The Semantics of Free Software vs. Open Source

An anonymous reader writes "As the end-of-year technology round-ups begin, LinuxWorld's Kevin Bedell notes that in his opinion no useful distinction is served any longer by preserving the two separate terms 'open source software' and 'free software'. One interesting sidelight: Bedell says that 'one of the leaders of the open source movement' wrote to him in an exchange they had on this topic: 'The distinction between 'open source' and 'free software' is not technical; it's the same code and licenses. Nor is it social; it's the same developers. It's strictly one of attitude - are we focused on moralism and changing peoples' thoughts (free software) or on results and changing peoples' behavior (open source)?'"

Comments

Re:Good Thought, Bad Example

[Jay Maynard]

The distinction is both necessary and important only to the FSF and its minions. The rest of the world has moved on, by conclusively demonstrating that they simply don't share the FSF's concerns.