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ESR Writes About O'Reilly and FSF Differences

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the not-anything-really-surprising dept.

dopplex writes: "Over here at Linux Today, Eric S. Raymond has written an amusing piece in which A.) He analyzes the way in which we use the word freedom, B.) Examines the point of view of both O'Reilly and the FSF on 'freedom' and C.) Coins the term 'flerbage,' which I hereby suggest be put into immediate use, just because it's a really cool word." It's cheesy but it is a good way for people to understand the difference between Open Source and Free Software. (Oh, and I figured I'd just mention that I'll never use that F word since I think its stupid)

6 of 499 comments (clear)

  1. Linux Today... by NewbieSpaz · · Score: 5, Funny

    Shouldn't that be "GNU/LINUX Today"...?

    ;)

    --
    ------
    Random, useless fact: I type in startx entirely with my left hand.
  2. Flerbage by OO7david · · Score: 2, Funny
    ...Coins the term 'flerbage,' which I hereby suggest be put into immediate use, just because it's a really cool word.

    I think the author did that nicely himself; flerbage count in the article: fourteen.

  3. Makes me think of Hofstadter by Dominic_Mazzoni · · Score: 3, Funny

    This sentence has one nonstandard English flerbage.

  4. Re:Why ESR doesn't understand the FSF point of vie by Russ+Nelson · · Score: 5, Funny

    I believe it is more important for everyone to have freedom, even if it does reduce individual freedom.

    Spoken like a true fascist. No, really, that's what they used to say. Go read about it if you don't believe me.
    -russ

    --
    Don't piss off The Angry Economist
  5. Re:Excellent by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    > But without the ability to use, spread, and gather good technically useful information, we're never going to evolve and get off of this planet.

    This is the best point against free software I've ever heard. We polluted and nearly destroyed this planet. I think we should not be allowed to spread our shit elsewhere.

    KIll free software, save the galaxy.

    Cheers,

    --fred

  6. Re:Excellent by Andrewkov · · Score: 2, Funny
    The big problem with Stallman is that he believes that users should have power over programmers, which I find absurd.


    It's ironic that he wants users to have complete freedom to use the software, but yet we don't have the freedom to call GNU/Linux just Linux.