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5 <title>Essays and Articles
6 - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title>
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21 <div class="reduced-width">
22 <h2>Essays and Articles</h2>
23 <div class="thin"></div>
24
25 <div class="comment">
26 <p>This page lists a series of articles describing the philosophy of the
27 free software movement, which is the motivation for our development of
28 the free software operating system GNU.</p>
29
30 <p>The most important articles are marked with asterisks, and listed first
31 in each category. The other ones are in reverse chronological order.</p>
32 </div>
33
34 <div class="toc">
35 <h3 class="no-display">Table of Contents</h3>
36 <ul class="columns">
37 <li><a href="#aboutfs">About Free Software</a>
38 <ul>
39 <li><a href="#principles">Principles</a></li>
40 <li><a href="#practice">Practice</a></li>
41 <li><a href="#extension">Extension to other areas</a></li>
42 <li><a href="#mix">Mixing free and nonfree</a></li>
43 <li><a href="#free-open">Free software and open source</a></li>
44 </ul>
45 </li>
46 <li><a href="#upholding">Upholding Software Freedom</a>
47 <ul>
48 <li><a href="/gnu/gnu.html">The GNU Project</a></li>
49 <li><a href="#fsmovement">The free software movement</a></li>
50 <li><a href="#need">The need for free software</a></li>
51 <li><a href="#action">Guide for action</a></li>
52 </ul>
53 </li>
54 <li><a href="#LicensingFreeSoftware">Licensing Free Software</a>
55 <ul>
56 <li><a href="/licenses/licenses.html">General information</a></li>
57 <li><a href="#copyleft">Copyleft</a></li>
58 <li><a href="#non-copyleft">Non-copyleft</a></li>
59 <li><a href="#traps">Licensing traps</a></li>
60 </ul>
61 </li>
62 <li><a href="#Laws">Legal Issues</a>
63 <ul>
64 <li><a href="#patents">Patents</a></li>
65 <li><a href="#copyright">Copyright</a></li>
66 <li><a href="#noip">The propaganda term &ldquo;Intellectual
67 Property&rdquo;</a></li>
68 <li><a href="#sco">Response to SCO's attacks</a></li>
69 </ul>
70 </li>
71 <li><a href="#cultural">Cultural and Social Issues</a>
72 <ul>
73 <li><a href="#society">Digital society</a></li>
74 <li><a href="#drm">Digital restrictions management and treacherous computing</a></li>
75 <li><a href="#ns">Network services</a></li>
76 <li><a href="#access">Accessing culture</a></li>
77 <li><a href="#funding">Funding cultural works</a></li>
78 <li><a href="#evils">Surveillance, censorship, lock-in, etc.</a></li>
79 <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary.html">Proprietary malware</a></li>
80 </ul>
81 </li>
82 <li><a href="#terminology">Terminology and Definitions</a></li>
83 <li><a href="/philosophy/third-party-ideas.html#humor">Philosophical Humor</a></li>
84 </ul>
85 <hr class="no-display" />
86 </div>
87
88 <h3 id="aboutfs">About Free Software</h3>
89 <p>
90 Free software is a matter of freedom: people should be free to use
91 software in all the ways that are socially useful. Software differs
92 from material objects&mdash;such as chairs, sandwiches, and
93 gasoline&mdash;in that it can be copied and changed much more easily.
94 These possibilities make software as useful as it is; we believe
95 software users should be able to make use of them.</p>
96
97 <h4 id="principles">Principles</h4>
98 <ul class="no-bullet">
99 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[1996&hellip;&nbsp;]</span>'
100 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
101 <a href="/philosophy/free-sw.html">
102 What is Free Software?</a></li>
103 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2015]</span>'
104 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
105 <a href="/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html">
106 Free Software Is Even More Important Now</a>
107 (by RMS)</li>
108 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[1996]</span>'
109 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
110 <a href="/philosophy/selling.html">
111 Selling Free Software</a>
112 &mdash; This is OK!</li>
113 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2012]</span>'
114 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
115 <a href="/philosophy/programs-must-not-limit-freedom-to-run.html">
116 Why programs must not limit the freedom to run them</a>
117 (by RMS)
118 &mdash; Freedom 0 must not be limited.</li>
119 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2007]</span>'
120 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
121 <a href="/philosophy/your-freedom-needs-free-software.html">
122 Your Freedom Needs Free Software</a>
123 (by RMS)</li>
124 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1994]</span>'
125 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
126 <a href="/philosophy/why-free.html">
127 Why Software Should Not Have Owners</a>
128 (by RMS)</li>
129 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1991]</span>'
130 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
131 <a href="/philosophy/shouldbefree.html">
132 Why Software Should Be Free</a>
133 (by RMS)
134 &mdash; An older and longer essay about the same topic as the
135 previous one.</li>
136 </ul>
137
138 <h4 id="practice">Practice</h4>
139 <ul class="no-bullet">
140 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2023]</span>'
141 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
142 <a href="/philosophy/tivoization.html">
143 Tivoization</a>
144 &mdash; When free software isn't free in practice</li>
145 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[1999-2011]</span>'
146 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
147 <a href="/philosophy/when-free-software-isnt-practically-superior.html">
148 When Free Software Isn't (Practically) Superior</a>
149 (by Benjamin Mako Hill)</li>
150 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2015]</span>'
151 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
152 <a href="/philosophy/applying-free-sw-criteria.html">
153 Applying the Free Software Criteria</a>
154 (by RMS)</li>
155 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2014]</span>'
156 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
157 <a href="/philosophy/imperfection-isnt-oppression.html">
158 Imperfection is not the same as oppression</a>
159 (by RMS)</li>
160 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2011]</span>'
161 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
