this post was submitted on 09 Jul 2024
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You're right, the first amendment wasn't about freedom of expression, it was about not having to pay for books.
Using the word free to describe something that doesn't restrict you has been a thing for centuries. "Free Software" has been the accepted term within the software world to denote freedom respecting, libre, and open source software since the 80's.
This isn't about because Richard Stallman said so. Its because its the definition pretty much everyone, especially those who've actually touched a compiler, uses.
Trying to remove an objectively correct definition is more "redefining" a word than adding one is.
You'd maybe have a point if this was made up today, or even 10 years ago, but this was settled during the early years of the industry. Free software is free as in freedom, freeware is gratis but not free.
This is established industry jargon, and has been for over two fucking decades. Not really sure why its being argued.
There is no one with the authority to make that determination.
"Free" as in "no fee" has been heavily used the entire time people have tried to steal the definition to only apply to license terms, it has always been objectively correct, and it is literally impossible for it to ever not be objectively correct.
Merriam webster dictionary definition 2D.
That is a definition people use when discussing libre software. The software is under YOUR control. If adobe says "fuck you, you don't get the brush tool anymore" thats it for the brush tool. If gimp gets rid of a feature in the main branch, you can say "no fuck you I like this tool" and can just keep the code base that included it still.
Also you have a rather perscriptive understanding of language, which just simply isn't how language works. Languages evolve over time. Open up a dictionary and see how many definitions are listed as antiquated. Those are definitions that aren't used anymore as they fell out of favor.
Now get off your high horse about how words aren't the same as they used to be or how words are frozen to definitions.
Lol wtf are you talking about? No they don't. Everyone telling them they are wrong is being prescriptive. All they are doing is saying "it's not wrong to use a word according to an incredibly common definition of that word". Which is precisely the opposite of prescriptive.
I'm not opposing people calling that software free.
I'm saying that you are wrong (and an asshole) every single time you correct someone calling any software without a price tag free. Because that definition is also correct, long before some deluded douche tried to lay exclusive claim to it. The "free software can only mean open source" people are the ones ignoring what the word actually means (and has always meant) in the real world. They're trying to own language and take away correct usages to service their own agendas.
Free software meant "no charge" before he pulled that nonsense ideological claim to the word. It meant it after he tried to own the word. And it still means it today. Multiple uses of the same word are fine. Trying to invalidate correct usage is not.