RE: [Fsfe-uk] NCC Filetab for Linux

[Martyn Ranyard]

At 04:25 PM 7/1/02 +0100, Tom Weiss wrote:
> I also find it moot that the key reason OSI mentions for coining the new
> phrase was 'to dump the confrontational attitude that has been
> associated with "free software"'

On the other hand the term "open source" has been hijacked by companies 
like Micro$oft to mean anything but Free Software, so what do we do, invent 
another term, or, as has been successful in the past - reclaim the 
language.  Use Free Software to mean what it actually does, and if anyone 
misunderstands, educate them.  Free Software is Free, but "open source" 
doesn't have to be - you can open the source and tell people they cannot 
use it, or modify it, or copy it.  You can even open source a project to a 
limited few who have to sign NDAs.  Admittedly it wouldn't fit the OSI 
definition, but do the people "opening" their source care?  There's more 
weight behind calling something Free Software, it's obvious why it's called 
Free Software, and IMHO it's harder to abuse the phrase.


Martyn Ranyard
Free Software Advocate

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