Public bug reported: Binary package hint: ubuntu-docs
The Ubuntu documentation and marketing sometimes confuses gratis with Free and Open Source. For example, about-ubuntu.xml says "The Ubuntu project is entirely committed to the principles of open source software development; people are encouraged to use open source software, improve it, and pass it on. This means that Ubuntu is and will always be free of charge." But being open source doesn't mean being gratis (no charge). The Open Source Definition explicitly says open source software can be sold. Similarly, this document goes on to say "Free software" doesn't just mean that you shouldn't have to pay for it." Free software *doesn't* mean you don't have to pay for it. The FSF explicitly rejects that idea, as shown by http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/selling.html . There's similar text on the website, such as on the home page, which says "Ubuntu is Free Software, and available to you free of charge. [...] Ubuntu team really does believe that Free software should be free of software licencing charges." This is confusing selling copies with charging for licensing. Free software is inherently free of licensing charges, since you don't have to pay again for each computer you install the software on. The philosophy page says "For Ubuntu, the "free" in "free software" is used primarily in reference to freedom and not to price" which is similarly hinting that the "free" in Free software can mean gratis. ** Affects: ubuntu-website (upstream) Importance: Undecided Status: Unconfirmed ** Affects: ubuntu-docs (Ubuntu) Importance: Undecided Status: Unconfirmed ** Also affects: ubuntu-website (upstream) Importance: Undecided Status: Unconfirmed -- Ubuntu documentation and marketing confuses gratis with libre/free/open source https://launchpad.net/bugs/76949 -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs
