Open Source or Free Software?
Hi All: Koha is often referred to as an "open source" project (definition at http://www.opensource.org/osd.html. Do we also characterize it as "free software" (definition at http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html)? I know that in practice, nearly all software meeting one definition also meets the other, I was just wondering what everyone thinks about the distinction. To my mind, there are advantages to both terms. "Open source" is more widely known (at least around here) and expresses the "openness" of the code. "Free software" (as in free speech) comes closer to the library concept of free access to information; it also (conveniently) covers the monetary aspect of things (after all, the software is available at no cost). Joshua
On Wed, Apr 16, 2003 at 08:03:54PM -0400, Joshua Ferraro said:
Hi All: Koha is often referred to as an "open source" project (definition at http://www.opensource.org/osd.html. Do we also characterize it as "free software" (definition at http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html)? I know that in practice, nearly all software meeting one definition also meets the other, I was just wondering what everyone thinks about the distinction. To my mind, there are advantages to both terms. "Open source" is more widely known (at least around here) and expresses the "openness" of the code. "Free software" (as in free speech) comes closer to the library concept of free access to information; it also (conveniently) covers the monetary aspect of things (after all, the software is available at no cost).
Hi Joshua, I refer to it in both ways, it depends entirely on the audience im talking to at the time :-) I use the definition that is least confusing to them :) Chris -- Chris Cormack Programmer 027 4500 789 Katipo Communications Ltd chris@katipo.co.nz www.katipo.co.nz
On Wed, 16 Apr 2003, Joshua Ferraro wrote:
Hi All: Koha is often referred to as an "open source" project (definition at http://www.opensource.org/osd.html. Do we also characterize it as "free software" (definition at http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html)? I know that in practice, nearly all software meeting one definition also meets the other, I was just wondering what everyone thinks about the distinction.
To my mind, there are advantages to both terms. "Open source" is more widely known (at least around here) and expresses the "openness" of the code. "Free software" (as in free speech) comes closer to the library concept of free access to information; it also (conveniently) covers the monetary aspect of things (after all, the software is available at no cost).
Joshua
For me, the ethical aspect is the most important part. The Free Software focus on that. The "Open Source" focus on the technical approach. Free Software seems better in the context of Free Access to Information. For Koha, I think the ethical aspect of Free Software is really important and Koha can be used as a first contact to Free Software. just my .02 EUR. adulau -- -- Alexandre Dulaunoy (adulau) -- http://www.foo.be/ -- http://pgp.ael.be:11371/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0x44E6CBC -- "Knowledge can create problems, it is not through ignorance -- that we can solve them" Isaac Asimov
Alexandre Dulaunoy wrote:
... For me, the ethical aspect is the most important part. The Free Software focus on that. The "Open Source" focus on the technical approach.
Free Software seems better in the context of Free Access to Information. For Koha, I think the ethical aspect of Free Software is really important and Koha can be used as a first contact to Free Software.
I couldn't agree more. Reliability and cost are factors, as is being able to fix the occasional bug myself, but for the most part the difference for me is in the morality that i promote by using free software. -- Paul http://paulgear.webhop.net
On Thu, 17 Apr 2003 21:58, Paul Gear wrote:
I couldn't agree more. Reliability and cost are factors, as is being able to fix the occasional bug myself, but for the most part the difference for me is in the morality that i promote by using free software.
# From a NZOSS get together I attended in Wellington yesterday in which we discussed this there was a suggestion of calling open source software "Freedom Software" to try and differentiate it from software that is simply free of cost. Open Source advocates are no less ideological - I made this clear at the AGM of the NZOSS. The NZOSS actually represents both the point of view of the Open Source and Free Software - since the basic principle - freedom - is a common concept. Ultimatly - as I found today in a presentation to the New Zeland Computer Society in Wellington about Open Source - there needs to be more education about what open source and free software is about. The ideology can't be ignored. Regards, Peter
Perhaps it would be useful to adopt the practice of describing Koha as "Free and Open Software". So often patterns of thinking follows from trends in common practice. This is particularly true of institutional contexts where the catch-phrase becomes the rallying point for management's understanding of an issue/topic. (This is not meant to denigrate managers, but to describe one of the human species' defensive practices when faced with information overload.) - Erik On Wed, 2003-04-16 at 17:03, Joshua Ferraro wrote:
Hi All: Koha is often referred to as an "open source" project (definition at http://www.opensource.org/osd.html. Do we also characterize it as "free software" (definition at http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html)? I know that in practice, nearly all software meeting one definition also meets the other, I was just wondering what everyone thinks about the distinction. To my mind, there are advantages to both terms. "Open source" is more widely known (at least around here) and expresses the "openness" of the code. "Free software" (as in free speech) comes closer to the library concept of free access to information; it also (conveniently) covers the monetary aspect of things (after all, the software is available at no cost). Joshua _______________________________________________ Koha mailing list Koha@lists.katipo.co.nz http://lists.katipo.co.nz/mailman/listinfo/koha
-- Erik Stainsby Modern Alchemy Better Libraries. By Design. www.modern-alchemy.net
participants (6)
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Alexandre Dulaunoy -
Chris Cormack -
Erik Stainsby -
Joshua Ferraro -
Paul Gear -
Peter Harrison