162 <a href="/philosophy/android-and-users-freedom.html">
163 Android and Users' Freedom</a>
164 (by RMS)</li>
165 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1997-2011]</span>'
166 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
167 <a href="/software/reliability.html">
168 Free Software is More Reliable!</a></li>
169 </ul>
170
171 <h4 id="extension">Extension to other areas</h4>
172 <ul class="no-bullet">
173 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[1996]</span>'
174 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
175 <a href="/philosophy/free-doc.html">
176 Why Free Software Needs Free Documentation</a></li>
177 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2020]</span>'
178 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
179 <a href="/philosophy/free-software-rocket.html">
180 Should Rockets Have Only Free Software? Free Software and Appliances</a>
181 (by RMS)</li>
182 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2015]</span>'
183 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
184 <a href="/philosophy/free-hardware-designs.html">
185 Free Hardware and Free Hardware Designs</a>
186 (by RMS)</li>
187 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2015]</span>'
188 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
189 <a href="/philosophy/loyal-computers.html">
190 What Does It Mean for Your Computer to Be Loyal?</a>
191 (by RMS)</li>
192 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2012]</span>'
193 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
194 <a href="/philosophy/network-services-arent-free-or-nonfree.html">
195 Network Services Aren't Free or Nonfree; They Raise Other Issues</a>
196 (by RMS)</li>
197 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2000]</span>'
198 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
199 <a href="/philosophy/gnutella.html" id="Gnutella">
200 Regarding Gnutella</a></li>
201 </ul>
202
203 <h4 id="mix">Mixing free and nonfree</h4>
204 <ul class="no-bullet">
205 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2016]</span>'
206 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
207 <a href="/philosophy/when-free-depends-on-nonfree.html">
208 When Free Software Depends on Nonfree</a>
209 (by RMS)</li>
210 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2013]</span>'
211 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
212 <a href="/philosophy/is-ever-good-use-nonfree-program.html">
213 Is It Ever a Good Thing to Use a Nonfree Program?</a>
214 (by RMS)</li>
215 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2005]</span>'
216 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
217 <a href="/philosophy/mcvoy.html">
218 Thank You, Larry McVoy</a>
219 (by RMS)</li>
220 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1998]</span>'
221 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
222 <a href="/philosophy/udi.html">
223 The Free Software Movement and UDI</a>
224 (by RMS)</li>
225 </ul>
226
227 <h4 id="free-open">Free software and open source</h4>
228 <ul class="no-bullet">
229 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2007-2021]</span>'
230 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
231 <a href="/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html">
232 Why &ldquo;Open Source&rdquo; Misses the Point of Free Software</a>
233 (by RMS)</li>
234 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2015]</span>'
235 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
236 <a href="/philosophy/free-open-overlap.html">
237 How Free Software and Open Source Relate as Categories of Programs</a></li>
238 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2013]</span>'
239 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
240 <a href="/philosophy/floss-and-foss.html">
241 FLOSS and FOSS</a>
242 (by RMS)</li>
243 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2002]</span>'
244 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
245 <a href="/philosophy/linux-gnu-freedom.html">
246 Linux, GNU, and Freedom</a>
247 (by RMS)</li>
248 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2001]</span>'
249 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
250 <a href="/philosophy/drdobbs-letter.html">
251 Letter from RMS to the Editor of Dr. Dobb's Journal</a>
252 on the distinction between open source and the free software movement.</li>
253 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1998]</span>'
254 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
255 <a href="/philosophy/free-software-for-freedom.html">
256 &ldquo;Open Source Software&rdquo; or &ldquo;Free Software&rdquo;?</a>
257 (replaced by <a href="/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html">
258 Why &ldquo;Open Source&rdquo; Misses the Point of Free Software</a>)</li>
259 </ul>
260
261
262 <h3 id="upholding">Upholding Software Freedom</h3>
263
264 <h4>The GNU Project</h4>
265 <ul class="no-bullet">
266 <li><a href="/gnu/gnu.html">The GNU Operating System</a>
267 &mdash; History, relationship with Linux, etc.</li>
268 </ul>
269
270 <h4 id="fsmovement">The free software movement</h4>
271 <ul class="no-bullet">
272 <li><a href="https://www.fsf.org/">
273 The official website of the Free Software Foundation</a></li>
274 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2004]</span>'
275 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
276 <a href="/philosophy/use-free-software.html">
277 The Free Software Community After 20 Years</a>
278 (by RMS)
279 &mdash; With great but incomplete success, what now?</li>
280 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1999]</span>'
281 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
282 <a href="/philosophy/15-years-of-free-software.html">
283 15 Years of Free Software</a>
284 (by RMS)</li>
285 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1999]</span>'
286 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
287 <a href="/philosophy/free-software-intro.html">
288 Free Software Movement</a></li>
289 </ul>
290
291 <h4 id="need">The need for free software</h4>
292 <ul class="no-bullet">
293 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2011-2017]</span>'
294 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
295 <a href="/philosophy/government-free-software.html">
296 Measures Governments Can Use to Promote Free Software</a>
297 (by RMS)</li>
