Linked by Thom Holwerda on Thu 26th Jul 2007 20:31 UTC, submitted by poundsmack
"In his keynote at OSCON, Microsoft General Manager of Platform Strategy Bill Hilf announced that Microsoft is submitting its shared source licenses to the Open Source Initiative. This is a huge, long-awaited move. It will be earthshaking for both Microsoft and for the open source community if the licenses are in fact certified as open source licenses. Microsoft has been releasing a lot of software as shared source (nearly 650 projects, according to Bill). If this is suddenly certified as true open source software, it will be a lot harder to draw a bright line between Microsoft and the open source community." In addition, Microsoft has launched a new website where it details its relationship with open source.
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Member since:
2005-10-02
Again. Open != Accessible.
You are making the mistake you are warning against. You yourself are redefining the words at your own leisure. And of course people can define words as they please. That's why we have vocabularies and endless lists to define the meaning of words - not to mention kilometre long contracts written in legalese.
What does "open source" mean? You claim it only means accessible (possibly legally accessible?) whereas I count in factors as use right, modification rights and redistribution rights. The literal meaning of Open is not Access - and the literal meaning of "open source" is not "accessible". Accessibility is surely a part of it, but claiming that Open only means Accessible is illogical and flawed. If my Home is Open for you it means you are free to use it as your own at any given time - but then of course, my home isn't that open for you.
The mere fact that people can understand words differently is all the proof we need for the use of OSI - and therefore also OSI-approved licenses.