American Linux Magazine on Free Software and Open Source

[Volker Dormeyer]

Hi,

today I got an issue of the american Linux Magazine (August 2001) here in
Germany. Under section "In the trenches" on page 20 is an article called
"Taking the 'Free' Out of Open Source" from Sam Ockman.

In this article Sam Ockman tries to motivate people to use the term "Open
Source" instead of "Free Software". By describing the misunderstandings of
"Free Software" he explains why people should use the term "Open Source".

But he did that with no word about the misunderstandings of "Open Source"
and the obvious _misuse_ of the term "Open Source"! That's not good,
I think.

In one paragraph he says: "Ultimately, the Free Software movement has much
of the complexity of movements like Capitalism, Marxism, Zionism, and
Catholicism. It's not something that can be summed up in on phrase.
Nonetheless, use of the term "Open Source" helps to provide some sort of
indication of its unique qualities from a functional standpoint. Open Source
hat thus provided us with a neutral startung-ground from which to explain
what this movement is all about."

To the end he comes to the conclusion: "Open Source is a good term - now
it's up to all of us to make sure that the world understands exactly what
we mean by it".


What do you think about that? Perhaps you have read it, too. I can't find 
it online, so I can't post a URL.

regards,
Volker

-- 
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 Volker Dormeyer # V.Dormeyer at t-online.de
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