The full phrase is, “Free as in speech, not as in beer.” It applies to software, especially 20+ years ago when FOSS software was coming into public view and people needed to understand what it was.
Some people would say “open source software,” but this struck others as a half-measure. The visibility of the source wasn’t the point, they would say. What matters is the freedom to do what you want with the software — https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.en.html
If someone says “this beer is free” it means you’re charged nothing for it. If someone says “this software is free” it means (in this context) that you have an inalienable right to use it as you please — like you have an inalienable right to speak freely.
When did they change this? I distinctly remember this previously being “free as in freedom, not as in beer.”
It’s always had to be further disambiguated by using “libre” and “gratis” — not sure “as in free speech” is better.
Update: welp, I must be misremembering. Wayback machine shows at least since 2010… so it’s either a reallly old framing or, I’m misremembering, completely!
Some people would say “open source software,” but this struck others as a half-measure. The visibility of the source wasn’t the point, they would say. What matters is the freedom to do what you want with the software — https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.en.html
If someone says “this beer is free” it means you’re charged nothing for it. If someone says “this software is free” it means (in this context) that you have an inalienable right to use it as you please — like you have an inalienable right to speak freely.