'Free Software'

An interesting confusion abounds in much of the general population's conception about the word free in 'free software'. It has even been a misunderstanding of mine. The word free has little to no connection to price or cost but it has more to do with the freedom of use and distribution. Those concerned and connected with this movement have little or not objection to software engineers making their living selling software. And while there is a strong philosophic deference between these two connotations of the word 'free', the economic reality of 'free software' generates and will maintain this confusion. 'Free software' will always cost nothing to the end user and therefore will be perceived as being free. So, it seems ironic then to me that a man so concerned with the strict use of terminology, as Richard Stallman, would demand use of words that will forever distract people from his philosophic ideals.