Translation guide
Software that respects users' freedom and community, often translated into Japanese using the loanword 自由ソフトウェア or the English term リブレソフトウェア.
The user wants to refer to software that gives users the freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change and improve it.
The standard Japanese translation used by the Free Software Foundation and in technical contexts. Literally 'freedom software'.
自由ソフトウェアは利用者の自由を尊重します。
Libre software respects users' freedom.
A direct loan from English/Spanish 'libre', used to avoid the ambiguity of 'free'. Common in activist and technical circles.
The user may be referring to software with source code available, but not necessarily emphasizing the ethical aspect of freedom.
The standard term for open source software, focusing on practical benefits rather than freedom.
このプロジェクトはオープンソースソフトウェアとして公開されています。
This project is released as open source software.
自由ソフトウェア emphasizes the ethical aspect of user freedom, while オープンソースソフトウェア focuses on the practical advantages of open development. In many contexts they refer to the same software, but the philosophical difference is important in activist or technical discussions.
The English word 'free' is ambiguous. In Japanese, フリーソフトウェア often means freeware (無料). To clearly express the concept of libre software, use 自由ソフトウェア or リブレソフトウェア.
リブレソフトウェアの理念に共感しています。
I sympathize with the philosophy of libre software.
Literally 'free software', but often misunderstood as 'freeware' (無料ソフトウェア). Use with caution and clarify the meaning of freedom.
May be confused with freeware (無料ソフトウェア). If used, explicitly state that it refers to freedom, not price.
フリーソフトウェアとは、無料ではなく自由を意味します。
Free software means freedom, not free of charge.