| 26 |
|
|
| 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, it means that <b>the users have the |
| 30 |
copy, distribute, study, change and improve the software</b>. |
freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change and improve the |
| 31 |
|
software</b>. Thus, “free software” is a matter of |
| 32 |
|
liberty, not price. To understand the concept, you should think of |
| 33 |
|
“free” as in “free speech,” not as in |
| 34 |
|
“free beer”. |
| 35 |
</p> |
</p> |
| 36 |
|
|
| 37 |
<p> |
<p> |
| 38 |
Thus, “free software” is a matter of liberty, not price. |
We campaign for these freedoms because everyone deserves them. With |
| 39 |
To understand the concept, you should think of “free” as |
these freedoms, the users (both individually and collectively) control |
| 40 |
in “free speech,” not as in “free beer”. |
the program and what it does for them. When users don't control the |
| 41 |
</p> |
program, we call it a “nonfree” or |
| 42 |
|
“proprietary” program. The nonfree program controls the |
| 43 |
<p> |
users, and the developer controls the program; which makes the |
| 44 |
With these freedoms, the users (both individually and collectively) |
program <a href="/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html"> |
| 45 |
control the program and what it does for them. When users don't |
an instrument of unjust power</a>. |
|
control the program, the program controls the users. The developer |
|
|
controls the program, and through it exercises power over the users. |
|
|
Therefore, a “nonfree” or “proprietary” program |
|
|
is <a href="/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html"> an |
|
|
instrument of unjust power</a>. |
|
| 46 |
</p> |
</p> |
| 47 |
|
|
| 48 |
<p> |
<p> |