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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//IETF//DTD HTML 2.0//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Confusing Words and Phrases that are Worth Avoiding - GNU Project - Free
Software Foundation (FSF)</TITLE>
<LINK REV="made" HREF="mailto:address@hidden";>
</HEAD>
<BODY BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#000000" LINK="#1F00FF" ALINK="#FF0000"
VLINK="#9900DD">
<H3>Some Confusing or Loaded Words and Phrases that are Worth Avoiding</H3>
<A HREF="/graphics/philosophicalgnu.html"><IMG
SRC="/graphics/philosophical-gnu-sm.jpg"
ALT=" [image of a Philosophical Gnu] "
WIDTH="160" HEIGHT="200"></A>
[
<A HREF="/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html">English</A>
| <A HREF="/philosophy/words-to-avoid.fr.html">French</A>
| <A HREF="/philosophy/words-to-avoid.ja.html">Japanese</A>
| <A HREF="/philosophy/words-to-avoid.pl.html">Polish</A>
| <A HREF="/philosophy/words-to-avoid.pt.html">Portuguese</A>
| <A HREF="/philosophy/words-to-avoid.ru.html">Russian</A>
| <A HREF="/philosophy/words-to-avoid.es.html">Spanish</A>
]
<P>
There are a number of words and phrases which we recommend avoiding,
either because they are ambiguous or because they imply an opinion
that we hope you may not entirely agree with.
<P>
<A HREF="/philosophy/philosophy.html">Other Texts to Read</A>
| ``<A HREF="words-to-avoid.html#Commercial"
NAME="TOCCommercial">Commercial</A>''
| ``<A HREF="words-to-avoid.html#ForFree"
NAME="TOCForFree">For free</A>''
| ``<A HREF="words-to-avoid.html#Freeware"
NAME="TOCFreeware">Freeware</A>''
| ``<A HREF="words-to-avoid.html#GiveAwaySoftware"
NAME="TOCGiveAwaySoftware">Give away software</A>''
| ``<A HREF="words-to-avoid.html#IntellectualProperty"
NAME="TOCIntellectualProperty">Intellectual property</A>''
| ``<A HREF="words-to-avoid.html#Piracy"
NAME="TOCPiracy">Piracy</A>''
| ``<A HREF="words-to-avoid.html#Protection"
NAME="TOCProtection">Protection</A>''
| ``<A HREF="words-to-avoid.html#SellSoftware"
NAME="TOCSellSoftware">Sell software</A>''
| ``<A HREF="words-to-avoid.html#Theft"
NAME="TOCTheft">Theft</A>''
| <A HREF="/philosophy/philosophy.html">Other Texts to Read</A>
<P>
Also note
<A HREF="/philosophy/categories.html">Categories of Free Software
(18k characters)</A>.
<P>
<H4>``<A HREF="words-to-avoid.html#TOCCommercial"
NAME="Commercial">Commercial</A>''</H4>
Please don't use ``commercial'' as a synonym for ``non-free''.
That confuses two entirely different issues.
<P>
A program is commercial if it is developed as a business activity. A
commercial program can be free or non-free, depending on its license.
Likewise, a program developed by a school or an individual can be free
or non-free, depending on its license. The two questions, what sort
of entity developed the program and what freedom its users have, are
independent.
<P>
In the first decade of the Free Software Movement, free software
packages were almost always noncommercial; the components of the
GNU/Linux operating system were developed by individuals or by
nonprofit organizations such as the FSF and universities. But in the
90s, free commercial software started to appear.
<P>
Free commercial software is a contribution to our community, so we
should encourage it. But people who think that ``commercial'' means
``non-free'' are likely to assume the idea is self-contradictory, and
reject it based on a misunderstanding. Let's be careful not to use
the word ``commercial'' in that way.
<P>
<H4>``<A HREF="words-to-avoid.html#TOCForFree"
NAME="ForFree">For free</A>''</H4>
If you want to say that a program is free software, please don't say
that it is available ``for free.'' That term specifically means ``for
zero price.'' Free software is a matter of freedom, not price.
<P>
Free software copies are often available for free--for example, by
downloading via FTP. But free software copies are also available for
a price on CD-ROMs; meanwhile, proprietary software copies are
occasionally available for free in promotions, and some proprietary
packages are normally available at no charge to certain users.
<P>
To avoid confusion, you can say that the program is available ``as
free software.''
<P>
<H4>``<A HREF="words-to-avoid.html#TOCFreeware"
NAME="Freeware">Freeware</A>''</H4>
Please don't use the term ``freeware'' as a synonym for ``free software.''
The term ``freeware'' was used often in the 1980s for programs
released only as executables, with source code not available.
Today it has no particular agreed-on definition.
<P>
Also, if you use other languages than English, please try to avoid
borrowing English words such as ``free software'' or ``freeware''. Try
to use the often less ambiguous wording that your language offers, e.g.
<P>
<UL>
<!--Keep alphabetical-->
<LI>Chinese: zi4you2 ruan3jian4
<LI>Dutch: vrije software
<LI>Esperanto: libera programaro
<LI>French: logiciel libre
<LI>German: freie Software
<LI>Hebrew: tochna hofshit
<LI>Japanese: jiyuu [na] sofuto
<LI>Portuguese: software [programa] livre
<LI>Russian: svobodny programy
<LI>Slovak : slobodny' softve'r
<LI>Spanish : Software [programa] libre
<LI>Swedish: fri programvara
<LI>Turkish : õzgür yazilim
</UL>
<P>
By forming a word in your own language, you show that you are really
referring to freedom and not just parroting some mysterious foreign
marketing concept. The reference to freedom may at first seem
strange or disturbing to your countrymen, but they will get used to
it soon and thereby find out about the real message behind free
software.
