Public build host (proposal)

Stroller stroller at stellar.eclipse.co.uk
Thu Jul 24 13:18:46 CEST 2008


On 24 Jul 2008, at 06:22, Kalle Happonen wrote:
> John Mark Walker wrote:
>> On Wed, Jul 23, 2008 at 2:25 PM, Yorick Moko  
>> <yorickmoko at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> by "gratis" he means "without cost"
>>
>> Oops... :)  Yes, I mean "free as in beer."
>
> Not to be a nitpick, but I think the official quote is "free as in  
> free
> beer" which makes much more sense :).

I have never seen the phrase used this way, only "free as in  
beer" (vs "free as in speech").

I think historically beer was given out on polling day, when  
candidates wished to influence the electorate. They would host a big  
party and drunk electors would go to the polling booths thinking  
"that guy would make a great politician because he gave me free  
beer". Thus the beer is not "really free".

> In general I have a way too hard time to find free beer.

Exactly! If someone gives you free beer then they probably want  
something in return! Likewise "there's no such thing as a free  
lunch", even if the salesman is buying.

Stroller.






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