Re: On the multiple definitions of "free"

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Article #72176

#72176

From: Jesse Perry
Date: Tue, 03 Mar 1992 14:53

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>>>>> On 28 Feb 92 14:16:05 GMT, mathew@mantis.co.uk (From A to B) said:
mathew> I am saying that allowing someone to do something is not the
mathew> same as assisting the person in doing it.

abraham@iesd.auc.dk (Per Abrahamsen) replied:
>I think your use of the word "assisting" is at least as interesting
>as the FSF use of the word "free".

"Assist" is active; "allow" is passive.  There is a difference.

If I'm at the grocery store, and I see an old lady struggling
to carry out a heavy bag, I'm hardly "assisting" her by, say,
refraining from knocking her over -- I'm then merely "allowing"
her to carry it.  I would be "assisting" her, if I offered to
carry the bag for her.

(And didn't you just say you didn't want to participate in
the "truly boring word definition wars?" ;-)


Jesse Perry   jesse@franklin.com   uunet!frnkmth!jesse

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References: <H.F1QRS7FM7Ms@jonh.wimsey.bc.ca> <iTyugB15w164w@mantis.co.uk> <ABRAHAM.92Feb28225219@thor.iesd.auc.dk>

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From: jesse@franklin.com (Jesse Perry)
Subject: Re: On the multiple definitions of "free"
Message-ID: <1992Mar3.145328.13317@franklin.com>
Organization: Franklin Electronic Publishers, Inc.
References: <H.F1QRS7FM7Ms@jonh.wimsey.bc.ca> <iTyugB15w164w@mantis.co.uk> <ABRAHAM.92Feb28225219@thor.iesd.auc.dk>
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Date: Tue, 3 Mar 92 14:53:28 GMT

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