special meaning to it, and you call it unambiguous?

Agreed. The term "Free" is indeed ambiguous. But "Open Source" is worse. Of
course., talking in the semantic sense "Open Source" is not as ambiguous.,
but the way the masses are taking it.. it is indeed a ambiguous term. When
you hear the term "Open Source Software", you get to think of Software that
you cat get the Source of. The "Source Code" may be not shareable. May not
be modifyable. The program/source may be under restrictive licenses. But
still in a literal semantic sense, it is open source. This ambiguity is used
by many corporates to confuse the public. I've seen this happen. 

When we say Free Software, it of course causes a ambiguity where the masses
think it is Free (in price) Software. But the damage caused to the
understanding of the ideals is not as bad as that in Open Source. The term
"Free", is unambiguous because some monopolistic corporate cannot put any
other ruleset other than of the Free Software definition and claim his
software to be Free Software (to a novice who is uninformed). 

Cheers,
Joe

-- 
A proud GNU user.
Homepage: http://www.joesteeve.tk/
Weblog     : http://gnukid.blogspot.com/

+++ GMX DSL Premiumtarife 3 Monate gratis* + WLAN-Router 0,- EUR* +++
Clevere DSL-Nutzer wechseln jetzt zu GMX: http://www.gmx.net/de/go/dsl