Re: [Fsfe-uk] Re: ECF/ESF

[Andrew Savory]

Hi,

On 4 Oct 2004, at 11:27, MJ Ray wrote:

> It irritates me when supposedly freedom-minded people use the failed 
> US trademark term "Open Source" instead of "free software", "free 
> media" or similar terms. Are they scared to speak about freedom?

No, I suspect they just have a better grasp of social interaction. 
"Open Source", like it or loath it, is pretty much in the public domain 
and has 'recognition'. If you talk about "free software" or worse, 
"software libre", most people in the general public will have little 
idea of what you're talking about and will pigeon-hole you as a 
radical/wonk.

That's the impression I get from seeing this happen repeatedly, anyway.

Until the software libre advocates can counter the "open source" 
publicity with a marketing campaign of their own (and remember, you're 
up against VC-funded "professional open source" (cough) types with huge 
marketing budgets), you will have to accept that the 
commonly-understood name for what you believe in is not the preferred 
name. Sorry about that.


Andrew.

--
Andrew Savory, Managing Director, Luminas Limited
Tel: +44 (0)870 741 6658  Fax: +44 (0)700 598 1135
Web: http://www.luminas.co.uk/
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