Re: Learning from Free Software (was Re: [Fsfe-uk] Explanation of Tivosiation and problems - comment sought)

[graham]

Ciaran O'Riordan wrote:
> graham <address@hidden> writes:
>> rms's [...] done many things but inventing the idea of free
>> software isn't one of them
> 
> Yes.  He launched the free software movement, but free software is as old as
> software itself.
> 
> In the 60s, all or most software cam with source code and nothing prohibited
> or prevented recipients from using, modifying, sharing, or redistributing.
> 
> In the 70s this started to change and in 1983 RMS launched a movement to
> bring these freedoms back.


Yes, I'm aware that this is the orthodoxy. But it doesn't quite fit my
memory,
and I prefer to stay with that even if in a minority of one. My memory says
that while all programmes before the late 70s were open source, only
some were free software - 'aggressively' open source, in a sense,
designed to run across platforms, passed around with messages positively
encouraging people to share. rms was first inspired by and joined this
movement, then formalized it and launched it on a new phase, as you
describe.

Graham