1 |
<!--#include virtual="/server/header.html" --> |
<!--#include virtual="/server/header.html" --> |
2 |
|
<!-- Parent-Version: 1.77 --> |
3 |
<title>What is free software? - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation (FSF)</title> |
<title>What is free software? |
4 |
|
- GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title> |
5 |
|
|
6 |
<meta http-equiv="Keywords" content="GNU, FSF, Free Software Foundation, Linux, Emacs, GCC, Unix, Free Software, Operating System, GNU Kernel, HURD, GNU HURD, Hurd" /> |
<meta http-equiv="Keywords" content="GNU, FSF, Free Software Foundation, Linux, Emacs, GCC, Unix, Free Software, Operating System, GNU Kernel, HURD, GNU HURD, Hurd" /> |
7 |
<meta http-equiv="Description" content="Since 1983, developing the free Unix style operating system GNU, so that computer users can have the freedom to share and improve the software they use." /> |
<meta http-equiv="Description" content="Since 1983, developing the free Unix style operating system GNU, so that computer users can have the freedom to share and improve the software they use." /> |
|
<link rel="alternate" title="What's New" href="http://www.gnu.org/rss/whatsnew.rss" type="application/rss+xml" /> |
|
|
<link rel="alternate" title="New Free Software" href="http://www.gnu.org/rss/quagga.rss" type="application/rss+xml" /> |
|
8 |
|
|
9 |
<!--#include virtual="/philosophy/po/free-sw.translist" --> |
<!--#include virtual="/philosophy/po/free-sw.translist" --> |
10 |
<!--#include virtual="/server/banner.html" --> |
<!--#include virtual="/server/banner.html" --> |
11 |
|
|
12 |
<h2>What is free software?</h2> |
<h2>What is free software?</h2> |
13 |
|
<!--#include virtual="/licenses/fsf-licensing.html" --> |
14 |
|
|
15 |
<h3>The Free Software Definition</h3> |
<h3>The Free Software Definition</h3> |
16 |
|
|
27 |
|
|
28 |
<p> |
<p> |
29 |
“Free software” means software that respects users' |
“Free software” means software that respects users' |
30 |
freedom and community. Roughly, <b>the users have the freedom to run, |
freedom and community. Roughly, it means that <b>the users have the |
31 |
copy, distribute, study, change and improve the software</b>. With these |
freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change and improve the |
32 |
freedoms, the users (both individually and collectively) control the |
software</b>. Thus, “free software” is a matter of |
33 |
program and what it does for them. |
liberty, not price. To understand the concept, you should think of |
34 |
|
“free” as in “free speech,” not as in |
35 |
|
“free beer”. We sometimes call it “libre |
36 |
|
software” to show we do not mean it is gratis. |
37 |
</p> |
</p> |
38 |
|
|
39 |
<p> |
<p> |
40 |
When users don't control the program, the program controls the users. |
We campaign for these freedoms because everyone deserves them. With |
41 |
The developer controls the program, and through it controls the users. |
these freedoms, the users (both individually and collectively) control |
42 |
This nonfree or “proprietary” program is therefore an |
the program and what it does for them. When users don't control the |
43 |
instrument of unjust power. |
program, we call it a “nonfree” or |
44 |
</p> |
“proprietary” program. The nonfree program controls the |
45 |
|
users, and the developer controls the program; this makes the |
46 |
<p> |
program <a href="/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html"> |
47 |
Thus, “free software” is a matter of liberty, not price. |
an instrument of unjust power</a>. |
|
To understand the concept, you should think of “free” as |
|
|
in “free speech,” not as in “free beer”. |
|
48 |
</p> |
</p> |
49 |
|
|
50 |
<p> |
<p> |
53 |
</p> |
</p> |
54 |
|
|
55 |
<ul> |
<ul> |
56 |
<li>The freedom to run the program, for any purpose (freedom 0).</li> |
<li>The freedom to run the program as you wish, |
57 |
|
for any purpose (freedom 0).</li> |
58 |
<li>The freedom to study how the program works, and change it so it |
<li>The freedom to study how the program works, and change it so it |
59 |
does your computing as you wish (freedom 1). Access to the source |
does your computing as you wish (freedom 1). Access to the source |
60 |
code is a precondition for this. |
code is a precondition for this. |
70 |
</ul> |
</ul> |
71 |
|
|
72 |
<p> |
<p> |
73 |
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 |
74 |
you should be free to redistribute copies, either with or without |
freedoms. Otherwise, it is nonfree. While we can distinguish various |
75 |
modifications, either gratis or charging a fee for distribution, to |
