Dear all, This is only my second message to this list, after the self-presentation, written a little earlier today.
Much discussion on this list, as well as in the literature and in the academic world today discuss about Open Access, Open Source, Open Innovation, Open Data, Open Educational Resources, Open Curriculum ... OPEN something. And we have seen the different meanings that people can give to Open Access for example, leading to a further precision, Green Open Access versus Gold Open Access. Different people have different definitions about the single "open" word. Such discussion has taken place since a long time in the software communities that I know well. it started with "free software" in 1981 lead by Richard Stallman and Eben Moglen, and the words "open source" have been introduced in 1998 by Bruce Perens and Eric Raymond, purposedly to answer possible concerns by the "business world" about the ambiguity of the English "free", meaning gratis (zero cost) as well as libre (as in freedom). Richard Stallman, who claims that the ethical aspects are extremely important, and I would now support his views, is not pleased at all with the extension that the words "open source" have taken, replacing "free software" in many mouths and many circumstances. In the software communities, we have nearly seen fights and strong discussions about such topic, free versus open software. In many circles, the adjective "libre", well known and understood in Latin derived languages like Spanish and English, as emerged to stress the aspect linked to the freedom that one gains, much more than the practical and often economical benefits gained thanks to the freedom and the derived openness. I read that the word "libre" as been more and more accepted in English (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libre_(word) ), used to describe something as being "free" in the sense of "having freedom" or "liberty" and being distinguished fomr the free (as in "no cost") I would therefore propose that, as in knowledge and all related works and material, it is the freedom and the liberty that is the most important (and the derived costless access too, but as derived benefit) that we replace all the occurence of "open" by "libre" to consider "libre access", "libre educational resources", "libre data", "libre knowledge", "libre software" ... Such a simple word change could lead to larger semantic changes, and even though it could mean new references, and new usages, it could also stress some important facts in most readings I have about these topics, for example in the book "Open Access" by Peter Suber, that the true freedom that the user gains is the one most susceptible to provide larger benefits, and profit mankind. What do you think about such a proposal ? ( replace all the occurence of "open" by "libre" to consider "libre access", "libre educational resources", "libre data", "libre knowledge", "libre software" ...) I am looking forward to reading from you, Best regards, Nicolas -- Nicolas Pettiaux, dr sc [email protected]
<<attachment: nicolas.vcf>>
_______________________________________________ GOAL mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.ecs.soton.ac.uk/mailman/listinfo/goal
