PressRelease (was: [GRASS5] grass && open source)

[Russell Nelson]

Bernhard Reiter writes:
 > Yes, I've updated the press release to reflect the Free Software
 > status of GRASS better as it was originally. 
 > The OSI trademark is pretty new and time will tell if the abuse 
 > of the term "Open Source" can be successfuly stopped this way. 
 > As long as this has not been shown I prefer the term "Free Software"
 > which has been in successful use for over ten years.

Microsoft loves it when you use an ambiguous term like free software.
You see, Microsoft also distributes free software, like Internet
Explorer.  That's why we have a certification trademark.  Microsoft
*can't* abuse it -- not without opening themselves up for a nasty (and 
profitable for our lawyer) lawsuit.

NOT using the OSI Certified(tm) trademark is giving in to the forces
that want to own everything.  Yes, I understand that it is new, and
unproven.  "Free software" is *proven* to be subject to abuse.  The
FSF has no certification mark, and no (apparent) plans for one.  As a
consequence, free software will mean whatever the user wants it to
mean.  And that's a bad situation and needs correction.  I contributed
to correcting it, and now you're taken that way.  Thanks, buddy -- let 
me know next time you want a favor and I'll be sure to do something
else.

By the way, it's "OSI Certified(tm)", not "OSI Certified".  Sorry, my
bad.

-- 
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