As you said that access to the source code for a free software may or may not be give.
Looking at the FSF website and definition of free software, freedom 1 states that access to the source code is given to study how the program works
So there is a small contradiction here . Please can you clarify this ?
Manth Thanks
Saurabh
In a nutshell, Open source means you have free access to the source code. Generally you are free to modify the code as you see fit.
Free software means you don`t have to pay for it! You may or may not have access to the source code.
Both types are subject to a licence, so copyright stays with the original owner and you are using the software under licence.
Often Open Source licences allow unrestricted free distribution subject to passing on the conditions of the original licence, but this is not always the case. MySql is open source but there are times when you need to pay for a licence. Other times you can use it for free.
This is why they stopped calling it Free Software. The original meaning was free as in speech, not as in beer :) We all have to make a living and making money from your work often matters.
HTH
Peter
-----Original Message----- From: Saurabh Data [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 11 April 2004 15:59 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: free software and open source
Dear Users
Can anyone in your own words clarify the difference between "open source" and "free software".
Many Thanks
Saurabh Data
_________________________________________________________________
It's fast, it's easy and it's free. Get MSN Messenger today! http://www.msn.co.uk/messenger
-- MySQL General Mailing List For list archives: http://lists.mysql.com/mysql To unsubscribe: http://lists.mysql.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
