Hi Quiliro, On Sun, 28 Aug 2011 12:11:51 -0500 Quiliro Ordóñez <[email protected]> wrote:
> Richard said he is discussing this issue with FSFE. FSF does not support > that position. In fact, FSF regards opensource software as something > good but the opensource ideas as bad. It sounds contradictory but it > isn't because some of what they do agrees with what we do but not all so > the terms are not interchangeable. Maybe things are a little different in America, but here in Europe the terms are indeed interchangeable. Here is no such thing like a distinct "open source movement". I never met an "open source activist" who said "I am pro open source, but against free software" or vice versa. Meanwhile I read about the history of the term "open source", foundation of the OSI and the "schism" between "open source" and "free software". Indeed I think, that this was a local american issue. It had no effect here, because at the time it happended there was practically no free software community in existence over here. Regardless of this I still prefer "free software" because the term "open source" is abused in some cases and therefore not clear. But I don't see "open source" as an distinct movement. Another local example: In a few month there will be a local exhibition called "OpenRheinRuhr", see http://openrheinruhr.de/. The preamble says: "Die OpenRheinRuhr ist eine Messe mit Kongress rund um das Thema "Freie Software"." Translation: "OpenRheinRuhr is an exhibition with a congress on the topic "free software"." The FSFE participates at that exhibition. (Side note: I participate in the call for papers and want to speak about Linux Libre.) > > a member who uses the > > term "open source" can always refer to the FSFE and say "Hey, the FSFE > > said, it is okay when I say "open source"". Since 90 percent of our > > community is living in Europe that would be a reasonable point and one > > could hardly argue against that. > > Please get an official written statement from FSFE stating that. It > would clear up things for all of us. I think I linked such a statement from Matthias Kirschner earlier. He is Fellowship Coordinator and the Coordinator of the German team of the FSFE, so in a sense he is the local authority for the FSFE in Germany and as such authorized to make official statements. Source: http://mail.fsfeurope.org/pipermail/fsfe-de/2010-December/002883.html Matthias Kirschner wrote in german (translation follows): "Richard hat in letzter Zeit soweit ich gesehen habe nicht mehr von zwei unterschiedlichen Gemeinschaften gesprochen. Die FSFE hat dies nicht gemacht. Freie Software und Open Source sind Begriffe für ein und die selbe Sache. Wir verwenden den Begriff Freie Software http://www.fsfe.org/campaigns/whyfs/whyfs.de.html, aber wir sehen Leute die andere Begriffe verwenden nicht außerhalb unserer Gemeinschaft. [...] Die FSFE empfiehlt, wie oben schon geschrieben, selbst zu denken. Verwende entweder Freie Software oder Open Source, was du meinst, was besser ist. Hatte ja ganz oben geschrieben, dass wir keine Strategien vorschreiben wollen. Wenn jemand der Ansicht ist, dass es er mit dem Begriff "Open Source" Freie Software besser erklären kann, dann soll er das tun." English Translation: "Richard [Stallman], as I saw it, didn't speak about two different communities in the last time. The FSFE didn't do it. Free Software and Open Source are terms for the one and same thing. We use the term free software, http://www.fsfe.org/campaigns/whyfs/whyfs.de.html, but we don't see people who use other terms outside our community" [...] The FSFE recommends to think yourself. Use [the term] free software or open source, whatever you think is better. [...] we don't dictate strategies. If someone thinks that he can explain free software better with the term open source then he should do it." If I'm lucky I will have the opportunity to meet Karsten Gerloff, President of the FSFE (the whole FSFE, not just Germany) at Wednesday and ask him about this matter. Regards, Henry
