Re^2: Perl and open source

[apotheon]

Actually, you make a very good point. The "free beer" result of open source licenses is simply a side-effect of the "free speech" aspect. Redistribution is allowed with open source, though there is no restriction on what sort of fees one might ask to distribute it. The fact that those to whom you distribute it have the right to modify and/or redistribute as they see fit ensures that somewhere down the road someone is going to distribute it for free, if it is worth redistributing. As a result, "free as in speech" becomes "free as in beer".