It bothers me that so many people use the phrase as “information wants to be gratis”, not “information wants to be libre”. The latter is obvious to me, but I’ve neven been given a proper explanation for the former, and I don’t actually know which meaning came first (given conflicting references).
It depends on if you’re referring to cost or restriction. If you’re saying that information should cost nothing, use “gratis”. If you’re saying that information should be offered without any restrictions, use “libre”.
A good way of remembering the difference is by thinking of the words “gratuity” and “liberty”. The one offers money for free, and the other offers lack of restriction for free.
Libraries, therefore, offer information gratis, but not libre, as they don’t charge money unless you break their restrictions.
The original quote was referring to the gratis form.
“On the one hand information wants to be expensive, because it’s so valuable. The right information in the right place just changes your life. On the other hand, information wants to be free, because the cost of getting it out is getting lower and lower all the time. So you have these two fighting against each other.”
– Stewart Brand, “Whole Earth Review”, May 1985, p. 49.
Most people take the one phrase out of context, thus completely missing the point.
Dear Sweetheart,
Information wants to be free.
Love, a life-long library patron.
It bothers me that so many people use the phrase as “information wants to be gratis”, not “information wants to be libre”. The latter is obvious to me, but I’ve neven been given a proper explanation for the former, and I don’t actually know which meaning came first (given conflicting references).
It depends on if you’re referring to cost or restriction. If you’re saying that information should cost nothing, use “gratis”. If you’re saying that information should be offered without any restrictions, use “libre”.
A good way of remembering the difference is by thinking of the words “gratuity” and “liberty”. The one offers money for free, and the other offers lack of restriction for free.
Libraries, therefore, offer information gratis, but not libre, as they don’t charge money unless you break their restrictions.
The original quote was referring to the gratis form.
“On the one hand information wants to be expensive, because it’s so valuable. The right information in the right place just changes your life. On the other hand, information wants to be free, because the cost of getting it out is getting lower and lower all the time. So you have these two fighting against each other.”
– Stewart Brand, “Whole Earth Review”, May 1985, p. 49.
Most people take the one phrase out of context, thus completely missing the point.
That’s what I was asking, Leithani! Thanks!