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Freetards

Have you ever used the word "freetard" to refer to a Linux user?

  • Total voters
    80
ArtOfWarfare

ArtOfWarfare

macrumors G3
Original poster
Nov 26, 2007
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So, does anyone else use the word "freetards" to refer to Linux users?

I may not read FSJ often (actually I've only ever read it once or twice,) but I really love the phrase he made popular... "Linux Freetards".
 
Having been somewhat immersed for the first time in the Linux culture, for the past ~six months since Nov 07, when I got my Eee, I have to say I've honestly never heard the term before.

I kind of like it. :eek: On another forum I frequent another word that ends in tard and whose beginning rhymes with duck was a term of endearment. :)
 
ArtOfWarfare said:
but I really love the phrase he made popular... "Linux Freetards".
Click to expand...

what is it that you love so much about it?

linux is clearly a viable operating system
those that use it are usually a relatively high level of user

is it disparaging the "free" part that you love?
that would apply to all open source technology then
does technology have to be expensive to be cool?

is it disparaging the users by implying "retard"?
why would you consider them such?
on the whole they may be 'geeky' i suppose, but hardly retards

just curious why you love the phrase

Woof, Woof - Dawg
pawprint.gif
 
A little more internet info on it.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2008

Patrick's Right: I'm a Freetard

Last night the OLPCLCDC met. While we were sitting there, the guys next to me said OSX is neutral because it's a UNIX so it can't be considered as bad as Windows, but it's still not as good as Linux. I said, "it's still proprietary." The guy in front of me turned around and said, "keep the faith."

If you don't get the "freetard" thing, that's what Fake Steve Jobs calls those of us who are really into Free Software and reject the proprietary stuff. My friend Patrick reads it a lot and is a Mac-lover, so he calls me a "freetard" when I say things like "I like the GIMP better than Photoshop."
Click to expand...

Link to source - http://ubuntulinuxtipstricks.blogspot.com/2008/02/patricks-right-im-freetard.html
 
iJohnHenry said:
Never heard of it before, but sounds not unlike sour grapes.
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Usually the Fake Steve Jobs character is a satire of the corporate rebel.... it's a way for a Forbes writer to express that kind of humor outside the narrower editorial confines of Forbes itself. But I don't read FSJ very regularly at all, and I hadn't seen it there, and if it's being used elsewhere, it's news to me. The kind of people who call Linux users names are mostly not the kind of people who read FSJ....
 
Freetards == (usually) Linux users who never use software that must be paid for, regardless of how much more useful or efficient it may be compared to the free alternative
 
I just started using ubuntu a linux based operating system. The fact that I could put it on an old laptop for my kids. No viruses, fun to use, and I didnt have to buy another Apple to get that. I love my apple but I didnt have the money for another one and I didnt want another windows machine. If some one calls me a freetard I would have have another name for them.
 
Um, looking at the retail box for Leopard Family on my shelf, I wonder if that makes me a paytard?

Wait, no I got a better one. Leoptard.

And the fact I waited four months to install is a sign of my leoptardiness?

Once I was a BeOStard (sorry if that's a bad word, or a cusstard, if you will).
 
I thought, "Finally a poll about the people posting their freecrap.com refer number here."
 
I have never heard of it, and don't look down on Linux users just because they're a lower life form obsessed with free softwares and perverted command-line junk, so I'd never stoop myself to calling someone a name like that :D
 
iJohnHenry said:
Freetard = corporate crying.

Never heard of it before, but sounds not unlike sour grapes.
Click to expand...

LOL, I must agree.

So then. Freetard? I suppose it's a coincidence that it phonetically sounds like retard. Because I'd be asking what's retarded about it. Surely hunting out good applications is better than mindlessly paying for rubbish ones simply because they're advertised.
 
I would automatically think less of a person, if they were to use that term. Belittling the disabled, way to joke around.
 
raggedjimmi said:
LOL, I must agree.

So then. Freetard? I suppose it's a coincidence that it phonetically sounds like retard. Because I'd be asking what's retarded about it. Surely hunting out good applications is better than mindlessly paying for rubbish ones simply because they're advertised.
Click to expand...

So M$ users are Paytards? :D
 
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