nonfree distribution schemes in terms of how far they fall short of |
76 |
|
being free, we consider them all equally unethical.</p> |
77 |
|
|
78 |
|
<p>The rest of this page clarifies certain points about what makes |
79 |
|
specific freedoms adequate or not.</p> |
80 |
|
|
81 |
|
<p>Freedom to distribute (freedoms 2 and 3) means you are free to |
82 |
|
redistribute copies, either with or without modifications, either |
83 |
|
gratis or charging a fee for distribution, to |
84 |
<a href="#exportcontrol">anyone anywhere</a>. Being free to do these |
<a href="#exportcontrol">anyone anywhere</a>. Being free to do these |
85 |
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 |
86 |
for permission to do so. |
for permission to do so. |
105 |
</p> |
</p> |
106 |
|
|
107 |
<p> |
<p> |
108 |
|
The freedom to run the program as you wish means that you are not |
109 |
|
forbidden or stopped from doing so. It has nothing to do with what |
110 |
|
functionality the program has, or whether it is useful for what you |
111 |
|
want to do.</p> |
112 |
|
|
113 |
|
<p> |
114 |
The freedom to redistribute copies must include binary or executable |
The freedom to redistribute copies must include binary or executable |
115 |
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 |
116 |
unmodified versions. (Distributing programs in runnable form is necessary |
unmodified versions. (Distributing programs in runnable form is necessary |
136 |
run someone else's modified versions but refuse to run yours — a |
run someone else's modified versions but refuse to run yours — a |
137 |
practice known as “tivoization” or “lockdown”, |
practice known as “tivoization” or “lockdown”, |
138 |
or (in its practitioners' perverse terminology) as “secure |
or (in its practitioners' perverse terminology) as “secure |
139 |
boot” — freedom 1 becomes a theoretical fiction rather |
boot” — freedom 1 becomes an empty pretense rather than a |
140 |
than a practical freedom. This is not sufficient. In other words, |
practical reality. These binaries are not free |
141 |
these binaries are not free software even if the source code they are |
software even if the source code they are compiled from is free. |
|
compiled from is free. |
|
142 |
</p> |
</p> |
143 |
|
|
144 |
<p> |
<p> |
169 |
<p> |
<p> |
170 |
However, certain kinds of rules about the manner of distributing free |
However, certain kinds of rules about the manner of distributing free |
171 |
software are acceptable, when they don't conflict with the central |
software are acceptable, when they don't conflict with the central |
172 |
freedoms. For example, copyleft (very simply stated) is the rule that |
freedoms. For example, <a href="/copyleft/copyleft.html">copyleft</a> |
173 |
when redistributing the program, you cannot add restrictions to deny |
(very simply stated) is the rule that when redistributing the program, |
174 |
other people the central freedoms. This rule does not conflict with |
you cannot add restrictions to deny other people the central freedoms. |
175 |
the central freedoms; rather it protects them. |
This rule does not conflict with the central freedoms; rather it |
176 |
|
protects them. |
177 |
|
</p> |
178 |
|
|
179 |
|
<p> |
180 |
|
In the GNU project, we use copyleft to protect the four freedoms |
181 |
|
legally for everyone. We believe there are important reasons why |
182 |
|
<a href="/philosophy/pragmatic.html">it is better to use |
183 |
|
copyleft</a>. However, |
184 |
|
<a href="/philosophy/categories.html#Non-CopyleftedFreeSoftware"> |
185 |
|
noncopylefted free software</a> is ethical |
186 |
|
too. See <a href="/philosophy/categories.html">Categories of Free |
187 |
|
Software</a> for a description of how “free software,” |
188 |
|
“copylefted software” and other categories of software |
189 |
|
relate to each other. |
190 |
</p> |
</p> |
191 |
|
|
192 |
<p> |
<p> |
240 |
alias for the modified version.</p> |
alias for the modified version.</p> |
241 |
|
|
242 |
<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> |
|
243 |
Sometimes government <a id="exportcontrol">export control regulations</a> |
Sometimes government <a id="exportcontrol">export control regulations</a> |
244 |
and trade sanctions can constrain your freedom to distribute copies of |
and trade sanctions can constrain your freedom to distribute copies of |
245 |
programs internationally. Software developers do not have the power to |
programs internationally. Software developers do not have the power to |
247 |
is refuse to impose them as conditions of use of the program. In this |
is refuse to impose them as conditions of use of the program. In this |
248 |
