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0 pointsjrochkind110y ago0 comments

Say more, what do you think the distinction is? I think I know what 'open source' means (any software released under a license that complies with OSI's definition of open source[1]), but I'm not sure what you mean by 'free software' and the distinction.

[1](http://opensource.org/osd)

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hrnnnnnn10y ago

I'll leave it to Stallman: http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.en.html

But simply - "“Free software” means software that respects users' freedom and community." This carries with it ethical obligations that Open Source software does not.

In the extreme case, you could have Open Source pacemaker software which kills you if you don't keep up your payments, but the same thing would not be Free Software.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 pointsjrochkind110y ago0 comments

[1](http://opensource.org/osd)

0 comments

hrnnnnnn10y ago

I'll leave it to Stallman: http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.en.html

But simply - "“Free software” means software that respects users' freedom and community." This carries with it ethical obligations that Open Source software does not.

In the extreme case, you could have Open Source pacemaker software which kills you if you don't keep up your payments, but the same thing would not be Free Software.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse