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minetest / minetest.github.io

Official Minetest website hosted by Github Pages
https://www.minetest.net/
MIT License
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Change "open source" to "free software" #273

Closed Zughy closed 1 year ago

Zughy commented 1 year ago

Considering the disinterested development of Minetest, with no real aim to enter the industry, I think it's more coherent to call it "free software" rather than "open source", a term born to not scare investors (since in English the word free also means "not costing anything"). I'd like to remember that the two terms refer to the same thing, what it changes is the perspective: ideological in the former, business oriented in the latter. I also think Minetest should set an example and that words do are important.

For an in-depth analysis: https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html

EDIT: build is failing, but it doesn't seem related to my changes

lhofhansl commented 1 year ago

"free" is not the same as "open source", "free" is not better than "open source". "Free" might mean that you can download a free binary, without source being available.

Personally I do not see any need to change this.

rubenwardy commented 1 year ago

Open source is the more common term than free software. I'd either use "free and open source" or leave it as-is

Side note: this should probably be rephrased as well to mention other things first, like easy scripting or minetest being a game platform with CDB

Zughy commented 1 year ago

"free" is not the same as "open source"

In this context it is

"Free" might mean that you can download a free binary

In English, true. In Italian, Spanish and other languages, false. That's why English speakers then tried to coin the word "Libre", from the same Latin root that generates "Libero" in Italian and "Libre" in Spanish (trivia: also same root for "book" in such languages, Libro). Maybe libre software would be a better option that avoids misunderstandings? You're the native speaker though (I think).

EDIT: also, when the geolocalised site is available, the current version will push languages that do have different words for "free" (as in freedom and as in beer) to translate "open source" in the equivalent version of "open source". For instance, if I read "free software" I'll translate it as "software libero" in Italian, but if I read "open source", I will not

Open source is the more common term than free software

It is because the industry prevails on the rest, but this doesn't mean is more correct