298 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2009-2014]</span>'
299 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
300 <a href="/education/edu-schools.html">
301 Why Schools Should Use Exclusively Free Software</a>
302 (by RMS)</li>
303 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2014]</span>'
304 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
305 <a href="/philosophy/technological-neutrality.html">
306 Technological Neutrality and Free Software</a>
307 (by RMS)</li>
308 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2013]</span>'
309 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
310 <a href="/philosophy/uruguay.html">
311 Lesson from Uruguay</a>
312 &mdash; The FSF learned something from a bill presented in Uruguay.</li>
313 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2005]</span>'
314 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
315 <a href="/philosophy/second-sight.html">
316 Free Software and (e-)Government</a>
317 (by RMS)</li>
318 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2005]</span>'
319 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
320 <a href="/philosophy/fs-and-sustainable-development.html">
321 Free Software and Sustainable Development</a>
322 (by RMS)
323 &mdash; A short article regarding the use of proprietary software in
324 cultural development.</li>
325 </ul>
326
327 <h4 id="action">Guide for action</h4>
328 <ul class="no-bullet">
329 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2024]</span>'
330 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
331 <a href="/philosophy/the-moral-and-the-legal.html">
332 The Moral and the Legal</a>
333 (by RMS)</li>
334 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2020]</span>'
335 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
336 <a href="/philosophy/saying-no-even-once.html">
337 Saying No to unjust computing even once is help</a>
338 (by RMS)</li>
339 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2009]</span>'
340 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
341 <a href="/philosophy/fs-motives.html">
342 Motives For Writing Free Software</a></li>
343 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2002-2020]</span>'
344 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
345 <a href="/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html" id="NoWordAttachments">
346 We Can Put an End to Word Attachments</a>
347 (by RMS)</li>
348 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2019]</span>'
349 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
350 <a href="/philosophy/install-fest-devil.html">
351 Install Fests: What to Do about the Deal with the Devil</a>
352 (by RMS)</li>
353 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2019]</span>'
354 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
355 <a href="/philosophy/upgrade-windows.html">
356 What Is the Right Way to Upgrade an Installation of Windows?</a>
357 (by RMS)</li>
358 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2018]</span>'
359 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
360 <a href="/philosophy/kind-communication.html">
361 GNU Kind Communications Guidelines</a>
362 (by RMS)</li>
363 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2017]</span>'
364 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
365 <a href="/philosophy/hackathons.html">
366 Why Hackathons Should Insist on Free Software</a>
367 (by RMS)</li>
368 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2014]</span>'
369 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
370 <a href="/philosophy/contradictory-support.html">
371 Beware of Contradictory &ldquo;Support&rdquo;</a>
372 (by RMS)</li>
373 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2012]</span>'
374 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
375 <a href="/philosophy/devils-advocate.html">
376 Why the Devil's Advocate Doesn't Help Reach the Truth</a>
377 (by RMS)</li>
378 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2010]</span>'
379 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
380 <a href="/philosophy/practical.html">
381 The Advantages of Free Software</a>
382 (by RMS)</li>
383 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2009]</span>'
384 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
385 <a href="/philosophy/pirate-party.html">
386 How the Swedish Pirate Party Platform Backfires on Free Software</a>
387 (by RMS)</li>
388 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2009]</span>'
389 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
390 <a href="/philosophy/lest-codeplex-perplex.html">
391 Lest CodePlex perplex</a>
392 (by RMS)</li>
393 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2008]</span>'
394 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
395 <a href="/philosophy/ucita.html">
396 Why We Must Fight UCITA</a></li>
397 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2008]</span>'
398 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
399 <a href="/philosophy/compromise.html">
400 Avoiding Ruinous Compromises</a>
401 (by RMS)</li>
402 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2007]</span>'
403 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
404 <a href="/philosophy/social-inertia.html">
405 Overcoming Social Inertia</a>
406 (by RMS)</li>
407 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2004]</span>'
408 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
409 <a href="/philosophy/my_doom.html">
410 MyDoom and You</a>
411 (by RMS)</li>
412 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2003]</span>'
413 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
414 <a href="/philosophy/kevin-cole-response.html">
415 A Response Letter to the Word Attachments</a>
416 (by Kevin Cole)</li>
417 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2003]</span>'
418 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
419 <a href="/philosophy/anonymous-response.html">
420 A Response to Word Attachments</a></li>
421 </ul>
422
423
424 <h3 id="LicensingFreeSoftware">Licensing Free Software</h3>
425
426 <ul class="no-bullet">
427 <li><a href="/licenses/licenses.html">
428 Licenses</a>
429 &mdash; General information on licensing and copyleft</li>
430 </ul>
431
432 <h4 id="copyleft">Copyleft</h4>
433 <ul class="no-bullet">
434 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2003]</span>'
