Re: Is this what's holding back Linux and OSS in general?
 

'free as in beer' vs. 'free as in (speech, freedom) simply means to show the difference in the meaning of 'free':

When someone says 'free beer' you know they mean you don't have to pay for the beer. (which doesn't happen often, but still, the meaning of 'free' in this case is very clear: free = gratis).

When someone says 'free speech' you know it's not about price, but about freedom.

Thus 'free as in beer' vs. 'free as in freedom'. GNU and RMS mean the latter when they speak of 'free software'.

Re: Is this what's holding back Linux and OSS in general?
 

And after you said that, I heard it used in an interview on the television the same day, so it is in use here in English english.

hmmm... mind wanders off...

Free-gratis makes more sense to me, as it means something, rather than free as in beer, which always confused me when people said it.

Maybe I should go for more abstract terms to join in, 'Free as in turquouse'..

Re: Is this what's holding back Linux and OSS in general?
 

Yes, but those of us who proudly refuse to speak Latin without good reason would then have to point out that you spelled gratings wrong, and that free gratings are as rare as free beer.

Free as in turquoise I guess would be alright, except the French would be continually looking up how free the Turkish Government was. But who cares about the French anyway.

That, or we could roll with what everyone uses; we could even call it an idiom... But if you insist on a custom term, might I recommend "free as in ale"?

Re: Is this what's holding back Linux and OSS in general?
 

...or, "free as in mead" for the throwbacks...

Re: Is this what's holding back Linux and OSS in general?
 

Free gratings are allmost certainly more common than free beer.

As you say, you can roll with what everyone else uses, it doesn't trouble me much as I haven't had a need to say it up to this point, apart from this thread, and I doubt it is going to be something I have to say again!

So in aswer to the thread starter, what is holding OSS back is their stupid expressions! :D

Re: Is this what's holding back Linux and OSS in general?
 

Yeah, they should call it "Free as in great tits!"...

And OSS has no such expressions; what's holding back OSS is RMS and the FSF, and what's holding them back is their stupid expressions.

If I ever start a software movement, my slogan is gonna be "free as in NOS"...

Re: Is this what's holding back Linux and OSS in general?
 

I like your expression. As someone who likes birds, I am always happy to stare at tits, which ever variety, great, blue etc.
Also yes, I meant the FSF (not sure what you meant with RMS, I assume you don't mean a 45 degree average of rectified power from peak to peak?)

Re: Is this what's holding back Linux and OSS in general?
 

Richard M. Stallman. One must have three initials to become a leader in the free software movement.

Re: Is this what's holding back Linux and OSS in general?
 

Oh yes, him. Fully agree then.

Re: Is this what's holding back Linux and OSS in general?
 

excellent, then I qualify! Keep an eye out for BSD Linux... uh, er.. waitaminnit...