++ ++The free software definition presents the criteria for whether a +particular software program qualifies as free software. From time to +time we revise this definition, to clarify it or to resolve questions +about subtle issues. See the History section +below for a list of changes that affect the definition of free +software. +
+
+“Free software” means software that respects users' +freedom and community. Roughly, the users have the freedom to run, +copy, distribute, study, change and improve the software. With these +freedoms, the users (both individually and collectively) control the +program and what it does for them. +
-We maintain this free software definition to show clearly what must be -true about a particular software program for it to be considered free -software. From time to time we revise this definition to clarify it. -If you would like to review the changes we've made, please see -the History section below for more information. +When users don't control the program, the program controls the users. +The developer controls the program, and through it controls the users. +This nonfree or “proprietary” program is therefore an +instrument of unjust power.
-Free software
is a matter of liberty, not price. To understand
-the concept, you should think of free
as in free speech,
-not as in free beer.
+Thus, “free software” is a matter of liberty, not price.
+To understand the concept, you should think of “free” as
+in “free speech,” not as in “free beer”.
-Free software is a matter of the users' freedom to run, copy, distribute, -study, change and improve the software. More precisely, it means that the -program's users have the four essential freedoms: +A program is free software if the program's users have the +four essential freedoms:
In order for freedoms 1 and 3 (the freedom to make changes and the -freedom to publish improved versions) to be meaningful, you must have +freedom to publish the changed versions) to be meaningful, you must have access to the source code of the program. Therefore, accessibility of -source code is a necessary condition for free software. +source code is a necessary condition for free software. Obfuscated +“source code” is not real source code and does not count +as source code.
Freedom 1 includes the freedom to use your changed version in place of the original. If the program is delivered in a product designed to -run someone else's modified versions but refuse to run yours — -a practice known as “tivoization” or (through -blacklisting) as “secure boot” — freedom 1 becomes a -theoretical fiction rather than a practical freedom. This is not -sufficient. In other words, these binaries are not free software -even if the source code they are compiled from is free. +run someone else's modified versions but refuse to run yours — a +practice known as “tivoization” or “lockdown”, +or (in its practitioners' perverse terminology) as “secure +boot” — freedom 1 becomes a theoretical fiction rather +than a practical freedom. This is not sufficient. In other words, +these binaries are not free software even if the source code they are +compiled from is free.
@@ -112,7 +136,7 @@
-Freedom 3 includes the freedom to use release your modified versions +Freedom 3 includes the freedom to release your modified versions as free software. A free license may also permit other ways of releasing them; in other words, it does not have to be a copyleft license. However, a @@ -123,9 +147,9 @@
In order for these freedoms to be real, they must be permanent and irrevocable as long as you do nothing wrong; if the developer of the -software has the power to revoke the license, or retroactively change -its terms, without your doing anything wrong to give cause, the -software is not free. +software has the power to revoke the license, or retroactively add +restrictions to its terms, without your doing anything wrong to give +cause, the software is not free.
@@ -138,7 +162,7 @@
-Free software
does not mean noncommercial.
A free
+“Free software” does not mean “noncommercial”. A free
program must be available for commercial use, commercial development,
and commercial distribution. Commercial development of free software
is no longer unusual; such free commercial software is very important.
@@ -150,40 +174,52 @@
Whether a change constitutes an improvement is a subjective matter. -If your modifications are limited, in substance, to changes that -someone else considers an improvement, that is not freedom. +If your right to modify a program is limited, in substance, to changes that +someone else considers an improvement, that program is not free.
-However, rules about how to package a modified version are acceptable, if they
-don't substantively limit your freedom to release modified versions, or
-your freedom to make and use modified versions privately. Rules that if
-you make your version available in this way, you must make it available in
-that way also
can be acceptable too, on the same condition. (Note that
-such a rule still leaves you the choice of whether to publish your version
-at all.) Rules that require release of source code to the users for
-versions that you put into public use are also acceptable. It is also
-acceptable for the license to require that you identify
-your modifications as yours, or that, if you have distributed a modified
-version and a previous developer asks for a copy of it, you must send
-one.
+However, rules about how to package a modified version are acceptable,
+if they don't substantively limit your freedom to release modified
+versions, or your freedom to make and use modified versions privately.
