Re: [Fsuk-manchester] Free Software as a brand

[Simon Ward]

On Sat, Jun 06, 2009 at 05:23:56PM +0000, Tim Dobson wrote:
> The president of the FSFE is urging a unified brand of "open source"...
>
> I guess I support the end point, but not having read his article through  
> completely, I'm a bit surprised to be honest...

I suggest you do this.  Despite Matthew’s wording, Greve does not urge a
unified brand of “open source”.  The whole article talks about managing
the brands of free software and avoiding brand degradation.  Open source
is included because it is free software; they’re linked in both their
definitions and in peoples’ minds.  If the “open source” term is abused,
it affects free software; if the “free software” term is abused, it
affects free software.

> I'm cautious...There have been many rebranding's of free software over  
> the years.... open source software, open software, organic software,  
> freedomware, software libre... I'm not sure any have been particularly  
> successful...

“Open source” is actually referred to in the article as “a failed
re‐branding effort over which its creators lost control”.  There is
suggestion that a single brand for free software may be better, but it
is in my reading by no means the theme(?) of the article.

Simon
-- 
A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a
simple system that works.—John Gall

signature.asc
Description: Digital signature