Free software means that the software’s users have freedom. (The issue is not about price.)
Specifically, free software means users have the four essential freedoms: (0) to run the program, (1) to study and change the program in source code form, (2) to redistribute exact copies, and (3) to distribute modified versions.
They can. They just have to compile it themselves (the code is available on GitHub) or find someone else to give them a compiled version (for example F-Droid which is linked from the readme on github).
Free software means that you are allowed to do a lot of stuff. It doesn’t mean you can expect to be handed everything on a silver platter. Correctly building and uploading mobile apps to an official app store is a lot of work (even more on iOS than on Android) and while I personally wouldn’t take money for it, I can completely understand when other developers do so to finance their work. Remember, open source developers also need to pay for food and housing.
You’re paying for the convenience of having it compiled and uploaded to the store. Nobody keeps you from compiling it for yourself. Or from getting it for free through F-Droid which is even linked from their github repository.
Note that it doesn’t say, “every living person.” It says, “the software’s users.”
The Free Software definition has never been about price, despite lots of free software also being free-as-in-beer. The confusing name is why phrases like “libre software” evolved.
https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html#selling
(https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/philosophy.html)
Sure, but doesn’t the 0th freedom clash with pricing? It makes it so that certain people, through no fault of their own, can’t run the program
They can. They just have to compile it themselves (the code is available on GitHub) or find someone else to give them a compiled version (for example F-Droid which is linked from the readme on github).
Free software means that you are allowed to do a lot of stuff. It doesn’t mean you can expect to be handed everything on a silver platter. Correctly building and uploading mobile apps to an official app store is a lot of work (even more on iOS than on Android) and while I personally wouldn’t take money for it, I can completely understand when other developers do so to finance their work. Remember, open source developers also need to pay for food and housing.
To quote @dfyx@lemmy.helios42.de
I suppose the license only counts after you aquired the program. Not before.
Note that it doesn’t say, “every living person.” It says, “the software’s users.”
The Free Software definition has never been about price, despite lots of free software also being free-as-in-beer. The confusing name is why phrases like “libre software” evolved.