Free software is not just about potential freedom, it's about making sure that the software indeed stays free. Freedom is not quantitative, although we do speak

Free software is not just about potential freedom, it's about making sure that the software indeed stays free. Freedom is not quantitative, although we do speak in terms like more freedom and less freedom. In case of public domain, people are free to do whatever with the thing, including restricting its freedom. With free software, there are rules that prohibit restricting freedom. People who don't like rules can argue that this is less freedom, but history shows that a lack of rules only enable local warlords who then create their own rules, so, freedom with humans is something that needs to be granted somehow. And in case of software, it looks like the free software licenses are doing well.