[Ilugc] difference between free and opensource software
- From: akilan27@xxxxxxxxx (Akilan R)
- Date: Sat Aug 21 22:45:53 2010
On Sat, Aug 21, 2010 at 9:00 PM, K.P. Senthil Kumar <sekumar123@xxxxxxxxx>wrote:
Thanks Balaji for bringing this in. I am getting lots of queries on this
and
people have got confused with these terminologies. The following are my
opinion and I am open to have a healthy debate and knowledge sharing on
this topic.
Oh my god, it is you who is confused.
For example, Microsoft opens its Windows source code available FREE to
anyone then it could be classified as FOSS. But if they decide to charge
then it could be classified as POSS/COSS.
'Free' in free software is used in the sense of *free speech*. You are
confusing it with *free beer*.
I did not bring the License issue in to this discussion.
Then you haven't discussed at all! Free software is all about freedom and
hence license does [in fact only thing that] matter. Money doesn't matter.
Free software can also be paid/charged.
Any thoughts in favour or otherwise?
All free software are open source software because publishing source code is
essential to freedoms required to be a 'free software'. Not all open source
software are free software. (See my next mail in reply to vijay in this
thread to know why)
These are the freedoms that any license should grant you for it to qualify
as free software:
- Freedom 0: The freedom to run the program for any purpose.
- Freedom 1: The freedom to study how the program works, and change it to
make it do what you wish.
- Freedom 2: The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your
neighbor.
- Freedom 3: The freedom to improve the program, and release your
improvements (and modified versions in general) to the public, so that the
whole community benefits.
@Balaji: Hope this clears your doubt.
--
*??????* (Akilan R)
(
http://www.coding-aviator.blogspot.com)
*I should have no use for a paradise in which I should be deprived of the
right to prefer hell.*
--Jean Rostand
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