Re: Debian and Commercial SW

[Stefan Probst <stefan.probst@opticom.v-nam.net>]

At 21:31 26.01.2003 +0000, Robert J. Chassell wrote:
-------------------------
>    http://www.debian.org/intro/why_debian
>
>    states:
>    <quote>
>    Incredible amounts of software
>    Debian comes with over 8710 different pieces of software. Every bit of it
>    is free. If you have commercial software that runs under Linux, you can
>    still use it - in fact, there may even be an installer in Debian that 
> will
>    automatically install and set up everything for you.
>    <unquote>
>
>    This sounds on first reading like Free Software is something different 
> from
>    "Commercial Software".
>
>    I am here in Vietnam constantly fighting against the false polarisation
>    "Free SW vs. Commercial SW" ....
>
>    Maybe the Debians should change their wording?
>
> Yes -- they should.  If you can misunderstand that `commercial' means
> the free as well as restricted software sold by companies such as IBM
> or HP, then others will misunderstand as well.  Please help them fix
> this bug!

For me, "commercial" means: Doing it directly or indirectly (marketing) for 
money. The opposite is doing something for own pleasure (fun) or out of 
altruistic reasons. Therefore I think, that Free Software can be very 
"commercial".

If my understanding of "commercial" is wrong, then pls. educate me.

Cheers,
Stefan