[OSGeo-Discuss] Is GmapGIS open source?

duncan at lithgow-schmidt.dk duncan at lithgow-schmidt.dk
Fri Mar 26 16:14:13 PDT 2021


Dan Little skrev den 2021-03-26 17:49:
> There is always cost to making software.
> 
> James is pointing out the meaning of “free” in this context. There
> is an implication the software is also free of cost to use for an end
> user.
> 
> On Fri, Mar 26, 2021 at 11:44 karsten <karsten at terragis.net> wrote:
> 
>> For me it means both though
>> 
>> -------------------------
>> From: James Klassen [mailto:klassen.js at gmail.com]
>> Sent: Friday, March 26, 2021 09:40
>> To: karsten
>> Cc: SERGIO ACOSTAYLARA; OSGeo Discussions
>> Subject: Re: [OSGeo-Discuss] Is GmapGIS open source?
>> 
>> I think there may be some confusion over the meaning of "free" in
>> FOSS.  "Free" in FOSS means free as in libre, referencing the "Four
>> Essential Freedoms", not free as in no cost.  It is actually a
>> stronger statement than "open".
>> 
>> See:
>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Free_Software_Definition
>> 
>> On Fri, Mar 26, 2021, 11:26 karsten <karsten at terragis.net> wrote:
>> 
>>> HI Sergio,
>>> 
>>> well it might not be open source but is 'free just as in the
>>> acronym FOSS = Free and Open Source Software  (as for example the
>>> OSGEO flagship conference FOSS4G), so while open is certainly more
>>> desirable 'only' free as I see it is also part of FOSS. That is
>>> just to say one potentially should not prevent someone presenting
>>> on that software based only because it is free but not open source
>>> - at least I think so because it could still be useful for users
>>> out there
>>> 
>>> Just my 2 cents
>>> 
>>> Cheers
>>> Karsten
>>> 
>>> -------------------------
>>> From: SERGIO ACOSTAYLARA [mailto:sergio.acostaylara at mtop.gub.uy]
>>> Sent: Friday, March 26, 2021 05:04
>>> To: karsten; discuss at lists.osgeo.org
>>> Subject: RE: [OSGeo-Discuss] Is GmapGIS open source?
>>> 
>>> Thank you Karsten. The question was because we are receiving
>>> proposals for a congress that we are organizing and we ask -if
>>> possible- to use open source software.
>>> 
>>> Best,
>>> 
>>> Sergio Acosta y Lara
>>> Departamento de Geomática
>>> Dirección Nacional de Topografía
>>> Ministerio de Transporte y Obras Públicas
>>> URUGUAY
>>> (598)29157933 ints. 20329/20330
>>> http://geoportal.mtop.gub.uy/
>>> 
>>> -------------------------
>>> 
>>> De: karsten <karsten at terragis.net>
>>> Enviado: jueves, 25 de marzo de 2021 17:12
>>> Para: SERGIO ACOSTAYLARA; discuss at lists.osgeo.org
>>> Asunto: RE: [OSGeo-Discuss] Is GmapGIS open source?
>>> 
>>> Hi Sergio,
>>> 
>>> while it appears to be free to me it see,s not to be open source
>>> because in that case one would be be to find the source code (and
>>> I could not).
>>> Also note that this tool might be kind of outdated (seems to use
>>> an old version of extjs as a JS library as user GUI) so be ware
>>> that it might be a bit outdated.
>>> 
>>> Cheers
>>> Karsten
>>> 
>>> -------------------------
>>> From: Discuss [mailto:discuss-bounces at lists.osgeo.org] On Behalf
>>> Of SERGIO ACOSTAYLARA
>>> Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2021 13:04
>>> To: discuss at lists.osgeo.org
>>> Subject: [OSGeo-Discuss] Is GmapGIS open source?
>>> 
>>> ​Sorry for my ignorance but I couldn't find out if this tool is
>>> open source. Thanks for your help.
>>> 
>>> Sergio Acosta y Lara
>>> Departamento de Geomática
>>> Dirección Nacional de Topografía
>>> Ministerio de Transporte y Obras Públicas
>>> URUGUAY
>>> (598)29157933 ints. 20329/20330
>>> http://geoportal.mtop.gub.uy/
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Discuss mailing list
>>> Discuss at lists.osgeo.org
>>> https://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
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There is a simple solution to this never ending discussion. We can stop 
calling it free software. Call it libre software & opensource software. 
Discussing with people endlessly about different meanings for the word 
"free" is hopeless. When avergae people think of software they think of 
buying it or not buying it. So it's very natural that they get confused 
when we say that free software is not Free Software! RMS knows it FSF 
know it. What's the name of the FSF conference? LibrePlanet! Libre and 
gratis are just some words we're missing in english and we need them.

Sorry, I needed to get that out of my system.

/ duncan


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