On Nov 15, 2007 8:41 AM, Luke -Jr [email protected] wrote:
Your quote is using a flawed/incorrect definition of "free": it is not, according to some dictionaries (and all, some years ago) a shortcut for "free of charge" or (in this case) "free from reimbursement".
Part of why people felt the need to come up with the "Open Source" name is the wide variety of definitions of "free". Let's look at just the adjective definitions at http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/free We have Speech (Libre), Beer (Gratis), and a bunch of other ideas here:
1 a*:* having the legal and political rights of a citizen b*:* enjoying
civil and political liberty <*free* citizens> c*:* enjoying political independence or freedom from outside domination d*:* enjoying personal freedom *:* not subject to the control or domination of another 2 a*:* not determined by anything beyond its own nature or being *:* choosing or capable of choosing for itself b*:* determined by the choice of the actor or performer <*free* actions> c*:* made, done, or given voluntarily or spontaneously 3 a*:* relieved from or lacking something and especially something unpleasant or burdensome <*free* from pain> <a speech *free* of political rhetoric> —often used in combination <error*-free*> b*:* not bound, confined, or detained by force 4 a*:* having no trade restrictions b*:* not subject to government regulation c*of foreign exchange* *:* not subject to restriction or official control 5 a*:* having no obligations (as to work) or commitments <I'll be *free*this evening> b*:* not taken up with commitments or obligations <a *free* evening> 6*:* having a scope not restricted by qualification <a *free* variable> 7 a*:* not obstructed, restricted, or impeded <*free* to leave> b*:* not being used or occupied <waved with his *free* hand> c*:* not hampered or restricted in its normal operation 8 a*:* not fastened <the *free* end of the rope> b*:* not confined to a particular position or place <in twelve-tone music, no note is wholly * free* for it must hold its place in the series — J. L. Stewart> c*:* capable of moving or turning in any direction <a *free* particle> d*:* performed without apparatus <*free* tumbling> e*:* done with artificial aids (as pitons) used only for protection against falling and not for support <a * free* climb> 9 a*:* not parsimonious <*free* spending> b*:* outspokenhttp://www.m-w.com/dictionary/outspoken c*:* availing oneself of something without stint d*:* frankhttp://www.m-w.com/dictionary/frank, open http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/open e*:* overly familiar or forward in action or attitude f*:* licentioushttp://www.m-w.com/dictionary/licentious 10*:* not costing or charging anything 11 a (1)*:* not united with, attached to, combined with, or mixed with something else *:* separate http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/separate <* free* ores> <a *free* surface of a bodily part> (2)*:* freestandinghttp://www.m-w.com/dictionary/freestanding <a *free* column> b*:* chemically uncombined <*free* oxygen> <*free* acids> c *:* not permanently attached but able to move about <a *free* electron in a metal> d*:* capable of being used alone as a meaningful linguistic form <the word *hats* is a *free* form> — compare {h,5}bound http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/%7Bh,5%7Dbound 7 12 a*:* not literal or exact <*free* translation> b*:* not restricted by or conforming to conventional forms <*free* skating> 13*:* favorable http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/favorable —used of a wind blowing from a direction more than six points from dead ahead 14*:* not allowing slavery 15*:* open to all comers