+Thus, it is acceptable for the license to require that you change the
+name of the modified version, remove a logo, or identify your
+modifications as yours. As long as these requirements are not so
+burdensome that they effectively hamper you from releasing your
+changes, they are acceptable; you're already making other changes to
+the program, so you won't have trouble making a few more.
+Rules that “if you make your version available in this way, you +must make it available in that way also” can be acceptable too, +on the same condition. An example of such an acceptable rule is one +saying that if you have distributed a +modified version and a previous developer asks for a copy of it, you +must send one. (Note that such a rule still leaves you the choice of +whether to distribute your version at all.) Rules that require release +of source code to the users for versions that you put into public use +are also acceptable. +
+ ++A special issue arises when a license requires changing the name by +which the program will be invoked from other programs. That +effectively hampers you from releasing your changed version so that it +can replace the original when invoked by those other programs. This +sort of requirement is acceptable only if there's a suitable aliasing +facility that allows you to specify the original program's name as an +alias for the modified version.
+ +
In the GNU project, we use
-copyleft
+copyleft
to protect these freedoms legally for everyone. But
-non-copylefted
+noncopylefted
free software also exists. We believe there are important reasons why
it is better to use copyleft,
-but if your program is non-copylefted free software, it is still basically
-ethical.
-
-See Categories of Free Software
-for a description of how free software,
copylefted software
-and other categories of software relate to each other.
+but if your program is noncopylefted free software, it is still basically
+ethical. (See Categories of Free Software for a description of how “free software,” “copylefted software” and other categories of software relate to each other.)
@@ -194,8 +230,18 @@ is refuse to impose them as conditions of use of the program. In this way, the restrictions will not affect activities and people outside the jurisdictions of these governments. Thus, free software licenses -must not require obedience to any export regulations as a condition of -any of the essential freedoms. +must not require obedience to any nontrivial export regulations as a +condition of exercising any of the essential freedoms. +
+ ++Merely mentioning the existence of export regulations, without making +them a condition of the license itself, is acceptable since it does +not restrict users. If an export regulation is actually trivial for +free software, then requiring it as a condition is not an actual +problem; however, it is a potential problem, since a later change in +export law could make the requirement nontrivial and thus render the +software nonfree.
@@ -219,13 +265,13 @@
When talking about free software, it is best to avoid using terms
-like give away
or for free,
because those terms imply that
+like “give away” or “for free,” because those terms imply that
the issue is about price, not freedom. Some common terms such
-as piracy
embody opinions we hope you won't endorse. See
+as “piracy” embody opinions we hope you won't endorse. See
Confusing Words and Phrases that
are Worth Avoiding for a discussion of these terms. We also have
a list of proper translations of
-free software
into various languages.
+“free software” into various languages.
@@ -264,7 +310,7 @@ and avoid various practical problems.
-Software manuals must be free, @@ -276,7 +322,7 @@ The same arguments also make sense for other kinds of works of practical use — that is to say, works that embody useful knowledge, such as educational works and reference -works. Wikipedia is the best known +works. Wikipedia is the best-known example.
@@ -286,31 +332,52 @@ free cultural works applicable to any kind of works. -
-Another group has started using the term open source
to mean
-something close (but not identical) to free software.
We
-prefer the term free software
because, once you have heard that
+Another group has started using the term “open source” to mean
+something close (but not identical) to “free software”. We
+prefer the term “free software” because, once you have heard that
it refers to freedom rather than price, it calls to mind freedom. The
-word open
+word “open”
never refers to freedom.
From time to time we revise this Free Software Definition to -clarify it. Here we provide a list of those modifications, along with -links to illustrate exactly what changed, so that others can review -them if they like.
+From time to time we revise this Free Software Definition. Here is +the list of substantive changes, along with links to show exactly what +was changed.
There are gaps in the version numbers because there are many other
-changes that do not affect the substance of the definition at all.
-Instead, they fix links, add translations, and so on. If you would
-like to review the complete list of changes, you can do so on
-our cvsweb
+ There are gaps in the version numbers shown above because there are
+other changes in this page that do not affect the definition as such.
+These changes are in other parts of the page. You can review the
+complete list of changes to the page through
+the cvsweb
interface.Translations of this page
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