Latest update: Keymats are here, how strong will the logo plate be - and pretty cases.

[Djoga'Ro]

Oh. Ich dachte, dass "frei" "libre" bedeutet, und "kostenlos" "gratis" bedeutet. Aber jetz bekomme ich Zwiefeln... Bedeutet "frei" beide "gratis" und "libre" auf Deutsch? Egal, ich habe ein Wörterbuch irgendwo...

Jein. Ja in "Der Eintritt ist frei." oder "Freibier". Ich faende es merkwuerdig, jemanden sagen zu hoeren "Das Buch ist frei" [ADDENDUM Und wuerde es nicht verstehen, wenn es der Kontext nicht erzwingt]. Eindeutig hingegen ist "kostenfrei".

 

[levi]

According to wiktionary, the english word comes from both the French and the Spanish ones. As is I don't see either of those definitions explicity matching up to the idea of libre software. Specifically libre software does present obligations to you, in that if you wanted to modify it and release it you must release the altered source code.

 

[ible]

It's not a flaw of English but rather that of the choice of "free" to describe the software. All languages have different meanings for the same words. Oftentimes, the multiple denotations make language richer, especially when used in prose or poetry.

super mega plus on this.

in physics we "redefine" (or have very specific meanings for) words like work, energy, power, etc., but physicists are known for being adorably annoying. i always thought the free software movement would have benefited its cause from being less annoying about trying to redefine/narrow the scope of words, and instead make their own words/phrases (e.g. copyleft, shareable source, or something like that).

 

[lordbobjones]

This has to be the ultimate example of a hijacked thread. HAHA!

C'est l'exemple ultime d'un fil détourné

 

[Confuzzled]

According to wiktionary, the english word comes from both the French and the Spanish ones. As is I don't see either of those definitions explicity matching up to the idea of libre software. Specifically libre software does present obligations to you, in that if you wanted to modify it and release it you must release the altered source code.

Perhaps I should have said, from Latin liber via French and/or Spanish libre, or going further back, proto-Indo-European *h₁lewdʰ-.

 

[erico]

Might as well release a pigeon instead of using a word.
I wonder if it is possible to mix open/free/libre with a keyboard subject as it would be the ultimate thread!
By the time it gets over 9k pages, it can probably be put to loop.

 

[netcat]

I once worked with someone who worked with stallman at the MIT ai lab, back in the day. he was an employee (not a student) and involved in a project (not Emacs (not AI (probably))). then the project (including code) was purchased by a third party ((bloodsucking) corporate) entity. but stallman was not part of the deal. stallman was not purchased (he was excluded). the code he had worked so diligently (lovingly) on was torn from him. so he went bonkers (ballistic, stratospheric). punched the walls (& punchcards) (no kidding).

he became obsessed with never being vulnerable to exclusion ever again. he created the gpl so code could always be accessed (selfish reasons (! benevolent)).

 

[λ the β-Redex Reducer]

That is an interesting (and fun (in my opinion)) story. However I wonder if it is true (it could be not true (but it could also be true (I am (decently) curious about this))). Are you (very) sure that this story is true? The guy could have just made it (i.e. the story (that you just told)) up (though I am not accusing him I am just asking how sure you are that the story is true (because i'd (really) like to know if it (actually) happened)).

 

[levi]

The conventional story behind the writing of the GPL was that Stallman was used to getting the source code behind the printer drivers for a machine when he bought a printer. One day the printer maker started binary drivers only despite them being derived from the previous one that had source, and that even included patches that Stallman had sent them. At least that's what I heard, and it's possible both situations occurred.

 

[ClockworkCoder]

he was an employee (not a student) and involved in a project (not Emacs (not AI (probably))). then the project (including code) was purchased by a third party ((bloodsucking) corporate) entity.

I guess you use Lisp (a lot(?))

 

[Djoga'Ro]

Even if true, recognizing a bigger problem after getting hurt doesn't mean you then only work on the problem for selfish reasons. And EVEN IF everything he does in his FOSS/liberation efforts he'd do only for selfish reasons, what would I care? The problems he's pointing to are still very much sirious problems.

So if you meant to discredit his efforts and the efforts of similar minded people, try again, @netcat .

 

[netcat]

I believe the story to be true. the person who told it to me was indeed a lisp programmer, associate professor of cognitive science and middle aged. not necessarily the type to bullshit.

and it makes sense to me. not wanting to be left out..

 

[ible]

every superhero needs an origin story...

 

[bubblebee]

Actually, I had already said goodbye to the Pyra Forum. But I know no other way how else to reach ED. It's been almost 4 weeks since I submitted a refund regarding my Pyra pre-order via the official ticket system on dragonbox.de. No answer yet. It would be nice if ED at least serve his official ticket system from time to time.

FYI: The complete ticket content was sent back to me by email. Of course, unencrypted. In the ticket content, I have provided personal information:

Complete name
Order number
Bank account

I'm very upset about such an approach. I just used the ticket system because of its secure transmission (https).

 

[levi]

He's on twitter if that's any good to you.

 

[bubblebee]

I've no twitter or any other account of classical social media stuff. I just don't need it. But may be I write him some snail mail

 

[oskda]

Still they will be right to do it.
I think speaking English is sign of british colonization, and it is nothing to be proud of.

Speaking Spanish (in Spain), Italian, Portuguese, French, and other Romance languages are a sign of ROMAN colonization?

There is a lot of people speaking one language for colonization reasons (becoming its natural/born language after time), and there is a lot of people speaking English like international language, as "lingua franca", no as born language.

I don't like English (because I hate they write different they speak, its like learning 2 different languages), and I think it would be much better to use a standard, regular and artificial language (for example Lojban) for tha international use, but obiously English is actual and only "lingua franca" and you must know it if you want to communicate with most world or simply read about something advanced or not too much common (at some level most knowledge is found in English and not in other languages).

PD: Of course, British colonization was not like Roman or Spanish empires, but that is another (and controversial) history.

 

[netcat]

english is the python of natural languages
less syntax
dumber
better

 

[ClockworkCoder]

english is the python of natural languages
less syntax
dumber
better

I'd say it's more like the Microsoft of natural languages:

Ubiquitous
Bloated
Monolithic
Inherently prejudiced / biased
Forced on the majority of people
Partially archaic / obsolete
Oftentimes deliberately obscure

 

[λ the β-Redex Reducer]

Let's stop using the P-word.