435 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
436 <a href="/philosophy/why-copyleft.html">
437 Why Copyleft?</a></li>
438 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[1998]</span>'
439 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
440 <a href="/philosophy/pragmatic.html">
441 Copyleft: Pragmatic Idealism</a>
442 (by RMS)</li>
443 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2009-2017]</span>'
444 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
445 <a href="/philosophy/selling-exceptions.html">
446 On Selling Exceptions to the GNU GPL</a>
447 (by RMS)</li>
448 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2014]</span>'
449 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
450 <a href="/philosophy/assigning-copyright.html">
451 When a Company Asks For Your Copyright</a></li>
452 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2005]</span>'
453 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
454 <a href="https://www.fsf.org/blogs/licensing/20050211.html">
455 Censorship envy and licensing</a>
456 (by David &ldquo;Novalis&rdquo; Turner, on <i>fsf.org</i>)</li>
457 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2004]</span>'
458 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
459 <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210228133128/https://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/archive/downloads/research/gpl/OIIFB_GPL2_20040903.pdf">
460 English translation of the famous decision of the District Court of
461 Munich</a> regarding the enforceability and validity of the GPL (by
462 the translators of the Oxford Internet Institute, on
463 <i>oii.ox.ac.uk</i>)</li>
464 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2002]</span>'
465 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
466 <a href="/philosophy/university.html">
467 Releasing Free Software if You Work at a University</a>
468 (by RMS)</li>
469 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2001]</span>'
470 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
471 <a href="/philosophy/gpl-american-way.html" id="GPLAmericanWay">
472 The GNU GPL and the American Way</a>
473 (by RMS)</li>
474 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2001]</span>'
475 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
476 <a href="/philosophy/gpl-american-dream.html" id="GPLAmericanDream">
477 The GNU GPL and the American Dream</a>
478 (by Bradley&nbsp;M.&nbsp;Kuhn)</li>
479 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2001]</span>'
480 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
481 <a href="/philosophy/freedom-or-power.html" id="FreedomOrPower">
482 Freedom or Power?</a>
483 (by Bradley&nbsp;M.&nbsp;Kuhn and RMS)</li>
484 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2001]</span>'
485 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
486 <a href="/philosophy/rtlinux-patent.html">
487 GPL-compliant version of RTLinux Open Patent License in Works</a></li>
488 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2001]</span>'
489 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
490 <a href="/philosophy/enforcing-gpl.html" id="EnforcingGPL">
491 Enforcing the GNU GPL</a>
492 (by Eben Moglen)</li>
493 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1999]</span>'
494 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
495 <a href="/philosophy/using-gfdl.html" id="UsingGFDL">
496 Using the GNU FDL</a>
497 (by RMS)</li>
498 </ul>
499
500 <h4 id="non-copyleft">Non-copyleft</h4>
501 <ul class="no-bullet">
502 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2003]</span>'
503 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
504 <a href="/philosophy/apsl.html">
505 FSF's Opinion of the Apple Public Source License (APSL) 2.0</a></li>
506 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2000]</span>'
507 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
508 <a href="/philosophy/plan-nine.html" id="PlanNineLicense">
509 The Problems of the (Earlier) Plan 9 License</a>
510 (by RMS)</li>
511 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1998]</span>'
512 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
513 <a href="/philosophy/netscape-npl.html">
514 On the Netscape Public License</a>
515 (by RMS)
516 [<a href="/philosophy/netscape-npl-old.html">older version</a>]</li>
517 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1998]</span>'
518 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
519 <a href="/philosophy/netscape.html">
520 Netscape and Free Software</a>
521 &mdash; An old article that clarifies some misunderstandings about an
522 announcement by Netscape.</li>
523 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1997]</span>'
524 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
525 <a href="/philosophy/motif.html" id="MotifLicense">
526 The Motif License</a>
527 (by RMS)</li>
528 </ul>
529
530 <h4 id="traps">Licensing traps</h4>
531 <ul class="no-bullet">
532 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2009-2019]</span>'
533 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
534 <a href="/philosophy/javascript-trap.html">
535 JavaScript Trap</a>
536 (by RMS)
537 &mdash; You may be running nonfree programs on your computer every day
538 without realizing it&mdash;through your web browser.</li>
539 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2004-2015]</span>'
540 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
541 <a href="/philosophy/java-trap.html" id="JavaTrap">
542 Free But Shackled - The Java Trap</a>
543 (by RMS)
544 &mdash; Although Sun has
545 <a href="https://www.fsf.org/news/fsf-welcomes-gpl-java.html">
546 relicensed</a> most of its Java platform reference implementation under
547 the GNU General Public License, the issue described in this article
548 still remains important.</li>
549 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1998-2009]</span>'
550 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
551 <a href="/philosophy/x.html">
552 The X Window System Trap</a>
553 (by RMS)</li>
554 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2006]</span>'
555 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
556 <a href="/philosophy/sun-in-night-time.html">
557 The Curious Incident of Sun in the Night-Time</a>
558 (by RMS)</li>
559 </ul>
560
561
562 <h3 id="Laws">Legal Issues</h3>
563
564 <h4 id="patents">Patents</h4>
