What is involved in an "Open Standard" truly being so?

[Monty J. Harder]

On Nov 15, 2007 8:41 AM, Luke -Jr <luke at dashjr.org> wrote:

> Your quote is using a flawed/incorrect definition of "free": it is not,
> according to some dictionaries (and all, some years ago) a shortcut for
> "free
> of charge" or (in this case) "free from reimbursement".


Part of why people felt the need to come up with the "Open Source" name is
the wide variety of definitions of "free".  Let's look at just the adjective
definitions at http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/free
We have Speech (Libre), Beer (Gratis), and a bunch of other ideas here:

1 a*:* having the legal and political rights of a citizen b*:* enjoying
> civil and political liberty <*free* citizens> c*:* enjoying political
> independence or freedom from outside domination d*:* enjoying personal
> freedom *:* not subject to the control or domination of another
> 2 a*:* not determined by anything beyond its own nature or being *:* choosing
> or capable of choosing for itself b*:* determined by the choice of the
> actor or performer <*free* actions> c*:* made, done, or given voluntarily
> or spontaneously
> 3 a*:* relieved from or lacking something and especially something
> unpleasant or burdensome <*free* from pain> <a speech *free* of political
> rhetoric> —often used in combination <error*-free*> b*:* not bound,
> confined, or detained by force
> 4 a*:* having no trade restrictions b*:* not subject to government
> regulation c*of foreign exchange* *:* not subject to restriction or
> official control
> 5 a*:* having no obligations (as to work) or commitments <I'll be *free*this evening>
> b*:* not taken up with commitments or obligations <a *free* evening>
> 6*:* having a scope not restricted by qualification <a *free* variable>
> 7 a*:* not obstructed, restricted, or impeded <*free* to leave> b*:* not
> being used or occupied <waved with his *free* hand> c*:* not hampered or
> restricted in its normal operation
> 8 a*:* not fastened <the *free* end of the rope> b*:* not confined to a
> particular position or place <in twelve-tone music, no note is wholly *
> free* for it must hold its place in the series — J. L. Stewart> c*:* capable
> of moving or turning in any direction <a *free* particle> d*:* performed
> without apparatus <*free* tumbling> e*:* done with artificial aids (as
> pitons) used only for protection against falling and not for support <a *
> free* climb>
> 9 a*:* not parsimonious <*free* spending> b*:* outspoken<http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/outspoken>
> c*:* availing oneself of something without stint d*:* frank<http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/frank>,
> open <http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/open> e*:* overly familiar or forward
> in action or attitude f*:* licentious<http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/licentious>
> 10*:* not costing or charging anything
> 11 a (1)*:* not united with, attached to, combined with, or mixed with
> something else *:* separate <http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/separate> <*
> free* ores> <a *free* surface of a bodily part> (2)*:* freestanding<http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/freestanding> <a
> *free* column> b*:* chemically uncombined <*free* oxygen> <*free* acids> c
> *:* not permanently attached but able to move about <a *free* electron in
> a metal> d*:* capable of being used alone as a meaningful linguistic form <the
> word *hats* is a *free* form> — compare {h,5}bound
> <http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/%7Bh,5%7Dbound> 7
> 12 a*:* not literal or exact <*free* translation> b*:* not restricted by
> or conforming to conventional forms <*free* skating>
> 13*:* favorable <http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/favorable> —used of a wind
> blowing from a direction more than six points from dead ahead
> 14*:* not allowing slavery
> 15*:* open to all comers
>
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