/[www]/www/philosophy/free-sw.html
ViewVC logotype

Diff of /www/philosophy/free-sw.html

Parent Directory Parent Directory | Revision Log Revision Log | View Patch Patch

revision 1.106 by ineiev, Tue Sep 20 08:15:37 2011 UTC revision 1.110 by rms, Mon Feb 20 07:41:23 2012 UTC
# Line 1  Line 1 
1  <!--#include virtual="/server/header.html" -->  <!--#include virtual="/server/header.html" -->
2    
3  <title>The Free Software Definition - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation (FSF)</title>  <title>What is free software? - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation (FSF)</title>
4    
5  <meta http-equiv="Keywords" content="GNU, FSF, Free Software Foundation, Linux, Emacs, GCC, Unix, Free Software, Operating System, GNU Kernel, HURD, GNU HURD, Hurd" />  <meta http-equiv="Keywords" content="GNU, FSF, Free Software Foundation, Linux, Emacs, GCC, Unix, Free Software, Operating System, GNU Kernel, HURD, GNU HURD, Hurd" />
6  <meta http-equiv="Description" content="Since 1983, developing the free Unix style operating system GNU, so that computer users can have the freedom to share and improve the software they use." />  <meta http-equiv="Description" content="Since 1983, developing the free Unix style operating system GNU, so that computer users can have the freedom to share and improve the software they use." />
# Line 10  Line 10 
10  <!--#include virtual="/server/banner.html" -->  <!--#include virtual="/server/banner.html" -->
11  <!--#include virtual="/philosophy/po/free-sw.translist" -->  <!--#include virtual="/philosophy/po/free-sw.translist" -->
12    
13  <h2>The Free Software Definition</h2>  <h2>What is free software?</h2>
14    
15    <h3>The Free Software Definition</h3>
16    
17    <blockquote>
18    The free software definition presents the criteria for whether a
19    particular software program qualifies as free software.  From time to
20    time we revise this definition, to clarify it or to resolve questions
21    about subtle issues.  See the <a href="#History">History section</a>
22    below for a list of changes that affect the definition of free
23    software.
24    </blockquote>
25    
26  <p>  <p>
27  We maintain this free software definition to show clearly what must be  &ldquo;Free software&rdquo; means software that respects users'
28  true about a particular software program for it to be considered free  freedom and community.  Roughly, the users have the freedom to run,
29  software.  From time to time we revise this definition to clarify it.  copy, distribute, study, change and improve the software.  With these
30  If you would like to review the changes we've made, please see  freedoms, the users (both individually and collectively) control the
31  the <a href="#History">History section</a> below for more information.  program and what it does for them.
32  </p>  </p>
33    
34  <p>  <p>
35  &ldquo;Free software&rdquo; is a matter of liberty, not price.  To understand  When users don't control the program, the program controls the users.
36  the concept, you should think of &ldquo;free&rdquo; as in &ldquo;free speech,&rdquo;  The developer controls the program, and through it controls the users.
37  not as in &ldquo;free beer.&rdquo;  This nonfree or &ldquo;proprietary&rdquo; program is therefore an
38    instrument of unjust power.
39  </p>  </p>
40    
41  <p>  <p>
42  Free software is a matter of the users' freedom to run, copy, distribute,  Thus, &ldquo;free software&rdquo; is a matter of liberty, not price.
43  study, change and improve the software.  More precisely, it means that the  To understand the concept, you should think of &ldquo;free&rdquo; as
44  program's users have the four essential freedoms:  in &ldquo;free speech,&rdquo; not as in &ldquo;free beer&rdquo;.
45    </p>
46    
47    <p>
48    A program is free software if the program's users have the
49    four essential freedoms:
50  </p>  </p>
51    
52  <ul>  <ul>
# Line 142  the central freedoms; rather it protects Line 159  the central freedoms; rather it protects
159  </p>  </p>
160    
161  <p>  <p>
162  &ldquo;Free software&rdquo; does not mean &ldquo;noncommercial.&rdquo;  A free  &ldquo;Free software&rdquo; does not mean &ldquo;noncommercial&rdquo;.  A free
163  program must be available for commercial use, commercial development,  program must be available for commercial use, commercial development,
164  and commercial distribution.  Commercial development of free software  and commercial distribution.  Commercial development of free software
