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-revision 1.108 by jturner,
Tue Nov 29 14:14:10 2011 UTC
+revision 1.110 by rms,
Mon Feb 20 07:41:23 2012 UTC
 Line 14
  <h3>The Free Software Definition</h3>
+ <blockquote>
+ The free software definition presents the criteria for whether a
+ particular software program qualifies as free software.  From time to
+ time we revise this definition, to clarify it or to resolve questions
+ about subtle issues.  See the <a href="#History">History section</a>
+ below for a list of changes that affect the definition of free
+ software.
+ </blockquote>
+ <p>
+ &ldquo;Free software&rdquo; means software that respects users'
+ freedom and community.  Roughly, the users have the freedom to run,
+ copy, distribute, study, change and improve the software.  With these
+ freedoms, the users (both individually and collectively) control the
+ program and what it does for them.
+ </p>
  <p>
- We maintain this free software definition to show clearly what must be
+ When users don't control the program, the program controls the users.
- true about a particular software program for it to be considered free
+ The developer controls the program, and through it controls the users.
- software.  From time to time we revise this definition to clarify it.
+ This nonfree or &ldquo;proprietary&rdquo; program is therefore an
- If you would like to review the changes we've made, please see
+ instrument of unjust power.
- the <a href="#History">History section</a> below for more information.
  </p>
  <p>
- &ldquo;Free software&rdquo; is a matter of liberty, not price.  To understand
+ Thus, &ldquo;free software&rdquo; is a matter of liberty, not price.
- the concept, you should think of &ldquo;free&rdquo; as in &ldquo;free speech,&rdquo;
+ To understand the concept, you should think of &ldquo;free&rdquo; as
- not as in &ldquo;free beer.&rdquo;
+ in &ldquo;free speech,&rdquo; not as in &ldquo;free beer&rdquo;.
  </p>
  <p>
- Free software is a matter of the users' freedom to run, copy, distribute,
+ A program is free software if the program's users have the
- study, change and improve the software.  More precisely, it means that the
+ four essential freedoms:
- program's users have the four essential freedoms:
  </p>
  <ul>
-Line 144 
 the central freedoms; rather it protects
+Line 159 
 the central freedoms; rather it protects
  </p>
  <p>
- &ldquo;Free software&rdquo; does not mean &ldquo;noncommercial.&rdquo;  A free
+ &ldquo;Free software&rdquo; does not mean &ldquo;noncommercial&rdquo;.  A free
  program must be available for commercial use, commercial development,
  and commercial distribution.  Commercial development of free software
  is no longer unusual; such free commercial software is very important.
-Line 173 
 the program, so you won't have trouble m
+Line 188 
 the program, so you won't have trouble m
  </p>
  <p>
+ A special issue arises when a license requires changing the name by
+ which the program will be invoked from other programs.  That
+ effectively hampers you from releasing your changed version so that it
+ can replace the original when invoked by those other programs.  This
+ sort of requirement is acceptable only if there's an suitable aliasing
+ facility that allows you to specify the original program's name as an
+ alias for the modified version.</p>
+ <p>
  Rules that &ldquo;if you make your version available in this way, you
  must make it available in that way also&rdquo; can be acceptable too,
  on the same condition.  An example of such an acceptable rule is one
-Line 299 
 free cultural works</a> applicable to an
+Line 323 
 free cultural works</a> applicable to an
  <p>
  Another group has started using the term &ldquo;open source&rdquo; to mean
- something close (but not identical) to &ldquo;free software.&rdquo;  We
+ something close (but not identical) to &ldquo;free software&rdquo;.  We
  prefer the term &ldquo;free software&rdquo; because, once you have heard that
  it refers to freedom rather than price, it calls to mind freedom.  The
  word &ldquo;open&rdquo; <a href="/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html">
-Line 308 
 never refers to freedom</a>.
+Line 332 
 never refers to freedom</a>.
  <h2 id="History">History</h2>
- <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
- clarify it.  Here we provide a list of those modifications, along with
+ the list of changes, along with links to show exactly what was
- links to illustrate exactly what changed, so that others can review
+ changed.</p>
- them if they like.</p>
  <ul>
-Line 392 
 versions you distribute to the author.</
+Line 415 
 versions you distribute to the author.</
  </ul>
- <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
- 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.
- 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
- like to review the complete list of changes, you can do so on
+ complete list of changes to the page through
- 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
  interface</a>.</p>
  </div>

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