> Can anyone in your own words clarify the difference between "open source"
> and "free software".
Interesting question, though you missed one other label 'public domain'.
These are all interesting elements of who controls the source and to what
extent.
MySQL as I understand it, allows the source to be distributed with the
proviso that if it is utilized in a for profit manner a license is necessary.
This comes from either charging for the distribution, or for use by a company
to make money. I will hope that the people at MySQL will correct me if I
am mistaken in this opinion.
Open Source, usually based upon the GPL means that the source can be
distributed, but the source must be made available to someone you've given
binaries to, if asked. This would also include any incorporated changes
made before distribution.
Public domain means you can do anything you want with the source or
binaries. Including modifying, distributing, or selling, the original or
derivatives. Most source is at least copyrighted to prevent someone claiming
what is not rightfully theirs. But public domain does not fall in this
category. And copyright is inherent to the creation, unless released to
the public domain due to expressed permission, or copyright expiration.
Please be aware these are my own opinions, and not any form of legal
advice. If you are looking for such legal advice, please get advice from
someone in the legal profession (a lawyer :)
My views are based upon my own experience with the libdbf library that
I created for accessing and manipulating dBase files/indexes back in '90.
Which I have copyrighted yet have seen no compensation from during that
entire period. Not sure if anybody even uses them any more?
Brad Eacker ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
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