Free_as_in_beer Free_as_in_beer

Free as in beer - Definition and Overview
Related Words: Above, Accessible, Acquit, Adrift, Amnesty, Autonomous, Bald, Bare

The expression free as in beer refers to things which are available at no monetary cost (like free beer at a party). It can be contrasted with the expressions free as in speech or free as in freedom, which refer to something which is free of restrictions, as in the freedom of speech.

Since the advent of the free software movement, these terms have entered frequent use for categorising computer programs according to the licenses and legal fetters that cover them. The expression Free as in Freedom is also the title of a 2002 biography of Richard Stallman, founder of the Free Software Foundation.

In most other languages, there are two different words for these two meanings. For example, gratis (no cost) and libre (free of restrictions) in certain Romance languages.

To some people (outside the particular context of software), "free beer" can imply free riding, or freeloading - taking advantage of something that is not paid for.

See also

Example Usage of Free
ousooner44: RT @twtfm: Download 3 Free MP3s from Amazon MP3 for a limited time http://bit.ly/FreeMP3s and Please Retweet
Amanojahku: This Fri!~iNNERvISIONISTS-DUBASAURUS-Phillip Morris. Free! @ Murphy's Pub(7414 Madison St. Forest Park, IL) PLS RT
topsurf: RT @LVMall Lehigh Valley Mall is keeping early bird shoppers fueled w/ Free COFFEE on Black Friday from5-6am! Pick up coupon on your way in!
Copyright 2009 WordIQ.com - Privacy Policy  :: Terms of Use  :: Contact Us  :: About Us
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the this Wikipedia article.