<P>
<H4>``<A HREF="words-to-avoid.html#TOCGiveAwaySoftware"
NAME="GiveAwaySoftware">Give away software</A>''</H4>
It's misleading to use the term ``give away'' to mean ``distribute a
program as free software.'' It has the same problem as ``for free'':
it implies the issue is price, not freedom. One way to avoid
the confusion is to say ``release as free software.''
<P>
<H4>``<A HREF="words-to-avoid.html#TOCIntellectualProperty"
NAME="IntellectualProperty">Intellectual property</A>''</H4>
Publishers and lawyers like to describe copyright as ``intellectual
property.'' This term carries a hidden assumption---that the most
natural way to think about the issue of copying is based on an analogy
with physical objects, and our ideas of them as property.
<P>
But this analogy overlooks the crucial difference between material
objects and information: information can be copied and shared almost
effortlessly, while material objects can't be. Basing your thinking
on this analogy is tantamount to ignoring that difference.
<P>
Even the US legal system does not entirely accept this analogy, since
it does not treat copyrights just like physical object property
rights.
<P>
If you don't want to limit yourself to this way of thinking, it is
best to avoid using the term ``intellectual property'' in your words
and thoughts.
<P>
Another problem with ``intellectual property'' is that it is an attempt
to generalize about several legal systems, including copyright,
patents, and trademarks, which are much more different than similar.
Unless you have studied these areas of law and you know the
differences, lumping them together will surely lead you to incorrect
generalizations.
<P>
To avoid confusion, it is best not to look for alternative way of
saying ``intellectual property.'' Instead, talk about copyright,
patents, or whichever specific legal system is the issue.
<H4>``<A HREF="words-to-avoid.html#TOCPiracy"
NAME="Piracy">Piracy</A>''</H4>
Publishers often refer to prohibited copying as ``piracy.'' In this
way, they imply that illegal copying is ethically equivalent to
attacking ships on the high seas, kidnaping and murdering the people
on them.
<P>
If you don't believe that illegal copying is just like kidnaping and
murder, you might prefer not to use the word ``piracy'' to describe
it. Neutral terms such as ``prohibited copying'' or ``unauthorized
copying'' are available for use instead. Some of us might even prefer
to use a positive term such as ``sharing information with your
neighbor.''
<P>
<H4>``<A HREF="words-to-avoid.html#TOCProtection"
NAME="Protection">Protection</A>''</H4>
Publishers' lawyers love to use the term ``protection'' to describe
copyright. This word carries the implication of preventing
destruction or suffering; therefore, it encourages people to identify
with the owner and publisher who benefit from copyright, rather than
with the users who are restricted by it.
<P>
It is easy to avoid ``protection'' and use neutral terms instead. For
example, instead of ``Copyright protection lasts a very long time,''
you can say, ``Copyright lasts a very long time.''
<P>
If you want to criticize copyright instead of supporting it,
you can use the term ``copyright restrictions.''
<P>
<H4>``<A HREF="words-to-avoid.html#TOCSellSoftware"
NAME="SellSoftware">Sell software</A>''</H4>
The term ``sell software'' is ambiguous. Strictly speaking,
exchanging a copy of a free program for a sum of money is ``selling'';
but people usually associate the term ``sell'' with proprietary
restrictions on the subsequent use of the software. You can be more
precise, and prevent confusion, by saying either ``distributing copies
of a program for a fee'' or ``imposing proprietary restrictions on the
use of a program,'' depending on what you mean.
<P>
See <A HREF="/philosophy/selling.html">Selling Free Software</A> for
more discussion of this issue.
<P>
<H4>``<A HREF="words-to-avoid.html#TOCTheft"
NAME="Theft">Theft</A>''</H4>
Copyright apologists often use words like ``stolen'' and ``theft'' to
describe copyright infringement. At the same time, they ask us to
treat the legal system as an authority on ethics: if copying is
forbidden, it must be wrong.
<P>
So it is pertinent to mention that the legal system--at least in the
US--rejects the idea that copyright infringement is ``theft''.
Copyright advocates who use terms like ``stolen'' are misrepresenting
the authority that they appeal to.
<P>
The idea that laws decide what is right or wrong is mistaken in
general. Laws are, at their best, an attempt to achieve justice; to
say that laws define justice or ethical conduct is turning things
upside down.
<P>
<HR>
Also note
<A HREF="/philosophy/categories.html">Categories of Free Software
(18k characters)</A>.
<HR>
<H4><A HREF="/philosophy/philosophy.html">Other Texts to Read</A></H4>
<HR>
Return to <A HREF="/home.html">GNU's home page</A>.
<P>
FSF & GNU inquiries & questions to
<A HREF="mailto:address@hidden";><EM>address@hidden</EM></A>.
Other <A HREF="/home.html#ContactInfo">ways to contact</A> the FSF.
<P>
Comments on these web pages to
<A HREF="mailto:address@hidden";><EM>address@hidden</EM></A>,
send other questions to
<A HREF="mailto:address@hidden";><EM>address@hidden</EM></A>.
<P>
Copyright (C) 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001 Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111, USA
<P>
Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article is
permitted in any medium, provided this notice is preserved.<P>
<P>
Updated:
<!-- hhmts start -->
$Date: 2002/01/14 13:27:18 $ $Author: fsl $
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