[wilhelmtux-discussion] Re: World Summit on the InformationSociety and Free Software -your http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-software-for-freedom.html

Claude Almansi claude.almansi at bluewin.ch
Sam Mar 29 21:39:30 CET 2003


Thank you for "Why "Free Software"  is better than "Open Source" "!

I hadn't read it, but now I have. As to the "free beer" ambiguity, in other
times, I would have suggested "freedom software", as English has the
privilege of making words change function (*). However, it doesn't sound
like a good idea just now, because of "Freedom Fries".

This language issue is fascinating and frustrating. I've been suggesting
that people improperly using the word informatique/informatica should be
forced to wash their tongues with soap. The word mesmerizes people into
dependence from the "expert d'informatique"... who usually is just making
them waste time and money on expensive courses about MS Office, not even
telling them about really important features like the use of titles.

Thank you again

Claude Almansi


(*) As a native French speaker, this flexibility of English  makes me really
envious: it is perhaps as much a motive for its success in science and tech
as the US economic power. I simultaneously discovered the Internet and the
possibility of saying "He napstered me". "That's glory for you", as Humpty
Dumpty puts it.