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Date:      Fri, 12 Nov 1999 10:39:38 -0500
From:      Greg Lehey <grog@mojave.sitaranetworks.com>
To:        "Andreas L. Gustafsson" <ante@Update.UU.SE>, wosch@FreeBSD.ORG
Cc:        freebsd-doc@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: FreeBSD for "free"
Message-ID:  <19991112103938.07182@mojave.sitaranetworks.com>
In-Reply-To: <Pine.VUL.3.93.991112111727.22971B-100000@Zeke.Update.UU.SE>; from Andreas L. Gustafsson on Fri, Nov 12, 1999 at 11:27:02AM %2B0100
References:  <Pine.VUL.3.93.991112111727.22971B-100000@Zeke.Update.UU.SE>

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On Friday, 12 November 1999 at 11:27:02 +0100, Andreas L. Gustafsson wrote:
>
> I was browsing by your webpages and I noticed that amongst the qualities
> of FreeBSD you write that it is free, i.e. costs you nothing.
>
> I'd like to point out that since the Free Software Foundation has used
> that word in a diffrent meaning, free as in freedom, using the same word
> as in "costs you no dollars" is sure to confuse people.

I'd like to point out that, since Microsoft uses the word "windows" in
a different meaning, windows as in not being able to see the whole
thing, using the same word as in "transparent opening to the outside
world" is sure to confuse people.

> Considering the so called "Open Software" community these days is
> studied closely by the press and a lot of people with little or no
> computer experience, I think it is in the interest of all to use a
> unabigous use of expression.

Agreed, but the FSF is unlikely to change their name.

> Please consider changing the phrasing and thereby not confuse people
> and making it harder to spread the word about software
> _freedom_. Thank you.
>
> I am in no way a part of, or paid by, the Free Software Foundation,
> but a independant programmer/user that's deeply concerned about the
> issues about freedom and the philosophy of the FSF.

You're obviously an advocate of the FSF.  While I admire many of the
objectives of the FSF, I don't agree with all of them.  Certainly the
FSF's use of the word "free" to mean "yes, you can have it, but there
are some strings attached" is more confusing than FreeBSD's use of the
same word to mean "yes, you can have it, andthere are no strings
attached".

Greg
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