565 <ul class="no-bullet">
566 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2012]</span>'
567 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
568 <a href="/philosophy/limit-patent-effect.html">
569 Giving the Software Field Protection from Patents</a>
570 (by RMS)</li>
571 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2011]</span>'
572 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
573 <a href="/philosophy/europes-unitary-patent.html">
574 Europe's &ldquo;unitary patent&rdquo; could mean unlimited software
575 patents</a>
576 (by RMS)</li>
577 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2000-2007]</span>'
578 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
579 <a href="https://www.eff.org/search/site/dvd%20cases/">
580 EFF &ldquo;Intellectual Property&rdquo;: MPAA (Motion Picture
581 Association of America) DVD Cases Archive</a></li>
582 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2006]</span>'
583 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
584 <a href="/philosophy/trivial-patent.html">
585 The Anatomy of a Trivial Patent</a>
586 (by RMS)</li>
587 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2005]</span>'
588 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
589 <a href="/philosophy/microsoft-new-monopoly.html">
590 Microsoft's New Monopoly</a>
591 (by RMS)</li>
592 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2005]</span>'
593 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
594 <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2005/aug/02/comment.business">
595 Soft sell</a>
596 (by RMS, on <i>theguardian.com</i>)
597 &mdash; Comments on the defeat of the EU software patenting directive.</li>
598 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2005]</span>'
599 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
600 <a href="/philosophy/bill-gates-and-other-communists.html">
601 Bill Gates and Other Communists</a>
602 (by RMS)</li>
603 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2005]</span>'
604 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
605 <a href="/philosophy/software-literary-patents.html" id="SoftwareLiteraryPatents">
606 Software Patents and Literary Patents</a>
607 (by RMS)
608 &mdash; Speaking of patenting artistic techniques, US patent (6,935,954)
609 covers making game characters start to hallucinate when (according to the
610 game) they are being driven insane. That is getting pretty close to the
611 hypothetical examples cited in this article.</li>
612 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2004]</span>'
613 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
614 <a href="/philosophy/fighting-software-patents.html" id="FightingSoftwarePatents">
615 Fighting Software Patents&mdash;Singly and Together</a>
616 (by RMS)</li>
617 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2005]</span>'
618 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
619 <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2005/jun/23/onlinesupplement.insideit">
620 Patent absurdity</a>
621 (by RMS, on <i>theguardian.com</i>)</li>
622 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2003]</span>'
623 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
624 <a href="/philosophy/w3c-patent.html">
625 FSF's Position on W3 Consortium &ldquo;Royalty-Free&rdquo; Patent Policy</a>
626 (rewritten)</li>
627 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2003]</span>'
628 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
629 <a href="/philosophy/guardian-article.html">
630 Opposing The European Software Patent Directive</a>
631 (by RMS and Nick&nbsp;Hill)</li>
632 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2001]</span>'
633 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
634 <a href="https://www.eff.org/press/releases/princeton-scientists-sue-over-squelched-research">
635 Princeton Scientists Sue Over Squelched Research</a>
636 (press release on <i>eff.org</i>)
637 &mdash; In <cite>Felten v. RIAA</cite>, scientists ask a court to rule that the
638 Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) does not prohibit them from
639 publishing their research.</li>
640 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2001]</span>'
641 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
642 <a href="/philosophy/hague.html">
643 Harm from the Hague</a>
644 (by RMS)</li>
645 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2000]</span>'
646 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
647 <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20000815064858/http://www.researchoninnovation.org/patent.pdf"
648 id="SequentialIPandI">
649 Sequential Innovation, Patents, and Imitation</a>
650 (by James Bessen and Eric Maskin, on <i>researchoninnovation.org</i>, archived)
651 &mdash; This paper presents a mathematical model showing how patents can
652 impede progress in fields like software.</li>
653 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1999]</span>'
654 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
655 <a href="/philosophy/amazon-rms-tim.html">
656 Letter from RMS to Tim O'Reilly</a>
657 in regard to a statement by Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, on the duration of
658 software patents.</li>
659 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1999]</span>'
660 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
661 <a href="/philosophy/amazon-nat.html">
662 Amazon Boycott Success!</a>
663 (a letter from Nat Friedman to RMS)</li>
664 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1999]</span>'
665 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
666 <a href="/philosophy/amazon.html">
667 (Formerly) Boycott Amazon!</a></li>
668 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1999]</span>'
669 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
670 <a href="/philosophy/amazonpatent.html">
671 Method and system for placing a purchase order via a communications
672 network</a>
673 &mdash; Amazon patent with notes by RMS</li>
674 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1997]</span>'
675 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
676 <a href="/philosophy/gif.html">
677 Why There Are No GIF Files on GNU Web Pages</a>
678 &mdash; While this story is a historical illustration of the danger of
679 software patents, these particular patents are now no longer a concern.
