this post was submitted on 26 Jul 2023
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Privacy
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How does Google/AT&T stand as an example that free is better than open source? That makes no sense..
It does encourage informed people to use open source alternatives though.
By mentioning AT&T I'm talking about the sue against BSD on 90's (which started a limbo for a lot of open source software developed at universities). That sue started the free software movement ( that is usually mistaken by open source) and all the *nix derivates. For example foundation of FSF, GPL License, GNU, Linux, etc.
Then on 20's Google wanted to implement a similar software development scheme, but with the possibility of making privative any piece of software as they wish without further notice. So they created an open source license (that doesn't protect the software) and spread the concept around the world.
Now we get surprised when Google suddenly makes private a part of source code that it's designed to implement DRM measures on the web. But we knew that this was going to happen.
We already seen this behavior on the AT&T vs. BSD sue. But well, only humans fall 3 times on the same stone.
Free software licences were created to solve this problem. Yet their meaning has been forgotten, and companies have spread open source as the "right" movement just because it benefits them, but not the user.
Interesting!
I will have to do more research on that and investigate more into open-source vs free software as well as their origins.
Thanks for the insight, sorry if my previous comment felt snide!
All cool. It's just sad that Netscape succeeded putting open source on the same bag as free software.
These are good reads:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berkeley_Software_Distribution
https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-software-intro.html
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_software
Much appreciated!