On 03/12/2007, David Gerard dgerard@gmail.com wrote:
What does "free" mean in English? http://www.google.com/search?q=free
note: that's google.com, this doesn't work on google.co.uk.
- d.
On Mon, 2007-12-03 at 14:11 +0000, David Gerard wrote:
What does "free" mean in English?
What a word means in English, and what it means on the internet, are two very different things. See "windows". :)
Cheers,
Alex
Hi David
David Gerard wrote:
What does "free" mean in English? http://www.google.com/search?q=free
I am not sure it's optimal to examine a word in the English language and link to a Google search. It is not a dictionary of record. Indeed, it is not a dictionary.
I suggest the Oxford. The compact has a simple on-line definition: http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/free?view=uk
In the context of Free Software the term 'Free' refers to freedom: http://www.fsf.org/licensing/essays/free-sw.html
Regards
Shane
On 03/12/2007, Shane Martin Coughlan coughlan@fsfeurope.org wrote:
I am not sure it's optimal to examine a word in the English language and link to a Google search. It is not a dictionary of record. Indeed, it is not a dictionary.
Surely you jest? OP was clearly humorous. :)
Shane Martin Coughlan coughlan@fsfeurope.org wrote:
I suggest the Oxford. The compact has a simple on-line definition:
The OED is frequently too prescriptive and conservative IMO, documeting a form of English not even spoken by people like me who are from fairly near Oxford. Do not believe much of what you read in it as uncontroversial - except that if something is labelled "archaic" even in the OED, then it probably is. The old Collins Concise was a far better dictionary but it's gone downhill lately.
Are we utterly OT yet?
Regards,
On 03/12/2007, David Gerard dgerard@gmail.com wrote:
What does "free" mean in English?
Of course, this lends it's self to a new wave of marketing[1]...
"Visit Google, type FREE, press I'm Feeling Lucky."
[1] Business cards, email sigs, etc, etc