It seems that Margaret Rouse does not know much about the operating systems and kernels, so is using wrong terminology IMHO:
Margaret Rouse:
[Margaret Rouse - TechTarget, WhatIs.com](https://www.techtarget.com/contributor/Margaret-Rouse)
https://searchdatacenter.techtarget.com … ing-system
A person that does not know what is GNU and free software shall not be given place on this forum, and shall be reminded. I will remind her, and I suggest you do to.
She does not even know the concept of libre in definition of free, even she is English speaking.
From:
https://whatis.techtarget.com/definitio … -system-OS
She is writing:
"Linux is a Unix-like operating system that was designed to provide personal computer users a free or very low-cost alternative. Linux has a reputation as a very efficient and fast-performing system. "
First it is not operating system, it is kernel, which does nothing for the user without the operating system, which is GNU or GNU is Not Unix as on http://www.gnu.org -- finally Linus also decided to liberate the Linux kernel as software after seeing Mr. Stallman in Finland in his university giving a speech. And Hyperbola GNU/Linux-libre have adopted the Linux-libre kernel in its fully free GNU operating system distribution.
Second, it is not free as in "low cost" but free in the terms of being libre and not gratis, and Margaret sadly does not know the difference, even though free software is nicely explained on http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html
The four essential freedoms
A program is free software if the program's users have the four essential freedoms: [1]
The freedom to run the program as you wish, for any purpose (freedom 0).
The freedom to study how the program works, and change it so it does your computing as you wish (freedom 1). Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help others (freedom 2).
The freedom to distribute copies of your modified versions to others (freedom 3). By doing this you can give the whole community a chance to benefit from your changes. Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
I do appreciate either that links posted on this forum are links that point users to the philosophy and politics of free software, and if such links have dubious terminology presented as "authoritative" then that authors of such articles are reminded and taught on what is actually free software.
And finally, first GNU distributions on CD-ROM with compiled binaries, were sold for US $5,000 -- so there was never intention in the free software movement to limit somebody to sell software for any price or money. Exactly that are many companies doing all over the world, making money on free software. For reference: https://www.gnu.org/bulletins/bull23.html#SEC26