way, the restrictions will not affect activities and people outside the |
way, the restrictions will not affect activities and people outside the |
249 |
jurisdictions of these governments. Thus, free software licenses |
jurisdictions of these governments. Thus, free software licenses |
250 |
must not require obedience to any export regulations as a condition of |
must not require obedience to any nontrivial export regulations as a |
251 |
any of the essential freedoms. |
condition of exercising any of the essential freedoms. |
252 |
|
</p> |
253 |
|
|
254 |
|
<p> |
255 |
|
Merely mentioning the existence of export regulations, without making |
256 |
|
them a condition of the license itself, is acceptable since it does |
257 |
|
not restrict users. If an export regulation is actually trivial for |
258 |
|
free software, then requiring it as a condition is not an actual |
259 |
|
problem; however, it is a potential problem, since a later change in |
260 |
|
export law could make the requirement nontrivial and thus render the |
261 |
|
software nonfree. |
262 |
|
</p> |
263 |
|
|
264 |
|
<p> |
265 |
|
A free license may not require compliance with the license of a |
266 |
|
nonfree program. Thus, for instance, if a license requires you to |
267 |
|
comply with the licenses of “all the programs you use”, in |
268 |
|
the case of a user that runs nonfree programs this would require |
269 |
|
compliance with the licenses of those nonfree programs; that makes the |
270 |
|
license nonfree. |
271 |
|
</p> |
272 |
|
|
273 |
|
<p> |
274 |
|
It is acceptable for a free license to specify which jurisdiction's |
275 |
|
law applies, or where litigation must be done, or both. |
276 |
</p> |
</p> |
277 |
|
|
278 |
<p> |
<p> |
382 |
|
|
383 |
<ul> |
<ul> |
384 |
|
|
385 |
|
<li><a href="http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewvc/www/philosophy/free-sw.html?root=www&r1=1.134&r2=1.135">Version |
386 |
|
1.135</a>: Say each time that freedom 0 is the freedom to run the program |
387 |
|
as you wish.</li> |
388 |
|
|
389 |
|
<li><a href="http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewvc/www/philosophy/free-sw.html?root=www&r1=1.133&r2=1.134">Version |
390 |
|
1.134</a>: Freedom 0 is not a matter of the program's functionality.</li> |
391 |
|
|
392 |
|
<li><a href="http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewvc/www/philosophy/free-sw.html?root=www&r1=1.130&r2=1.131">Version |
393 |
|
1.131</a>: A free license may not require compliance with a nonfree license |
394 |
|
of another program.</li> |
395 |
|
|
396 |
|
<li><a href="http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewvc/www/philosophy/free-sw.html?root=www&r1=1.128&r2=1.129">Version |
397 |
|
1.129</a>: State explicitly that choice of law and choice of forum |
398 |
|
specifications are allowed. (This was always our policy.)</li> |
399 |
|
|
400 |
|
<li><a href="http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewvc/www/philosophy/free-sw.html?root=www&r1=1.121&r2=1.122">Version |
401 |
|
1.122</a>: An export control requirement is a real problem if the |
402 |
|
requirement is nontrivial; otherwise it is only a potential problem.</li> |
403 |
|
|
404 |
|
<li><a href="http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewvc/www/philosophy/free-sw.html?root=www&r1=1.117&r2=1.118">Version |
405 |
|
1.118</a>: Clarification: the issue is limits on your right to modify, |
406 |
|
not on what modifications you have made. And modifications are not limited |
407 |
|
to “improvements”</li> |
408 |
|
|
409 |
<li><a href="http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewvc/www/philosophy/free-sw.html?root=www&r1=1.110&r2=1.111">Version |
<li><a href="http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewvc/www/philosophy/free-sw.html?root=www&r1=1.110&r2=1.111">Version |
410 |
1.111</a>: Clarify 1.77 by saying that only |
1.111</a>: Clarify 1.77 by saying that only |
411 |
retroactive <em>restrictions</em> are unacceptable. The copyright |
retroactive <em>restrictions</em> are unacceptable. The copyright |
490 |
</ul> |
</ul> |
491 |
|
|
492 |
<p>There are gaps in the version numbers shown above because there are |
<p>There are gaps in the version numbers shown above because there are |
493 |
other changes in this page that do not affect the definition as such. |
other changes in this page that do not affect the definition or its |
494 |
These changes are in other parts of the page. You can review the |
interpretations. For instance, the list does not include changes in |
495 |
complete list of changes to the page through |
asides, formatting, spelling, punctuation, or other parts of the page. |
