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</p> |
</p> |
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170 |
<p> |
<p> |
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In the GNU project, we use <a href="/copyleft/copyleft.html"> |
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copyleft </a> to protect the four freedoms legally for everyone. We |
173 |
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believe there are important reasons why |
174 |
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<a href="/philosophy/pragmatic.html">it is better to use |
175 |
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copyleft</a>. However, |
176 |
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<a href="/philosophy/categories.html#Non-CopyleftedFreeSoftware"> |
177 |
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noncopylefted free software</a> is ethical |
178 |
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too. See <a href="/philosophy/categories.html">Categories of Free |
179 |
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Software</a> for a description of how “free software,” |
180 |
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“copylefted software” and other categories of software |
181 |
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relate to each other. |
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</p> |
183 |
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|
184 |
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<p> |
185 |
“Free software” does not mean “noncommercial”. A free |
“Free software” does not mean “noncommercial”. A free |
186 |
program must be available for commercial use, commercial development, |
program must be available for commercial use, commercial development, |
187 |
and commercial distribution. Commercial development of free software |
and commercial distribution. Commercial development of free software |
232 |
alias for the modified version.</p> |
alias for the modified version.</p> |
233 |
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|
234 |
<p> |
<p> |
|
In the GNU project, we use |
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<a href="/copyleft/copyleft.html">copyleft</a> |
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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.) |
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</p> |
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<p> |
|
235 |
Sometimes government <a id="exportcontrol">export control regulations</a> |
Sometimes government <a id="exportcontrol">export control regulations</a> |
236 |
and trade sanctions can constrain your freedom to distribute copies of |
and trade sanctions can constrain your freedom to distribute copies of |
237 |
programs internationally. Software developers do not have the power to |
programs internationally. Software developers do not have the power to |