[dundee] OLPC Videos...niiiiiiiiiice!

[Rick]

On 22/01/2008, Lee Hughes <toxicnaan at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> Beware of open source, open source is not free software, open source means
> you can see the source code, but you can't modify that source code, and
> distribute copies of it, bit it's certainly a step in the right direction.
> Major
> players could open source their products tomorrow, it still won't be free
> software.

I might be nitpicking, but this isn't the difference between 'Open
Source' and 'Free Software', though you are right to make the
distinction.  Regardless of which side of the Open or Free debate
you're on it's worth clarifying else others fall into
misunderstanding, as  all the things you say you can't do with Open
Source, YOU CAN, see Points 1 & 3 in the Open Source Definition:

http://www.opensource.org/docs/osd

Open Source was a term championed Eric Raymond and others as a means
to take the politics, ideals and radicalism out of Free Software and
the Free Software Movement whilst trying to preserve the pragmatics
found in their development practices, communities, and licenses.

So, to be classed as 'Open Source' you should conform to the Open
Source Definition (above) (where you'll notice that all the GNU
licenses are included).  This isn't however a legal requirement, so
you should (regardless of the ideological distinction) always be aware
of the license and the rights it grants and possibly waives.

This transition is viewed by some as a way of making 'Free Software'
palatable to business, and by others as removing the most important
point - the focus on freedom (specifically Stallman's Four Freedoms)

The Free Software Foundation's opinions on the distinction can be found here:

http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-software-for-freedom.html

I personally tend to think of Free Software as being a subset of the
wider Open Source Movement.  Though the distinction can be
ideologically important, in pure pragmatics it doesn't matter as
regardless you need to consider what rights are granted to the code,
and what restrictions and obligations are placed on it's use.

--
Rick Moynihan
rick.moynihan at gmail.com
http://sourcesmouth.co.uk/blog/