496 |
|
You can review the complete list of changes to the page through |
497 |
the <a href="http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewvc/www/philosophy/free-sw.html?root=www&view=log">cvsweb |
the <a href="http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewvc/www/philosophy/free-sw.html?root=www&view=log">cvsweb |
498 |
interface</a>.</p> |
interface</a>.</p> |
499 |
|
|
|
</div> |
|
500 |
|
|
501 |
|
</div><!-- for id="content", starts in the include above --> |
502 |
<!--#include virtual="/server/footer.html" --> |
<!--#include virtual="/server/footer.html" --> |
|
|
|
503 |
<div id="footer"> |
<div id="footer"> |
504 |
|
<div class="unprintable"> |
505 |
|
|
506 |
<p> |
<p>Please send general FSF & GNU inquiries to |
|
Please send FSF & GNU inquiries to |
|
507 |
<a href="mailto:gnu@gnu.org"><gnu@gnu.org></a>. |
<a href="mailto:gnu@gnu.org"><gnu@gnu.org></a>. |
508 |
There are also <a href="/contact/">other ways to contact</a> |
There are also <a href="/contact/">other ways to contact</a> |
509 |
the FSF. |
the FSF. Broken links and other corrections or suggestions can be sent |
510 |
<br /> |
to <a href="mailto:webmasters@gnu.org"><webmasters@gnu.org></a>.</p> |
511 |
Please send broken links and other corrections or suggestions to |
|
512 |
<a href="mailto:webmasters@gnu.org"><webmasters@gnu.org></a>. |
<p><!-- TRANSLATORS: Ignore the original text in this paragraph, |
513 |
</p> |
replace it with the translation of these two: |
514 |
|
|
515 |
|
We work hard and do our best to provide accurate, good quality |
516 |
|
translations. However, we are not exempt from imperfection. |
517 |
|
Please send your comments and general suggestions in this regard |
518 |
|
to <a href="mailto:web-translators@gnu.org"> |
519 |
|
<web-translators@gnu.org></a>.</p> |
520 |
|
|
521 |
|
<p>For information on coordinating and submitting translations of |
522 |
|
our web pages, see <a |
523 |
|
href="/server/standards/README.translations.html">Translations |
524 |
|
README</a>. --> |
525 |
|
Please see the <a |
526 |
|
href="/server/standards/README.translations.html">Translations |
527 |
|
README</a> for information on coordinating and submitting translations |
528 |
|
of this article.</p> |
529 |
|
</div> |
530 |
|
|
531 |
<p> |
<!-- Regarding copyright, in general, standalone pages (as opposed to |
532 |
Please see the |
files generated as part of manuals) on the GNU web server should |
533 |
<a href="/server/standards/README.translations.html">Translations |
be under CC BY-ND 3.0 US. Please do NOT change or remove this |
534 |
README</a> for information on coordinating and submitting |
without talking with the webmasters or licensing team first. |
535 |
translations of this article. |
Please make sure the copyright date is consistent with the |
536 |
</p> |
document. For web pages, it is ok to list just the latest year the |
537 |
|
document was modified, or published. |
538 |
|
|
539 |
|
If you wish to list earlier years, that is ok too. |
540 |
|
Either "2001, 2002, 2003" or "2001-2003" are ok for specifying |
541 |
|
years, as long as each year in the range is in fact a copyrightable |
542 |
|
year, i.e., a year in which the document was published (including |
543 |
|
being publicly visible on the web or in a revision control system). |
544 |
|
|
545 |
|
There is more detail about copyright years in the GNU Maintainers |
546 |
|
Information document, www.gnu.org/prep/maintain. --> |
547 |
|
|
548 |
|
<p>Copyright © 1996-2002, 2004-2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015 |
549 |
|
Free Software Foundation, Inc.</p> |
550 |
|
|
|
<p> |
|
|
Copyright © 1996-2002, 2004-2007, 2009, 2010, 2012 Free Software |
|
|
Foundation, Inc. |
|
|
</p> |
|
551 |
<p>This page is licensed under a <a rel="license" |
<p>This page is licensed under a <a rel="license" |
552 |
href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/us/">Creative |
href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/us/">Creative |
553 |
Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License</a>. |
Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License</a>.</p> |
|
</p> |
|
554 |
|
|
555 |
<!--#include virtual="/server/bottom-notes.html" --> |
<!--#include virtual="/server/bottom-notes.html" --> |
556 |
|
|
557 |
<p>Updated: |
<p class="unprintable">Updated: |
558 |
<!-- timestamp start --> |
<!-- timestamp start --> |
559 |
$Date$ |
$Date$ |
560 |
<!-- timestamp end --> |
<!-- timestamp end --> |
561 |
</p> |
</p> |
562 |
</div> |
</div> |
|
|
|
|
|
|
563 |
</div> |
</div> |
|
|
|
564 |
</body> |
</body> |
565 |
</html> |
</html> |