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>free work >leech Pick one.

• coldtea 7y ago
  Free just means "given away without demanding money". Demanding (or asking) and needing/appreciating are two different things. So "given away without demanding money" does not necessarily imply "and it's a decent behaviour to leverage that free source, make millions off of it, and never give anything back". It only implies that it's perfectly legal.
  • criley2 7y ago
    Free means "without cost or payment", so turning around and suggesting that someone who rightfully uses a software provided under a "without payment" model is actually "leeching" because they do not offer payment just cannot logically follow. Leeches take what is not theirs to take, that's the whole point. When you follow all the rules, you're not a leech, you're a user. If curl does not want users to have access to their software for free, then change the model. It's not even shareware or nagware or anything. It's just free. But to insult users who follow the rules is ridiculous.
    • dr_kiszonka 7y ago
      I agree with your points. Maybe a better word for a "leech" would be a "freeloader?" I agree that if projects such as curl wanted payments, they would use different licenses. However, to me at least, it feels wrong when successful companies, e.g., BAT FAANG, use free software without giving anything back.