DRAFT FAQ: Free vs. Open

[james cook]

On Jan 12, 2008 8:41 AM, Rick Moen <rick at linuxmafia.com> wrote:
> Quoting Raj Mathur (raju at linux-delhi.org):
>
> > Maybe I should have written ``the term FOSS...'' does that make it
> > clearer?  That sentence was in response to Rick Moen's concern that the
> > term FOSS is a compromise.
>
> In fairness, I certainly should have acknowledged that Raj's point was
> well taken that the intention can be fairly seen as inclusion, and not
> merely as compromise.   So, I'll belatedly do so, and apologise for not
> having done so earlier.
>
> My far more salient point about marketing failure remains.
>
>
>
The topic at hand, the FAQ entry, is fairly straight forward. One
needs only answer a question in a yes or no fashion without battling
semantic obsfucation. Leave that to people running for a political
office.

Does the FAQ entry capture succinctly in laymans terms the fundamental
differences without judging either sides viewpoint?

Yes

That I realize wont stop the semantic wrangling that even I enjoy at
times, but to the person starting out in forming opinions of the
differences between Free Software and Open Source software needs a
place to start the building blocks of comprehension. The entry does a
fine job of that first building block. Those who wish to pursue an
understanding will in the end get their heads wrapped around the more
interesting differences with time and form their own opinions.