680 For details of our website policies regarding GIFs, see our <a
681 href="/server/standards/gnu-website-guidelines.html#UseofGraphics">web
682 guidelines</a>.</li>
683 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1996]</span>'
684 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
685 <a href="/philosophy/savingeurope.html">
686 Saving Europe from Software Patents</a></li>
687 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1996]</span>'
688 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
689 <a href="/philosophy/protecting.html">
690 Help Protect the Rights to Write Both Nonfree and Free Software</a></li>
691 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1996]</span>'
692 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
693 <a href="/philosophy/patent-reform-is-not-enough.html">
694 Patent Reform Is Not Enough</a></li>
695 </ul>
696
697 <h4 id="copyright">Copyright</h4>
698 <ul class="no-bullet">
699 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2002]</span>'
700 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
701 <a href="/philosophy/misinterpreting-copyright.html">
702 Misinterpreting Copyright&mdash;A Series of Errors</a>
703 (by RMS)
704 &mdash; About the flaws in popular defenses of copyright law.</li>
705 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[1996]</span>'
706 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
707 <a href="/philosophy/reevaluating-copyright.html">
708 Reevaluating Copyright: The Public Must Prevail</a>
709 (by RMS)</li>
710 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2010]</span>'
711 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
712 <a href="/philosophy/public-domain-manifesto.html">
713 Why I Will Not Sign the Public Domain Manifesto</a>
714 (by RMS)</li>
715 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2008]</span>'
716 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
717 <a href="/philosophy/freedom-or-copyright.html">
718 Freedom&mdash;or Copyright?</a>
719 (by RMS)
720 [<a href="/philosophy/freedom-or-copyright-old.html">older version</a>]</li>
721 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2002]</span>'
722 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
723 <a href="/philosophy/eldred-amicus.html">
724 FSF's Brief Amicus Curiae in the <cite>Eldred v. Ashcroft</cite> Supreme Court case</a>
725 (by Eben Moglen)</li>
726 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2001]</span>'
727 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
728 <a href="/philosophy/push-copyright-aside.html">
729 Science must &ldquo;push copyright aside&rdquo;</a>
730 (by RMS, first published in <a
731 href="https://web.archive.org/web/20050729110347/http://www.nature.com/nature/debates/e-access/Articles/stallman.html">
732 <cite>Nature WebDebates</cite></a> in 2001)
733 &mdash; This article explains how copyright is impeding progress in
734 scientific research. You may also be interested
735 in <a href="https://plos.org/">The Public Library of Science</a>,
736 which is dedicated to making scientific research freely available to all
737 on the Internet.</li>
738 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2001]</span>'
739 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
740 <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030604075825/http://www.humaninfo.org/copyrigh.htm">
741 Examples of Excellent Copyright Policies</a>
742 (on <i>humaninfo.org</i>, archived)</li>
743 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1999]</span>'
744 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
745 <a href="https://cyber.harvard.edu/openlaw/eldredvashcroft/cyber/complaint_orig.html">
746 Original complaint in <cite>Eldred v. Reno</cite></a>
747 (on <i>harvard.edu</i>)
748 &mdash; A lawsuit to overturn a law that extends copyright by 20 extra
749 years.</li>
750 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1996]</span>'
751 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
752 <a href="/philosophy/rms-comment-longs-article.html">
753 Comments on Roderick Long's Article</a>
754 (by RMS)</li>
755 </ul>
756
757 <h4 id="noip">The propaganda term &ldquo;<a
758 href="/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html#IntellectualProperty">Intellectual
759 Property</a>&rdquo;</h4>
760 <ul class="no-bullet">
761 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2004]</span>'
762 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
763 <a href="/philosophy/not-ipr.html">
764 Did You Say &ldquo;Intellectual Property&rdquo;? It's a Seductive Mirage</a>
765 (by RMS)</li>
766 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2015]</span>'
767 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
768 <a href="/philosophy/komongistan.html">
769 The Curious History of Komongistan (Busting the term &ldquo;intellectual
770 property&rdquo;)</a>
771 (by RMS)</li>
772 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2006]</span>'
773 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
774 <a href="/philosophy/no-ip-ethos.html">
775 Don't Let &ldquo;Intellectual Property&rdquo; Twist Your Ethos</a>
776 (by RMS)</li>
777 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2003]</span>'
778 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
779 <a href="/philosophy/ipjustice.html">
780 Reject IP Enforcement Directive</a>
781 &mdash; Comments on the rejection of this directive by the International
782 Civil Liberties Coalition.</li>
783 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2003]</span>'
784 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
785 <a href="/philosophy/boldrin-levine.html">
786 Review: Boldrin and Levine, &ldquo;The Case Against Intellectual
787 Property&rdquo;</a>
788 (by RMS)</li>
789 </ul>
790
791 <h4 id="sco">Response to SCO's attacks</h4>
792 <ul class="no-bullet">
793 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2003-2004]</span>'
794 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
795 <a href="/philosophy/sco/sco.html">
796 FSF's Position regarding SCO's attacks on Free Software</a></li>
797 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2003]</span>'
798 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
799 <a href="/philosophy/sco/sco-gnu-linux.html">
800 SCO, GNU, and Linux</a>
801 (by RMS)
802 &mdash; How SCO's lawsuit against IBM pertains to the work of the
803 GNU project.</li>
804 </ul>
805
806
807 <h3 id="cultural">Cultural and Social Issues</h3>
808
809 <h4 id="society">Digital society</h4>
810 <ul class="no-bullet">
811 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2012]</span>'
812 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
813 <a href="/philosophy/stallmans-law.html">
814 Stallman's Law</a></li>
815 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2009]</span>'
816 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
817 <a href="/philosophy/digital-inclusion-in-freedom.html">
818 Is Digital Inclusion A Good Thing? How Can We Make Sure It Is?</a>
819 (by RMS)</li>
820 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2007]</span>'
821 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
822 <a href="/philosophy/computing-progress.html">
