Free software - Revision history

Paulm: /* free software */

2013-04-11T18:18:03Z

free software

Halfasspete: /* free software */

2006-01-04T02:32:52Z

free software

Rfs: /* free software */

2006-01-03T17:03:58Z

free software

Matteo: pedia links

2006-01-03T15:45:30Z

pedia links

Halfasspete: /* free software */

2006-01-02T23:55:05Z

free software

Halfasspete at 23:43, 2 January 2006

2006-01-02T23:43:48Z

Halfasspete: clarifying & correcting

2006-01-02T10:08:03Z

clarifying & correcting

Halfasspete: describe difference between Open Source and Free Software

2006-01-02T09:33:38Z

describe difference between Open Source and Free Software

Pac at 08:57, 19 October 2005

2005-10-19T08:57:38Z

New page

"free" as in "free speech", not as in "free beer".

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 For more on this topic, see the Free Software Foundation's [http://www.fsf.org web site]. They're the good folks who maintain the GNU GPL, and coordinate the release of most of the software we use here at Free Geek.
-*NOTE: GNU/Linux, and all the software we run on it at Free Geek, is free software. There is non-free software that will run on GNU/Linux; Real Player, Adobe Acrobat Reader, and Macromedia Flash are common examples. Even though they are commonly requested, we don't install such software, but we can tell you how to install it if you're interested.
+*NOTE: GNU/Linux, and all the software we run on it at Free Geek, is free software. There is non-free software that will run on GNU/Linux; Real Player, Adobe Acrobat Reader, and Macromedia Flash are common examples.
 *NOTE: many people mistakenly assume that the word "free" means, primarily, that you don't have to pay for the software. A common explanation for the deeper intent is:

@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 The term "[[WikiPedia:free software|free software]]" arises from a movement that is primarily philosophical.
-It builds on the concept of "Open Source" software, mainly by adding one important concept: If you modify a piece of free software, and distribute it, you '''must''' make the source code avaialble as well.
+It builds on the concept of "Open Source" software, mainly by adding one important concept: If you modify a piece of free software, and distribute it, you '''must''' make the source code available as well.
 This concept is made official in a document called the [http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html GNU General Public License]. The GNU GPL is a software license, which is a legal document in which the creator of the software formally grants somebody else the right to use it. (Unlike many legal documents, the GNU GPL is written for mere mortals and lawyers alike; so go on, have a look.)
@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 *NOTE: GNU/Linux, and all the software we run on it at Free Geek, is free software. There is non-free software that will run on GNU/Linux; Real Player, Adobe Acrobat Reader, and Macromedia Flash are common examples. Even though they are commonly requested, we don't install such software, but we can tell you how to install it if you're interested.
-*NOTE: many people assume that the word "free" means, primarily, that you don't have to pay for the software. A common explanation for the deeper intent is:
+*NOTE: many people mistakenly assume that the word "free" means, primarily, that you don't have to pay for the software. A common explanation for the deeper intent is:
 :"free" as in "free speech", not as in "free beer".
-:So no, that spyware-laced screen saver your cousin downloaded on his Windows-based PC is not, properly speaking, Free Software, even though he didn't have to pay for it. In fact, software need not be offered '''gratis''' (free of charge) in order to be '''free software'''.
+:So no, that spyware-laced screen saver your cousin downloaded on his Windows-based PC is not, properly speaking, free software, even though he didn't have to pay for it. In fact, software need not be offered '''gratis''' (free of charge) in order to be '''free software'''.

@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 The term "[[WikiPedia:free software|free software]]" arises from a movement that is primarily philosophical.
-It builds on the concept of "Open Source" software, mainly by adding one important concept: If you modify a piece of free software, and distribute it, you MUST distribute the source code as well.
+It builds on the concept of "Open Source" software, mainly by adding one important concept: If you modify a piece of free software, and distribute it, you '''must''' make the source code avaialble as well.
 This concept is made official in a document called the [http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html GNU General Public License]. The GNU GPL is a software license, which is a legal document in which the creator of the software formally grants somebody else the right to use it. (Unlike many legal documents, the GNU GPL is written for mere mortals and lawyers alike; so go on, have a look.)

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 == Open Source software ==
-"Open Source" is a term that describes, primarily, a methodology.
+"[[WikiPedia:Open Source|Open Source]]" is a term that describes, primarily, a methodology.
 If a program is "open source," that means its source code is available to anybody who has been granted the right to use the software. The [http://opensource.org/docs/definition_plain.php Open Source Definition] is a formal explanation of this principle, and goes into more detail.
@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 == free software ==
-The term "free software" arises from a movement that is primarily philosophical.
+The term "[[WikiPedia:free software|free software]]" arises from a movement that is primarily philosophical.
 It builds on the concept of "Open Source" software, mainly by adding one important concept: If you modify a piece of free software, and distribute it, you MUST distribute the source code as well.

