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submitted 5 months ago by federino@programming.dev to c/piracy@lemmy.dbzer0.com

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[-] idegenszavak@sh.itjust.works 49 points 5 months ago

No, they are not free, they are gratis alternatives.

"Free software" is one term, and it's meaning was defined in 1986 by RMS. Non of these software existed that time.

The word "free" in our name does not refer to price; it refers to freedom. First, the freedom to copy a program and redistribute it to your neighbors, so that they can use it as well as you. Second,** the freedom to change a program, so that you can control it instead of it controlling you; for this, the source code must be made available to you.**

[+] Freeman -9 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

As a german speaking person: Shut up and stop using german translations of words as if it has a different meaning. It gives me Angst.

(Edit: explanation down in the comments, I am aware that "gratis" isn't exclusively german)

[-] Zagorath@aussie.zone 13 points 5 months ago

What German word was used there? Are you suggesting gratis is German? Maybe it is, but it's also English. And we didn't even borrow it from German. It's Latin.

[-] vsis@feddit.cl 5 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

As a spanish/romance speaking person: ahahahah LOL!

Where do you thing "gratis" and "libre" come from?

[-] idegenszavak@sh.itjust.works 1 points 5 months ago

Ich kann nicht sprachen deutch sehr gut. wdym, what is the original german meaning?

[-] krippix@feddit.org 2 points 5 months ago

gratis means free, but only in the sense that it dosen‘t cost money. So it seems like a valid use for the word.

Is there an english equivalent?

[-] idegenszavak@sh.itjust.works 9 points 5 months ago

Gratis and libre used usually to differenciate the terms: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gratis_versus_libre

Both of them are latin words so I expect they show up in similar forms in most European languages. Free is a Germanic origin word.

In Hungarian we use the word Gratis as well with Hungarian spelling: "Grátisz" even though Hungarian is not an Indo-European language. Libre is not used in common speech here.

I don't get what @Freeman@lemmings.world wanted to say

[-] Freeman 0 points 5 months ago

I find it very confusing when german words are used to mean something different that their english counterparts.

So in english: free ≠ gratis ≠ libre fear ≠ Angst car ≈ Auto (i heard it used for a car with a automatic transmission and also a few years ago as a term for a selfdriving car)

But also the other way around In Swiss-German: Bus ≠ Car (First one being a trolleybus in a city, second one a bus that takes a schoolclass on a trip.)

I am aware that words like "gratis" or "auto" are not exclusive to german, I guess that gave me the downvotes.