823 Computing &ldquo;progress&rdquo;: good and bad</a>
824 (by RMS)</li>
825 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2003]</span>'
826 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
827 <a href="/philosophy/wsis.html">
828 World Summit on the Information Society</a>
829 (by RMS)</li>
830 </ul>
831
832 <h4 id="drm">Digital restrictions management and treacherous computing</h4>
833 <ul class="no-bullet">
834 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2006]</span>'
835 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
836 <a href="/philosophy/opposing-drm.html">
837 Opposing Digital Rights Mismanagement</a>
838 (by RMS)
839 &mdash; Answers to a few common questions about DRM.</li>
840 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2002]</span>'
841 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
842 <a href="/philosophy/can-you-trust.html">
843 Can You Trust Your Computer?</a>
844 (by RMS)
845 &mdash; About the so-called &ldquo;trusted computing&rdquo; initiatives.</li>
846 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2013]</span>'
847 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
848 <a href="/philosophy/nonfree-games.html">
849 Nonfree DRM'd Games on GNU/Linux: Good or Bad?</a>
850 (by RMS)</li>
851 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2012]</span>'
852 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
853 <a href="/philosophy/correcting-france-mistake.html">
854 Correcting My Mistake about French Law</a>
855 (by RMS)</li>
856 </ul>
857
858 <h4 id="ns">Network Services</h4>
859 <ul class="no-bullet">
860 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2010-2020]</span>'
861 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
862 <a href="/philosophy/who-does-that-server-really-serve.html">
863 Who does that server really serve?</a>
864 (by RMS)</li>
865 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2020]</span>'
866 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
867 <a href="/philosophy/posting-videos.html">
868 Posting Videos</a>
869 (by RMS)</li>
870 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2015]</span>'
871 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
872 <a href="/philosophy/whats-wrong-with-youtube.html">
873 What's Wrong with YouTube</a></li>
874 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2014]</span>'
875 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
876 <a href="/philosophy/bug-nobody-allowed-to-understand.html">
877 The Bug Nobody is Allowed to Understand</a>
878 (by RMS)</li>
879 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2011]</span>'
880 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
881 <a href="/philosophy/judge-internet-usage.html">
882 A wise user judges each Internet usage scenario carefully</a>
883 (by RMS)</li>
884 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2011]</span>'
885 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
886 <a href="/philosophy/keep-control-of-your-computing.html">
887 Keep control of your computing, so it doesn't control you!</a>
888 (by RMS)</li>
889 </ul>
890
891 <h4 id="access">Accessing culture</h4>
892 <ul class="no-bullet">
893 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[1996-2016]</span>'
894 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
895 <a href="/philosophy/right-to-read.html">
896 The Right to Read: A Dystopian Short Story</a>
897 (by RMS)</li>
898 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2012]</span>'
899 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
900 <a href="/philosophy/ebooks-must-increase-freedom.html">
901 Ebooks must increase our freedom, not decrease it</a>
902 (by RMS)</li>
903 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2011]</span>'
904 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
905 <a href="/philosophy/the-danger-of-ebooks.html">
906 The Danger of E-Books</a>
907 (by RMS)</li>
908 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2010]</span>'
909 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
910 <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/blog/2010/apr/06/digital-economy-bill-richard-stallman">
911 Digital economy bill: One clown giveth and the other clown taketh away</a>
912 (by RMS, on <i>theguardian.com</i>)</li>
913 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2000]</span>'
914 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
915 <a href="/philosophy/ebooks.html">
916 Ebooks: Freedom Or Copyright</a>
917 (by RMS)</li>
918 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2000]</span>'
919 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
920 <a href="/encyclopedia/free-encyclopedia.html">
921 The Free Universal Encyclopedia and Learning Resource</a>
922 (by RMS)</li>
923 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1999]</span>'
924 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
925 <a href="/philosophy/new-monopoly.html">
926 U.S. Congress Threatens to Establish a New Kind of Monopoly</a>
927 &mdash; An attempt of the Congress to create a private monopoly over
928 repeating publicly known information.</li>
929 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1999]</span>'
930 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
931 <a href="/philosophy/stophr3028.html">
932 Stop H.R. 3028 - Protect the Net - Stop the Trademark Monopolists</a>
933 (by Marc Rotenberg)</li>
934 </ul>
935
936 <h4 id="funding">Funding cultural works</h4>
937 <ul class="no-bullet">
938 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2013]</span>'
939 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
940 <a href="/philosophy/funding-art-vs-funding-software.html">
941 Funding Art vs Funding Software</a>
942 (by RMS)</li>
943 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1992]</span>'
944 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
945 <a href="/philosophy/dat.html">
946 The Right Way to Tax DAT</a>
947 (by RMS)</li>
948 </ul>
949
950 <h4 id="evils">Surveillance, censorship, lock-in, etc.</h4>
951
952 <ul class="no-bullet">
953 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2013&hellip;&nbsp;]</span>'
954 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
955 <a href="/proprietary/proprietary.html">
956 Proprietary Software Is Often Malware</a>
957 &mdash; Clearly established cases of proprietary software that does
958 nasty things to the users.</li>
959 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2015-2019]</span>'
960 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
961 <a href="/philosophy/surveillance-vs-democracy.html">
962 How Much Surveillance Can Democracy Withstand?</a>
963 (by RMS)</li>
964 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2021]</span>'
965 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
966 <a href="/philosophy/wwworst-app-store.html">
967 The WWWorst App Store</a>
968 (by Alexandre Oliva)</li>
969 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2018]</span>'
970 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
971 <a href="/philosophy/phone-anonymous-payment.html">
972 Anonymous Payment by Phone</a>
973 (by RMS)</li>
974 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2018]</span>'
