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On Tuesday 15 March 2005 6:12 pm, James Barrett wrote:
One might "prefer the term" free software as in the GNU FAQ, but there are certainly times when the term "open source" is more useful.
Just as long as you don't try to make the two terms appear to be the same - they are not. I make the point because members of this group have lost out directly because an open source project was not compatible with free software principles.
You must remember there is no zero-cost option,
GNU/Linux is zero cost. Download it, install it, run it, the user doesn't have to pay a penny to anyone. Most developers get no income from their code.
and when one needs to deploy software the use of the developers preferred term is not necessarily more useful than a less confusing, but no less accurate alternative.
Please read that GNU page more carefully, open source is NOT an alternative term to free software and the differences are real, not pedantic.
There is another convention, "netiquette" that using all caps in a posted message (except for abbreviation) equates to shouting, and that is not always followed is it?
?? To what are you referring? The few words expressed in capitals in the GNU GPL notice are for brief emphasis. Shouting in netiquette terms is defined as entire lines of capitals. 10 words in an email of 8kb is hardly shouting. Also, it was a direct quote, not my emphasis. All GNU source files and licence declarations include the same. -- Neil Williams ============= http://www.dcglug.org.uk/ http://www.nosoftwarepatents.com/ http://sourceforge.net/projects/isbnsearch/ http://www.neil.williamsleesmill.me.uk/ http://www.biglumber.com/x/web?qs=0x8801094A28BCB3E3
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