On Mon, Aug 02, 2010 at 04:47:02PM -0500, Luis Rivera wrote:
Seems to me that there is some confusion underlying here: the GNU Project aims to produce an Open Source (more precisely, a "Free" as in speech) operating system and set of applications, and it has an overlord, namely: Richard Stallman. On the other hand, the GNU Project designed the GNU GPL (General Public License) to release the software, to ensure that the OS and friends remain forever "free" (as in speech). Now, a lot of OSS is release under GPL, to ensure "openness", but doesn't belong to the GNU project; the released software has then no overlord, save for the individual developer(s). They are not synonymous, since there are other licenses useful to release OSS.
That's almost correct. Just one little comment: The GNU project distances itself from the term "Open Source".
Stallman: | [...] But we want people to know we stand for freedom, so we do not accept | being mislabeled as open source supporters. http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html
Well, not all in the Free Software movement agree with Stallman in this. But I see his point.
Apart from that, I still think we talked about GNU software and not generaly about Free Software or Open Source. At least I did.
I am so well aware of this distinction, because my software, which is hosted by the FSF, has to cary the "nongnu" moniker... Well, I can live with that.