Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!uwm.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!image.soe.clarkson.edu!news From: nelson@sun.soe.clarkson.edu (Russ Nelson) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc Subject: Re: ?: Name for Copyrighted but FREE Software. Message-ID: Date: 5 Aug 90 02:52:19 GMT References: <4076@trantor.harris-atd.com> <11424@.UUCP> Sender: news@sun.soe.clarkson.edu Reply-To: nelson@clutx.clarkson.edu (aka NELSON@CLUTX.BITNET) Organization: Clarkson University, Potsdam NY Lines: 22 In-reply-to: ergo@.UUCP's message of 4 Aug 90 22:50:19 GMT In article <11424@.UUCP> ergo@.UUCP (Isaac Rabinovitch) writes: In the mean time, you probably shouldn't correct people when they misuse "public domain". People think it's really obnoxious. At least they seem to when *I* do it! I always correct people when they refer to my free software as "public domain". I tell them that it's copyrighted but copyable by all. The most inclusive term is "freely copyable". This refers to truly public domain, free software, and shareware. Be sure to understand that "free software" refers to the status of the software, not the price you pay to get it. There is no such thing as zero-cost software. If you downloaded it from a BBS, you paid for the phone call. If you got it from a disk copying firm, you paid them for it. Media costs are always non-zero (although the other guy may be paying the cost). -- --russ (nelson@clutx [.bitnet | .clarkson.edu]) Russ.Nelson@$315.268.6667 In Communism's central planning, citizens are told "you will make widgets". In Capitalism's advertising, citizens are told "you will buy widgets".