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<link rel="alternate" title="What's New" href="http://www.gnu.org/rss/whatsnew.rss" type="application/rss+xml" /> |
<link rel="alternate" title="What's New" href="http://www.gnu.org/rss/whatsnew.rss" type="application/rss+xml" /> |
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<link rel="alternate" title="New Free Software" href="http://www.gnu.org/rss/quagga.rss" type="application/rss+xml" /> |
<link rel="alternate" title="New Free Software" href="http://www.gnu.org/rss/quagga.rss" type="application/rss+xml" /> |
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<h2>What is free software?</h2> |
<h2>What is free software?</h2> |
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“Free software” means software that respects users' |
“Free software” means software that respects users' |
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freedom and community. Roughly, the users have the freedom to run, |
freedom and community. Roughly, <b>the users have the freedom to run, |
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copy, distribute, study, change and improve the software. With these |
copy, distribute, study, change and improve the software</b>. With these |
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freedoms, the users (both individually and collectively) control the |
freedoms, the users (both individually and collectively) control the |
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program and what it does for them. |
program and what it does for them. |
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<p> |
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In order for freedoms 1 and 3 (the freedom to make changes and the |
In order for freedoms 1 and 3 (the freedom to make changes and the |
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freedom to publish improved versions) to be meaningful, you must have |
freedom to publish the changed versions) to be meaningful, you must have |
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access to the source code of the program. Therefore, accessibility of |
access to the source code of the program. Therefore, accessibility of |
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source code is a necessary condition for free software. Obfuscated |
source code is a necessary condition for free software. Obfuscated |
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“source code” is not real source code and does not count |
“source code” is not real source code and does not count |
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Whether a change constitutes an improvement is a subjective matter. |
Whether a change constitutes an improvement is a subjective matter. |
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If your modifications are limited, in substance, to changes that |
If your right to modify a program is limited, in substance, to changes that |
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someone else considers an improvement, that is not freedom. |
someone else considers an improvement, that program is not free. |
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<p> |
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</p> |
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A special issue arises when a license requires changing the name by |
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which the program will be invoked from other programs. That |
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effectively hampers you from releasing your changed version so that it |
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can replace the original when invoked by those other programs. This |
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sort of requirement is acceptable only if there's a suitable aliasing |
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facility that allows you to specify the original program's name as an |
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alias for the modified version.</p> |
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Rules that “if you make your version available in this way, you |
Rules that “if you make your version available in this way, you |
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must make it available in that way also” can be acceptable too, |
must make it available in that way also” can be acceptable too, |
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on the same condition. An example of such an acceptable rule is one |
on the same condition. An example of such an acceptable rule is one |
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</p> |
</p> |
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<p> |
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A special issue arises when a license requires changing the name by |
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which the program will be invoked from other programs. That |
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effectively hampers you from releasing your changed version so that it |
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can replace the original when invoked by those other programs. This |
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sort of requirement is acceptable only if there's a suitable aliasing |
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facility that allows you to specify the original program's name as an |
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alias for the modified version.</p> |
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<p> |
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In the GNU project, we use |
In the GNU project, we use |
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<a href="/copyleft/copyleft.html">copyleft</a> |
<a href="/copyleft/copyleft.html">copyleft</a> |
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to protect these freedoms legally for everyone. But |
to protect these freedoms legally for everyone. But |
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and avoid various practical problems. |
and avoid various practical problems. |
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</p> |
</p> |
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<h2 id="beyond-software">Beyond Software</h2> |
<h3 id="beyond-software">Beyond Software</h3> |
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<p> |
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<a href="/philosophy/free-doc.html">Software manuals must be free</a>, |
<a href="/philosophy/free-doc.html">Software manuals must be free</a>, |
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free cultural works</a> applicable to any kind of works. |
free cultural works</a> applicable to any kind of works. |
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</p> |
</p> |
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<h2 id="open-source">Open Source?</h2> |
<h3 id="open-source">Open Source?</h3> |
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<p> |
<p> |
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Another group has started using the term “open source” to mean |
Another group has started using the term “open source” to mean |
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never refers to freedom</a>. |
never refers to freedom</a>. |
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<h2 id="History">History</h2> |
<h3 id="History">History</h3> |
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<p>From time to time we revise this Free Software Definition. Here is |
<p>From time to time we revise this Free Software Definition. Here is |
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the list of changes, along with links to show exactly what was |
the list of substantive changes, along with links to show exactly what |
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changed.</p> |
was changed.</p> |
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<ul> |
<ul> |
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</p> |
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<p> |
<p> |
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Copyright © 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, |
Copyright © 1996-2002, 2004-2007, 2009, 2010, 2012 Free Software |
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2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010 Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
Foundation, Inc. |
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</p> |
</p> |
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<p>This page is licensed under a <a rel="license" |
<p>This page is licensed under a <a rel="license" |
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href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/us/">Creative |
href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/us/">Creative |
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Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License</a>. |
Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License</a>. |
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</p> |
</p> |
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<p> |
<!--#include virtual="/server/bottom-notes.html" --> |
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Updated: |
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<p>Updated: |
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<!-- timestamp start --> |
<!-- timestamp start --> |
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$Date$ |
$Date$ |
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<!-- timestamp end --> |
<!-- timestamp end --> |
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</p> |
</p> |
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</div> |
</div> |
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