Published at LXer:

To begin with, one myth that has to be exposed is that a division exists between open-source and commercial software. This isn’t true because some open software can be sold on a commercial basis, and services connected to open software can be sold as well. In this context, “free” doesn’t necessarily mean that open software is free of charge, but rather that it supports creative freedom. So it’s much better to categorize software as open and proprietary, rather than free-of-charge and commercial. The biggest difference is in fact, that open software can be “freely” distributed and modified, while proprietary software is under strict control of its author.

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