1 |
<!--#include virtual="/server/header.html" --> |
<!--#include virtual="/server/header.html" --> |
2 |
<!-- Parent-Version: 1.75 --> |
<!-- Parent-Version: 1.77 --> |
3 |
<title>What is free software? |
<title>What is free software? |
4 |
- GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title> |
- GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title> |
5 |
|
|
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; this 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> |
102 |
</p> |
</p> |
103 |
|
|
104 |
<p> |
<p> |
105 |
|
The freedom to run the program as you wish means that you are not |
106 |
|
forbidden or stopped from doing so. It has nothing to do with what |
107 |
|
functionality the program has, or whether it is useful for what you |
108 |
|
want to do.</p> |
109 |
|
|
110 |
|
<p> |
111 |
The freedom to redistribute copies must include binary or executable |
The freedom to redistribute copies must include binary or executable |
112 |
forms of the program, as well as source code, for both modified and |
forms of the program, as well as source code, for both modified and |
113 |
unmodified versions. (Distributing programs in runnable form is necessary |
unmodified versions. (Distributing programs in runnable form is necessary |
174 |
</p> |
</p> |
175 |
|
|
176 |
<p> |
<p> |
177 |
|
In the GNU project, we use <a href="/copyleft/copyleft.html"> |
178 |
|
copyleft </a> to protect the four freedoms legally for everyone. We |
179 |
|
believe there are important reasons why |
180 |
|
<a href="/philosophy/pragmatic.html">it is better to use |
181 |
|
copyleft</a>. However, |
182 |
|
<a href="/philosophy/categories.html#Non-CopyleftedFreeSoftware"> |
183 |
|
noncopylefted free software</a> is ethical |
184 |
|
too. See <a href="/philosophy/categories.html">Categories of Free |
185 |
|
Software</a> for a description of how “free software,” |
186 |
|
“copylefted software” and other categories of software |
187 |
|
relate to each other. |
188 |
|
</p> |
189 |
|
|
190 |
|
<p> |
191 |
“Free software” does not mean “noncommercial”. A free |
“Free software” does not mean “noncommercial”. A free |
192 |
program must be available for commercial use, commercial development, |
program must be available for commercial use, commercial development, |
193 |
and commercial distribution. Commercial development of free software |
and commercial distribution. Commercial development of free software |
238 |
alias for the modified version.</p> |
alias for the modified version.</p> |
239 |
|
|
240 |
<p> |
<p> |
|
In the GNU project, we use |
|
|
<a href="/copyleft/copyleft.html">copyleft</a> |
|
|
to protect these freedoms legally for everyone. But |
|
|
<a href="/philosophy/categories.html#Non-CopyleftedFreeSoftware">noncopylefted |
|
|
free software</a> also exists. We believe there are important reasons why |
|
|
<a href="/philosophy/pragmatic.html">it is better to use copyleft</a>, |
|
|
but if your program is noncopylefted free software, it is still basically |
|
|
ethical. (See <a href="/philosophy/categories.html">Categories of Free Software</a> for a description of how “free software,” “copylefted software” and other categories of software relate to each other.) |
|
|
</p> |
|
|
|
|
|
<p> |
|
241 |
Sometimes government <a id="exportcontrol">export control regulations</a> |
Sometimes government <a id="exportcontrol">export control regulations</a> |
242 |
and trade sanctions can constrain your freedom to distribute copies of |
and trade sanctions can constrain your freedom to distribute copies of |
243 |
programs internationally. Software developers do not have the power to |
programs internationally. Software developers do not have the power to |
260 |
</p> |
</p> |
261 |
|
|
262 |
<p> |
<p> |
263 |
|
A free license may not require compliance with the license of a |
264 |
|
nonfree program. Thus, for instance, if a license requires you to |
