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Is Free Software the same thing as freeware?

April 26, 2017Free freeware Software thing

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Is Free Software the same thing as freeware?

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10 Posted

No – Free Software and “freeware” are completely different concepts. While the “Free” in Free Software stands for freedom, “freeware” refers only to the fact that a particular software is distributed free of cost. While most Free Software is distributed free of cost, not all software distributed free of cost (ie. freeware) is Free Software. When we talk about Free Software, the cost of the software is not the issue. What is important is the fact that users of the software get the freedoms defined in the Free Software Definition. Many times software vendors who develop and distribute proprietary software use the term free software or open source software incorrectly to even refer to proprietary software distributed free of charge (freeware). The best test of whether a software is Free or not are its distribution terms and the sort of freedom it provides. If the software can not deliver the freedoms described in the Free Software Definition, then it is definitely not Free Software.