Re: Please don't refer to Emacs as "open source"

[Antoine Levitt <antoine.levitt@gmail.com>]

13/06/11 21:59, Richard Stallman
> Emacs is not intended to be open source, but rather free/libre
> software.  We have developed it for freedom's sake, and we want people
> to know this.  Referring to Emacs as "open source" tends to cover up
> our ethical values up behind a different view that only cites
> practical values.

Emacs has come a long way since the heyday of the GNU project. I expect
(but I might be wrong) that for many people involved in emacs nowadays,
the only thing left of this GNU commitment in emacs you take for granted
is annoying splash screens and papers to sign.

> See http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html
> for more explanation of the difference between free software and open
> source.
>
> If you would like our participation in this study, please agree to
> give the free software movement equal mention in the study's report.

They don't want GNU's "official" participation in the survey, they just
want the largest number of open source developpers to participate. Their
study is about how open source devs work together as teams in
distributed environments. Emacs is open source (aside from being "part
of the GNU project"), therefore it makes sense to ask emacs devs for
their input on this. Philosophy has nothing to do with it.