🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <63899@netnews.upenn.edu> yee@mipgsun.mipg.upenn.edu (Conway Yee) writes:
>"Once GNU is written, everyone will be able to obtain good system
>software free, just like air.
...
>Thus, it appears as if Richard Stallman originally meant for 
>"free" to mean BOTH definitions of "free".  Has the GNU 
>definition of "free" been retconned?  Comments anyone?

I think he assumed that once a restriction-free Unix system became
available, cost-free availability would naturally result.  For instance,
the FSF has always made their software available for anonymous FTP, and we
can assume this will be true for GNU.  While it's permissible to charge
money for distribution of copylefted software, it's also permissible for
someone who has already received it to give it away, so cost-free
distribution channels naturally result.  Copylefted software generally
finds its way onto public FTP archives, CD-ROMs, BBSes, etc.
-- 
Barry Margolin, Thinking Machines Corp.

barmar@think.com
{uunet,harvard}!think!barmar