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 For more on this topic, see the Free Software Foundation's [http://www.fsf.org web site]. They're the good folks who maintain the GNU GPL, and coordinate the release of most of the software we use here at Free Geek.
-*NOTE: GNU/Linux, and all the software we run on it at Free Geek, is free software. There is non-free software that will run on GNU/Linux; Real Player, Adobe Acrobat Reader, and Macromedia Flash are common examples.
+*NOTE: GNU/Linux, and all the software we run on it at Free Geek, is free software. There is non-free software that will run on GNU/Linux; Real Player, Adobe Acrobat Reader, and Macromedia Flash are common examples. Even though they are commonly requested, we don't install such software, but we can tell you how to install it if you're interested.
 *NOTE: many people assume that the word "free" means, primarily, that you don't have to pay for the software. A common explanation for the deeper intent is:

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-Free Geek uses software that is "free" and "open source." In many contexts, these two terms are interchangeable. There is, however, a fundamental difference. Free Software is a kind of Open Source software, but not every Open Source program is technically Free.
+Free Geek uses software that is "free" and "Open Source." In many contexts, these two terms are interchangeable. There is, however, a fundamental difference. Free software (by the definition commonly understood 'round these parts) is a kind of Open Source software, but not every Open Source program is technically free.
-== Open Source Software ==
+== Open Source software ==
-"Open source" is a term that describes, primarily, a methodology.
+"Open Source" is a term that describes, primarily, a methodology.
-If a program is "open source," that means its source code is available to anybody who has been granted the right to use the software. (Open source software is often available '''gratis''' (free of charge), but not always.)
+If a program is "open source," that means its source code is available to anybody who has been granted the right to use the software. The [http://opensource.org/docs/definition_plain.php Open Source Definition] is a formal explanation of this principle, and goes into more detail.
 The main advantage of using open source software is practical in nature. Because any user has access to the source code, any user is able (with suitable programming knowledge) to modify the software to meet his or her specific needs.
-== Free Software ==
+:Note: the term "Open Source" (1998) was actually coined after "free software," (1970s) but I think it makes more sense if you explain the broader concept first.
 The term "free software" arises from a movement that is primarily philosophical.
-It builds on the concept of "open source" software, mainly by adding one important concept: If you modify a piece of free software, and distribute it, you MUST distribute the source code as well.
+It builds on the concept of "Open Source" software, mainly by adding one important concept: If you modify a piece of free software, and distribute it, you MUST distribute the source code as well.
 This concept is made official in a document called the [http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html GNU General Public License]. The GNU GPL is a software license, which is a legal document in which the creator of the software formally grants somebody else the right to use it. (Unlike many legal documents, the GNU GPL is written for mere mortals and lawyers alike; so go on, have a look.)
@@ Line 23: / Line 25: @@
 :"free" as in "free speech", not as in "free beer".
-:So no, that spyware-laced screen saver your cousin downloaded on his Windows-based PC is not, properly speaking, Free Software, even though he didn't have to pay for it.
+:So no, that spyware-laced screen saver your cousin downloaded on his Windows-based PC is not, properly speaking, Free Software, even though he didn't have to pay for it. In fact, software need not be offered '''gratis''' (free of charge) in order to be '''free software'''.

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:33, 2 January 2006
Line 1:		Line 1:
−	"free" as in "free speech", not as in "free beer".	+	Free Geek uses software that is "free" and "open source." In many contexts, these two terms are interchangeable. There is, however, a fundamental difference. Free Software is a kind of Open Source software, but not every Open Source program is technically Free.
		+
		+	== Open Source Software ==
		+
		+	"Open source" is a term that describes, primarily, a methodology.
		+
		+	If a program is "open source," that means its source code is available to anybody who has been granted the right to use the software. (Open source software is often available '''gratis''' (free of charge), but not always.)
		+
		+	The main advantage of using open source software is practical in nature. Because any user has access to the source code, any user is able (with suitable programming knowledge) to modify the software to meet his or her specific needs.
		+
		+	== Free Software ==
		+
		+	The term "free software" arises from a movement that is primarily philosophical.
		+
		+	It builds on the concept of "open source" software, mainly by adding one important concept: If you modify a piece of free software, and distribute it, you MUST distribute the source code as well.
		+
		+	This concept is made official in a document called the [http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html GNU General Public License]. The GNU GPL is a software license, which is a legal document in which the creator of the software formally grants somebody else the right to use it. (Unlike many legal documents, the GNU GPL is written for mere mortals and lawyers alike; so go on, have a look.)
		+
		+	For more on this topic, see the Free Software Foundation's [http://www.fsf.org web site]. They're the good folks who maintain the GNU GPL, and coordinate the release of most of the software we use here at Free Geek.
		+
		+	:Note: many people assume that the word "free" means, primarily, that you don't have to pay for the software. A common explanation for the deeper intent is:
		+
		+	:"free" as in "free speech", not as in "free beer".
		+
		+	:So no, that spyware-laced screen saver your cousin downloaded on his Windows-based PC is not, properly speaking, Free Software, even though he didn't have to pay for it.