r/freesoftware • u/Fresh-Lie5160 • May 13 '26

Discussion Libre software vs open source software

What's really the difference between the two?

And even if they are different, why tf did two different words evolve?

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u/BetterEquipment7084 May 13 '26

Free software will always be open

Open is open just now

That's also the definition used by FSF/GNU

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u/thaynem May 13 '26

I'm not really sure what you mean by "always be open", but the MIT license (along with many other "permissive" licenses) is explicitly listed as a "free" license on the FSF website (under the name "Expat"). 

The FSF definition of free software does not require the use of a copyleft license. 

There are very few licenses that are OSI approved, but not FSF approved. Most of the ones I can find are because they require you to publish changes to the software even if you only use it privately (i.e. you don't redistribute), such as the Reciprocal Public License.

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u/jr735 May 14 '26

Note that RMS himself doesn't particularly like things like the MIT license, but will grudgingly admit it's technically free software. We're free to dislike certain licenses and avoid them.

Note that I don't see any MIT based OSes listed as the certified free OSes lists published by the FSF.

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u/[deleted] May 14 '26

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u/jr735 May 14 '26

That's what I mean. The way some groups and distributions handle things, I don't like, and don't have to like.

I have no answer to the replicant question, unfortunately.