975 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
976 <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/apr/03/facebook-abusing-data-law-privacy-big-tech-surveillance">
977 A radical proposal to keep your personal data safe</a>
978 (by RMS, on <i>theguardian.com</i>)</li>
979 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2018]</span>'
980 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
981 <a href="/philosophy/surveillance-testimony.html">
982 Surveillance Testimony</a>
983 (by RMS)</li>
984 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2012]</span>'
985 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
986 <a href="/philosophy/ubuntu-spyware.html">
987 Ubuntu Spyware: What to Do?</a>
988 (by RMS)</li>
989 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2009]</span>'
990 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
991 <a href="/philosophy/microsoft.html">
992 Is Microsoft the Great Satan?</a>
993 [<a href="/philosophy/microsoft-old.html">older version</a>]</li>
994 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2008]</span>'
995 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
996 <a href="/philosophy/the-root-of-this-problem.html">
997 The Problem Is Software Controlled By Its Developer</a>
998 (by RMS)</li>
999 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2008]</span>'
1000 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
1001 <a href="/philosophy/gates.html">
1002 It's not the Gates, it's the bars</a>
1003 (by RMS)</li>
1004 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2002]</span>'
1005 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
1006 <a href="/philosophy/wassenaar.html">
1007 The Wassenaar Arrangement</a>
1008 &mdash; Encryption software volunteers needed in countries without
1009 export control.</li>
1010 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2002]</span>'
1011 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
1012 <a href="/philosophy/ms-doj-tunney.html">
1013 FSF's Statement in Response to Proposed Revised Final Judgment in
1014 <cite>Microsoft v. United States</cite></a></li>
1015 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2000]</span>'
1016 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
1017 <a href="/philosophy/microsoft-verdict.html">
1018 On the Microsoft Verdict</a></li>
1019 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1999]</span>'
1020 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
1021 <a href="/philosophy/microsoft-antitrust.html">
1022 The Microsoft Antitrust Trial and Free Software</a></li>
1023 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1996]</span>'
1024 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
1025 <a href="/philosophy/privacyaction.html">
1026 Protect Postal Privacy</a>
1027 (by Kathleen Ellis)
1028 &mdash; A campaign to resist the proposed rule by the United States
1029 Postal Service to collect private information from customers.</li>
1030 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1996]</span>'
1031 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
1032 <a href="/philosophy/basic-freedoms.html">
1033 Freedoms of Speech, Press, and Association</a>
1034 &mdash; How to protect these freedoms on the Internet.</li>
1035 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1996]</span>'
1036 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
1037 <a href="/philosophy/censoring-emacs.html">
1038 Censoring My Software</a>
1039 (by RMS)</li>
1040 </ul>
1041
1042
1043 <h3 id="terminology">Terminology and Definitions</h3>
1044
1045 <ul class="no-bullet">
1046 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[1996&hellip;&nbsp;]</span>'
1047 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
1048 <a href="/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html">
1049 Words to Avoid (or Use with Care) Because They Are Loaded or Confusing</a></li>
1050 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1999&hellip;&nbsp;]</span>'
1051 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
1052 <a href="/philosophy/fs-translations.html">
1053 Translations of the term &ldquo;free software&rdquo;</a>
1054 into various languages.</li>
1055 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1996-2019]</span>'
1056 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
1057 <a href="/philosophy/categories.html">
1058 Categories of Free and Nonfree Software</a></li>
1059 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2013]</span>'
1060 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
1061 <a href="/philosophy/why-call-it-the-swindle.html">
1062 Why Call It The Swindle?</a>
1063 (by RMS)</li>
1064 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2002]</span>'
1065 --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
1066 <a href="/philosophy/wipo-PublicAwarenessOfCopyright-2002.html">
1067 Public Awareness of Copyright, WIPO, June 2002</a>
1068 (by RMS)
1069 &mdash; How WIPO recognizes that their system is designed to restrict
1070 the public, and how they propose to modify terminology so that people
1071 won't notice.</li>
1072 </ul>
1073 </div>
1074
1075 </div><!-- for id="content", starts in the include above -->
1076 <!--#include virtual="/server/footer.html" -->
1077 <div id="footer" role="contentinfo">
1078 <div class="unprintable">
1079
1080 <p>Please send general FSF &amp; GNU inquiries to <a
1081 href="mailto:gnu@gnu.org">&lt;gnu@gnu.org&gt;</a>. There are also <a
1082 href="/contact/">other ways to contact</a> the FSF. Broken links and other
1083 corrections or suggestions can be sent to <a
1084 href="mailto:webmasters@gnu.org">&lt;webmasters@gnu.org&gt;</a>.</p>
1085
1086 <p><!-- TRANSLATORS: Ignore the original text in this paragraph,
1087 replace it with the translation of these two:
1088
1089 We work hard and do our best to provide accurate, good quality
1090 translations. However, we are not exempt from imperfection.
1091 Please send your comments and general suggestions in this regard
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1094
1095 <p>For information on coordinating and contributing translations of
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1099 Please see the <a
1100 href="/server/standards/README.translations.html">Translations README</a> for
1101 information on coordinating and contributing translations of this article.</p>
1102 </div>
1103
1104 <!-- Regarding copyright, in general, standalone pages (as opposed to
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1112 If you wish to list earlier years, that is ok too.
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1118 There is more detail about copyright years in the GNU Maintainers
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1120
1121 <p>Copyright &copy; 1996-2024 Free Software Foundation, Inc.</p>
1122
1123 <p>This page is licensed under a <a rel="license"
1124 href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">Creative
1125 Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.</p>
1126
1127 <!--#include virtual="/server/bottom-notes.html" -->
1128
1129 <p class="unprintable">Updated:
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