On Sun, Aug 31, 2014 at 08:40:16AM +0200, Daniel Pocock wrote: > What I'm really getting at is how do we explain it concisely to new people > and boost recognition of genuine free software. I didn't say "ban this or > ban that", I was just pointing out that many people are using their own > definition of open source.
So, to that end, are there any examples of folks calling something "open source" and that thing using something other than an OSI-approved license? I think anyone who's aware of the concept tends to use the right term, at least as far as I can remember. People are either completely unaware of the concept and use "free" as a grab-bag for "freeware" (meaning closed-source or proprietary software that's gratis) as well as free sofware in the sense free software/open source advocates have in mind, or they're clued in enough to mean (and understand) what they say when they say "open source". In particular, "open source" is an easier terminology to use with folks who are new to the concept, as it avoids the whole "gratis versus libre" explication, which despite the best of intentions can come across as being somewhat pompous, or at least tediously hairsplitting, whereas "open source" is pretty unambiguous. Stallman says in http://tinyurl.com/3kqjz2r: However, the obvious meaning for the expression “open source software”—and the one most people seem to think it means—is “You can look at the source code.” I haven't ever encountered this interpretation. It sounds more like RMS is describing a "source license" here. Maybe there are people who confuse the two, but I have not noted them. I personally prefer the term "free software" and I'm happy to explain it to people, not least because I don't fear being seen as a relentless pedant. On Sat, Aug 30, 2014 at 09:11:02PM -0700, Russ Allbery wrote: > If you want to avoid politics entirely, good luck finding a small cabin in > the woods where you can withdraw from all other humans. Which, I should > note, is also a political act. The only nit I'd pick with you is that my political statement was overtly political, versus something that suggests that it's simply trying to find clarity of communication but that's suspiciously like a talking point on the FSF document I linked in my first volley^H^H^H^H^H^Hreply. -- Mason Loring Bliss (( "In the drowsy dark cave of the mind dreams [email protected] )) build their nest with fragments dropped http://blisses.org/ (( from day's caravan." - Rabindranath Tagore -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [email protected] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [email protected] Archive: https://lists.debian.org/[email protected]
