On Tue, Nov 10, 2015 at 03:56:27PM -0500, Rich Pieri wrote: > On 11/10/2015 2:53 PM, Mike Small wrote: > >I like his term "cooperative software." This way of thinking solves ... > > RMS can be.... Hm. Stubborn is a nicely politic word to use. He can be > stubborn about words and what they mean in his mind. In a recent discussion > about English words that mean free as in freedom in which he lamented the > necessity of borrowing libre I suggested the word independence (as in > "Declaration of"). Independence (or independent) software, as in independent > from onerous, burdensome licenses. > > His response was, and I quote, "I don't buy it." > > I wasn't terribly surprised. RMS has gone on record that he listens to > advice and criticism only from his supporters.
I'd have to agree with him on that as the word to pick, putting aside observations about his personality (I haven't met him, though of course him being stubborn is an idea that's out there). Even with your explanation it's problematic. For instance, many of the BSD people consider the GPL to be an "onerous, burdensome" license, so you don't escape arguments with those folk. Without the explanation it calls to mind independent film or music. Fits in some sense perhaps but tactically not good when his wish is to change the terms for all software distribution not play in a niche. Maybe independent from and free from are more or less synonymous but the connotations to me for free work better, especially internationally. Maybe you as an American (I assume) have certain associations surrounding the word independence that he'd want to plug into, something having to do with the war for independence from Britain perhaps, but the rest of us don't have those. For me independence has connotations closer to the sense of autonomy. e.g. proprietary software that lets me do my taxes without help from an accountant might make me feel independent but not particularly free. They've gone with the word free since forever. Coining a new word wouldn't be useful now (and it wasn't when Eric Raymond and Bruce Perens did it either IMO). I'll think of it as cooperative software but say free software. -- Mike Small [email protected] _______________________________________________ Discuss mailing list [email protected] http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
