| 27 |
<p> |
<p> |
| 28 |
“Free software” means software that respects users' |
“Free software” means software that respects users' |
| 29 |
freedom and community. Roughly, <b>the users have the freedom to run, |
freedom and community. Roughly, <b>the users have the freedom to run, |
| 30 |
copy, distribute, study, change and improve the software</b>. With these |
copy, distribute, study, change and improve the software</b>. |
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freedoms, the users (both individually and collectively) control the |
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program and what it does for them. |
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</p> |
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<p> |
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When users don't control the program, the program controls the users. |
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The developer controls the program, and through it controls the users. |
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This nonfree or “proprietary” program is therefore an |
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instrument of unjust power. |
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| 31 |
</p> |
</p> |
| 32 |
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|
| 33 |
<p> |
<p> |
| 37 |
</p> |
</p> |
| 38 |
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|
| 39 |
<p> |
<p> |
| 40 |
|
With these freedoms, the users (both individually and collectively) |
| 41 |
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control the program and what it does for them. When users don't |
| 42 |
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control the program, the program controls the users. The developer |
| 43 |
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controls the program, and through it exercises power over the users. |
| 44 |
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Therefore, a “nonfree” or “proprietary” program |
| 45 |
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is <a href="/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html"> an |
| 46 |
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instrument of unjust power</a>. |
| 47 |
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</p> |
| 48 |
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| 49 |
|
<p> |
| 50 |
A program is free software if the program's users have the |
A program is free software if the program's users have the |
| 51 |
four essential freedoms: |
four essential freedoms: |
| 52 |
</p> |
</p> |
| 68 |
</ul> |
</ul> |
| 69 |
|
|
| 70 |
<p> |
<p> |
| 71 |
A program is free software if users have all of these freedoms. Thus, |
A program is free software if it gives users adequately all of these |
| 72 |
you should be free to redistribute copies, either with or without |
freedoms. Otherwise, it is nonfree. While we can distinguish various |
| 73 |
modifications, either gratis or charging a fee for distribution, to |
nonfree distribution schemes in terms of how far they fall short of |
| 74 |
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being free, we consider them all equally unethical.</p> |
| 75 |
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| 76 |
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<p>The rest of this page clarifies certain points about what makes |
| 77 |
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specific freedoms adequate or not.</p> |
| 78 |
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|
| 79 |
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<p>Freedom to distribute (freedoms 2 and 3) means you are free to |
| 80 |
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redistribute copies, either with or without modifications, either |
| 81 |
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gratis or charging a fee for distribution, to |
| 82 |
<a href="#exportcontrol">anyone anywhere</a>. Being free to do these |
<a href="#exportcontrol">anyone anywhere</a>. Being free to do these |
| 83 |
things means (among other things) that you do not have to ask or pay |
things means (among other things) that you do not have to ask or pay |
| 84 |
for permission to do so. |
for permission to do so. |