from
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)
free software
FOSS
free open-source software
<software> Software that everyone is free to copy,
redistribute and modify. That implies free software must be
available as {source code}, hence "free open source software"
- "FOSS". It is usually also free of charge, though anyone
can sell free software so long as they don't impose any new
restrictions on its redistribution or use. The widespread
acceptance of this definition and free software itself owes a
great deal to {Richard Stallman} and the {Free Software
Foundation}.
There are many other kinds of "free software" in the sense of
"free of charge". See "{-ware}".
{This dictionary} is free in both senses, though since it is
documentation not {software} it is distributed under the
{GFDL}.
(2007-02-09)