265 |
|
comply with the licenses of “all the programs you use”, in |
266 |
|
the case of a user that runs nonfree programs this would require |
267 |
|
compliance with the licenses of those nonfree programs; that makes the |
268 |
|
license nonfree. |
269 |
|
</p> |
270 |
|
|
271 |
|
<p> |
272 |
|
It is acceptable for a free license to specify which jurisdiction's |
273 |
|
law applies, or where litigation must be done, or both. |
274 |
|
</p> |
275 |
|
|
276 |
|
<p> |
277 |
Most free software licenses are based on copyright, and there are limits |
Most free software licenses are based on copyright, and there are limits |
278 |
on what kinds of requirements can be imposed through copyright. If a |
on what kinds of requirements can be imposed through copyright. If a |
279 |
copyright-based license respects freedom in the ways described above, it |
copyright-based license respects freedom in the ways described above, it |
380 |
|
|
381 |
<ul> |
<ul> |
382 |
|
|
383 |
|
<li><a href="http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewvc/www/philosophy/free-sw.html?root=www&r1=1.133&r2=1.134">Version |
384 |
|
1.134</a>: Freedom 0 is not a matter of the program's functionality.</li> |
385 |
|
|
386 |
|
<li><a href="http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewvc/www/philosophy/free-sw.html?root=www&r1=1.130&r2=1.131">Version |
387 |
|
1.131</a>: A free license may not require compliance with a nonfree license |
388 |
|
of another program.</li> |
389 |
|
|
390 |
|
<li><a href="http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewvc/www/philosophy/free-sw.html?root=www&r1=1.128&r2=1.129">Version |
391 |
|
1.129</a>: State explicitly that choice of law and choice of forum |
392 |
|
specifications are allowed. (This was always our policy.)</li> |
393 |
|
|
394 |
<li><a href="http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewvc/www/philosophy/free-sw.html?root=www&r1=1.121&r2=1.122">Version |
<li><a href="http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewvc/www/philosophy/free-sw.html?root=www&r1=1.121&r2=1.122">Version |
395 |
1.122</a>: An export control requirement is a real problem if the |
1.122</a>: An export control requirement is a real problem if the |
396 |
requirement is nontrivial; otherwise it is only a potential problem.</li> |
requirement is nontrivial; otherwise it is only a potential problem.</li> |
495 |
</div><!-- for id="content", starts in the include above --> |
</div><!-- for id="content", starts in the include above --> |
496 |
<!--#include virtual="/server/footer.html" --> |
<!--#include virtual="/server/footer.html" --> |
497 |
<div id="footer"> |
<div id="footer"> |
498 |
|
<div class="unprintable"> |
499 |
|
|
500 |
<p>Please send general FSF & GNU inquiries to |
<p>Please send general FSF & GNU inquiries to |
501 |
<a href="mailto:gnu@gnu.org"><gnu@gnu.org></a>. |
<a href="mailto:gnu@gnu.org"><gnu@gnu.org></a>. |
520 |
href="/server/standards/README.translations.html">Translations |
href="/server/standards/README.translations.html">Translations |
521 |
README</a> for information on coordinating and submitting translations |
README</a> for information on coordinating and submitting translations |
522 |
of this article.</p> |
of this article.</p> |
523 |
|
</div> |
524 |
|
|
525 |
<!-- Regarding copyright, in general, standalone pages (as opposed to |
<!-- Regarding copyright, in general, standalone pages (as opposed to |
526 |
files generated as part of manuals) on the GNU web server should |
files generated as part of manuals) on the GNU web server should |
548 |
|
|
549 |
<!--#include virtual="/server/bottom-notes.html" --> |
<!--#include virtual="/server/bottom-notes.html" --> |
550 |
|
|
551 |
<p>Updated: |
<p class="unprintable">Updated: |
552 |
<!-- timestamp start --> |
<!-- timestamp start --> |
553 |
$Date$ |
$Date$ |
554 |
<!-- timestamp end --> |
<!-- timestamp end --> |