←back to thread

Let me pay for Firefox

(discourse.mozilla.org)
802 points csmantle | 1 comments | 13 Jul 25 08:38 UTC | HN request time: 0.21s | source
Show context
jurgenaut23 ◴[13 Jul 25 09:41 UTC] No.44548891[source]▶
I think it’s fascinating how languages shape our society. In this case, the ambiguity between free as in “at no cost” and free as in “freedom” is probably hurting the FOSS landscape. In French, there are two very distinct terms for this: “gratuit” vs “libre”. And it doesn’t sound as an oxymoron to pay for a “logiciel libre”.
replies(8): >>44548921 #>>44548988 #>>44549024 #>>44549026 #>>44549249 #>>44549374 #>>44551324 #>>44569021 #
crabmusket ◴[13 Jul 25 11:00 UTC] No.44549374[source]▶
I have seen OS projects use the word "libre" in English before to distinguish between "free as in beer" and "free as in speech" uses of the word. But I can't remember which projects I've seen using that.
replies(2): >>44549397 #>>44549431 #
contrarian1234 ◴[13 Jul 25 11:12 UTC] No.44549431[source]▶
The intention was great, but I find the word awkward. Leebraayyy

It looks/sounds foreign and feels a bit pretentious to use in conversation

.. or I feel like some gringo speaking broken Spanish

replies(4): >>44549468 #>>44549547 #>>44549704 #>>44553342 #
latexr ◴[13 Jul 25 11:23 UTC] No.44549468[source]▶
> It looks/sounds foreign and feels a bit pretentious to use in conversation

“Entrepreneur” is worse on both counts, yet I don’t see those complaints about it. Must be because it’s associated with money.

replies(1): >>44549638 #
contrarian1234 ◴[13 Jul 25 11:50 UTC] No.44549638[source]▶
Sure sure, and Omelette, but once the word hits everyday usage it starts to feel different. There is a awkwardness hump to get through - and libre has a large one. So I feel it'll never catch on unfortunately
replies(1): >>44549989 #
1. pbhjpbhj ◴[13 Jul 25 12:39 UTC] No.44549989[source]▶
It already caught on once. It's already in the dictionary (though OED suggests it is obsolete). Though English was probably much closer to the Norman/French influence then. It may be the Tudor influence on unifying England under a common language was what killed the historic use of libre.