LXer: Merging "Open Source" and "Free Software"

LXer · 08-08-2007, 03:46 AM

Published at LXer:

Due to the increased diffusion of "Open Source" as a term this article suggests its gradual phase out in favor of the original "Free Software" term and renaming of the Open Source Initiative into "Free Software Business Initiative".

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b0uncer · 08-08-2007, 04:06 AM

Sounds like somebody not having enough "something to do". In my opinion "Open Source" is far more descriptive and clear than "Free Software", so the name usage would only depend on where it's used. Why not both? Open source is open source, whereas "free software" can mean a dozen things ("free" itself needs clarification all the time, a lot more than "open").

ErrorBound · 08-08-2007, 04:27 AM

"Free software" is absolutely an ambiguous term. I think I tend to use "open source" even when I mean "free software" because I think it is overall a much better name.