"Free" vs. "Open Source" Software -- what's the difference?

Many people use these terms interchangeably, and I think it's important to know the difference -- especially if you'd like to speak intelligently about this class of software.



I tend to play in the open source camp in general (which is to say, I see the open source development methodology as a practical and better approach to writing software), as opposed to the free software camp (which would imply that I am working to ensure that users' freedoms with respect to the software they use are preserved). But I certainly understand, respect, and resonate with the value of both approaches.



Why Open Source misses the point of Free Software - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation (FSF)

Nearly all open source software is free software; the two terms describe almost the same category of software. But they stand for views based on fundamentally different values. Open source is a development methodology; free software is a social movement. For the free software movement, free software is an ethical imperative, because only free software respects the users' freedom. By contrast, the philosophy of open source considers issues in terms of how to make software “better”--in a practical sense only. It says that non-free software is a suboptimal solution. For the free software movement, however, non-free software is a social problem, and moving to free software is the solution.

Haiku to an Ice Column on the West River Drive

pillar of icy bones
you alone carry that weight
beyond the sun's reach

Love Yourself -- Eat Breakfast

I always thought the saying that "breakfast is the most important meal of the day" was bull. Early in 2005, however, I started eating a full breakfast regularly so that I would have energy, and so that I would avoid wolfing down an unbalanced and unhealthy lunch. Soon I had lost weight and had more energy in the morning. Needless to say, it's worked for me.

When I explain this experience to people, I often hear that they don't "feel like" eating breakfast in the morning. I remember feeling that way initially, but I guess I'm so used to breakfast that I can't do without it now. In any case, I just came across an article that I'd like to share. It contains tips for increasing appetite in the morning:

How to Feel Like Eating Breakfast First Thing in the Morning - WikiHow

And, just for good measure, here's my breakfast menu:

• Bowl of granola with milk (my favorite is Bear Naked brand)
  
• 5 egg whites, usually cooked omelette style (generally without a filling, but sometimes I'll add fillings like shredded cheese or onions or bacon bits)
• Cup and a half of coffee, black (I'm a caffeine fiend)

Speaking of Richard Stallman

He's coming to speak at Drexel University tomorrow, January 16th, about The Danger of Software Patents. It's open to the public.

Maybe I'll see you there!

Transcript of Stallman talk about the free software movement

I just came across the transcipt of a lecture given by Richard Stallman, the founder of the GNU project (and thus the Free Software movement), given in Zagreb, Croatia, in March of last year. While its title, "The Free Software Movement and the Future of Freedom", may be reminiscent of one of George Bush's speeches, I found the talk to be an insightful and thought-provoking treatment of the origin and goals of the free software movement.

He begins with a discussion of "essential freedoms", and I find his perspective on these to be -- in my opinion -- extreme. Yet as he moves into a discussion of current issues such as spyware, software patents, the DMCA, and Trusted Computing, his argument hits home for me. I'm afraid that there are groups working to take what I do with my hardware, my software, and my content out of my control.

I must say that I admire the passion that Stallman conveys in his speech. Reading it sparked some of that evangelism in me that had become squelched, or rather dulled, over the years... Use GNU/Linux! It feels great!

The next time someone asks me about free software, I'm going to send them this link.

http://fsfeurope.org/documents/rms-fs-2006-03-09.en.html