165  is no longer unusual; such free commercial software is very important.  is no longer unusual; such free commercial software is very important.
# Line 171  the program, so you won't have trouble m Line 188  the program, so you won't have trouble m
188  </p>  </p>
189    
190  <p>  <p>
191    A special issue arises when a license requires changing the name by
192    which the program will be invoked from other programs.  That
193    effectively hampers you from releasing your changed version so that it
194    can replace the original when invoked by those other programs.  This
195    sort of requirement is acceptable only if there's an suitable aliasing
196    facility that allows you to specify the original program's name as an
197    alias for the modified version.</p>
198    
199    <p>
200  Rules that &ldquo;if you make your version available in this way, you  Rules that &ldquo;if you make your version available in this way, you
201  must make it available in that way also&rdquo; can be acceptable too,  must make it available in that way also&rdquo; can be acceptable too,
202  on the same condition.  An example of such an acceptable rule is one  on the same condition.  An example of such an acceptable rule is one
# Line 297  free cultural works</a> applicable to an Line 323  free cultural works</a> applicable to an
323    
324  <p>  <p>
325  Another group has started using the term &ldquo;open source&rdquo; to mean  Another group has started using the term &ldquo;open source&rdquo; to mean
326  something close (but not identical) to &ldquo;free software.&rdquo;  We  something close (but not identical) to &ldquo;free software&rdquo;.  We
327  prefer the term &ldquo;free software&rdquo; because, once you have heard that  prefer the term &ldquo;free software&rdquo; because, once you have heard that
328  it refers to freedom rather than price, it calls to mind freedom.  The  it refers to freedom rather than price, it calls to mind freedom.  The
329  word &ldquo;open&rdquo; <a href="/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html">  word &ldquo;open&rdquo; <a href="/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html">
# Line 306  never refers to freedom</a>. Line 332  never refers to freedom</a>.
332    
333  <h2 id="History">History</h2>  <h2 id="History">History</h2>
334    
335  <p>From time to time we revise this Free Software Definition to  <p>From time to time we revise this Free Software Definition.  Here is
336  clarify it.  Here we provide a list of those modifications, along with  the list of changes, along with links to show exactly what was
337  links to illustrate exactly what changed, so that others can review  changed.</p>
 them if they like.</p>  
338    
339  <ul>  <ul>
340    
341  <li><a href="http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewvc/www/philosophy/free-sw.html?root=www&amp;r1=1.103&amp;r2=1.104">Version  <li><a href="http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewvc/www/philosophy/free-sw.html?root=www&amp;r1=1.104&amp;r2=1.105">Version
342  1.104</a>: Reflect, in the brief statement of freedom 1, the point  1.105</a>: Reflect, in the brief statement of freedom 1, the point
343  (already stated in version 1.80) that it includes really using your modified  (already stated in version 1.80) that it includes really using your modified
344  version for your computing.</li>  version for your computing.</li>
345    
# Line 390  versions you distribute to the author.</ Line 415  versions you distribute to the author.</
415    
416  </ul>  </ul>
417    
418  <p>There are gaps in the version numbers because there are many other  <p>There are gaps in the version numbers shown above because there are
419  changes that do not affect the substance of the definition at all.  other changes in this page that do not affect the definition as such.
420  Instead, they fix links, add translations, and so on.  If you would  These changes are in other parts of the page.  You can review the
421  like to review the complete list of changes, you can do so on  complete list of changes to the page through
422  our <a href="http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewvc/www/philosophy/free-sw.html?root=www&amp;view=log">cvsweb  the <a href="http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewvc/www/philosophy/free-sw.html?root=www&amp;view=log">cvsweb
423  interface</a>.</p>  interface</a>.</p>
424    
425  </div>  </div>
Legend:
Removed from v.1.106  
changed lines
  Added in v.1.110
savannah-hackers-public@gnu.org
 ViewVC Help
Powered by ViewVC 1.1.26