"My dictionary has fifteen definitions of "free", along with 36
sub-definitions. My dictionary also has two definitions for "freedom" with
ten sub-definitions. What then does the "free" in "Free Software" really
mean? What is the Free Software Foundation trying to tell us when they
say Free Software is about "freedom?"
"The Free Software Foundation takes great pains to explain that Free
Software is not about price or the absence of cost, but about freedom.
But they do not define "freedom", taking it for granted that the reader
knows exactly what they are talking about. They also bemoan the fact
that English has only word for "free" whereas other languages have two;
French as both "gratis" and "libre". But again, they fail to define "free".
Since "free" and "freedom" are highly emotional words, it is important that
they are properly defined in relation to Free Software (1). But as I
mentioned above, my dictionary has two definitions for "freedom". The
first definition is "the quality or state of being free". The second
definition is "a political right". There are many sub-definitions as well."
