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From: rms@GNU.AI.MIT.EDU (Richard Stallman)
Newsgroups: gnu.emacs.help,comp.emacs
Subject: What does "free" mean?
Message-ID: <9103222140.AA14865@mole.gnu.ai.mit.edu>
Date: 22 Mar 91 21:40:30 GMT
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The word "free" in English has two meanings, one pertaining to price,
and the other to freedom.  This has unfortunately lead to confusion
about the Free Software Foundation.

What concerns me as an ethical issue for software is freedom, not
price.  When I speak of "free software", I mean software that people
can freely share and change.  Anyone who interprets the word "free" as
pertaining to price will naturally not understand what the FSF does.