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There is a definition by OSI who invented the term as a commercial-sounding touch to free software as defined by the FSF. OSI also certifies licenses as complia
by corty 6y ago
There is a definition by OSI who invented the term as a commercial-sounding touch to free software as defined by the FSF. OSI also certifies licenses as compliant with the definition. They also invented the term and the definition.
So I wholly disagree on the vagueness and nonexistence of a definition. There are some minor points where people sometimes argue bitterly, e.g. in the differences between DFSG free and OSS. But overall, there is a consensus that has been established decades ago. Just some players nowadays want to muddy the waters with some lies about there being doubt for their own purposes. Which is what the article is writing about.
- kube-system 6y agoThe term "open source" is used every day to refer to software that is not released under an OSI approved license. I'd bet that 99%+ of the people who use the phrase have never even been to OSI's website. The existence of OSI's definition doesn't mean that colloquial use follows that definition.
- corty 6y agoYou are moving goalposts. There may be people who misuse the term. But that doesn't mean it isn't well-defined or agreed-upon by a majority.
- kube-system 6y agoI'm not moving the goalposts. If a sizable number of people use the term a different way, that makes the term vague. You will find people arguing about the definition on every corner of the internet, and in many professional environments too. It is mind-numbingly common for people to call source-available software "open source"... dictionaries even recognize this usage: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/open-source https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/open-source
- zvr 6y agoThere are many, many people who misuse terms every day. For an example similar to "Open Source", people misuse "Public Domain". It's not that the legal community is going to change the actual definition to accommodate colloquial use...