Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2000 22:32:22 -0800 From: Arun Sharma <adsharma@c62443-a.frmt1.sfba.home.com> To: chat@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Excellent Gartner Group report: Debunking Open Source Mythsc Message-ID: <200001290632.WAA17774@c62443-a.frmt1.sfba.home.com> In-Reply-To: <20000129134928.D17521@freebie.lemis.com> References: <xzpvh4exk9i.fsf@flood.ping.uio.no> <4.2.2.20000128130927.046ee770@localhost> <20000129134928.D17521@freebie.lemis.com>
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Greg Lehey wrote:
> > Alas, it's factually incorrect on several points. In particular, it
> > credits Stallman with originating the idea of open source software
> > "in 1984."
>
> Well, no, that's not what it says. To quote:
>
> The decision by AT&T to commercialize Unix in 1984 prompted the
> first attempt to organize the concept of free software ("free" as in
> freedom, not free of charge) around a license and a development
> project (see Note 2).
>
> What part of that do you consider incorrect?
The interesting part is the definition of "free", which has been a point
of contention lately. I don't think RMS accepts 1984 Unix as free
software. I don't think it meets ESR's Open source definition either.
The "free as in speech and not free as in beer" campaign has been very
successful as a marketing campaign. Traditional UNIX and lately Solaris 8
make it even more interesting. They also are "free as in speech" provided
you pay fat sums of money.
My assessment is that this only highlights the logical flaw in the above
campaign. Free as in speech and free as in beer are one and the same,
because the motivation to curtail the freedom comes from the money.
-Arun
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