[OT] What is "open"? [was: Re: [plug] [link] Open Source win in Mass. US]

[Leon Brooks]

On Tue, 21 Oct 2003 12:02, James Devenish wrote:
> Commercial vendors have
> "opened" up their source in the past, but that didn't make it "free".
> Past versions of Apple's source licence were not OSI approved and, I
> thought, did not conform to the definition that you have cited. Yet,
> arbitrary Internet users could view the code (though probably not
> distribute it -- I can't remember).

That's "visible" but not "open". It's only "open" if you have enough 
pieces to make a new one of your own, can change it, and can distribute 
your changed version without fear of patent, contract or similar 
arbitrary restrictions.

Cheers; Leon

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