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-revision 1.140 by gnun,
Tue Feb 17 23:25:16 2015 UTC
+revision 1.156 by gnun,
Mon Jan  1 06:22:02 2018 UTC
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  <!--#include virtual="/server/header.html" -->
- <!-- Parent-Version: 1.77 -->
+ <!-- Parent-Version: 1.84 -->
  <title>What is free software?
  - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title>
 Line 10
  <!--#include virtual="/server/banner.html" -->
  <h2>What is free software?</h2>
- <!--#include virtual="/licenses/fsf-licensing.html" -->
+ <blockquote class="note" id="fsf-licensing"><p style="font-size: 80%">
+ Have a question about free software licensing not answered here?
+ See our other <a href="http://www.fsf.org/licensing">licensing resources</a>,
+ and if necessary contact the FSF Compliance Lab
+ at <a href="mailto:licensing@fsf.org">licensing@fsf.org</a>.</p>
+ </blockquote>
  <h3>The Free Software Definition</h3>
-Line 33 
 software</b>.  Thus, &ldquo;free softwar
+Line 39 
 software</b>.  Thus, &ldquo;free softwar
  liberty, not price.  To understand the concept, you should think of
  &ldquo;free&rdquo; as in &ldquo;free speech,&rdquo; not as in
  &ldquo;free beer&rdquo;.  We sometimes call it &ldquo;libre
- software&rdquo; to show we do not mean it is gratis.
+ software,&rdquo; borrowing the French or Spanish word for
+ &ldquo;free&rdquo; as in freedom, to show we do not mean the software
+ is gratis.
  </p>
  <p>
-Line 47 
 program <a href="/philosophy/free-softwa
+Line 55 
 program <a href="/philosophy/free-softwa
  an instrument of unjust power</a>.
  </p>
+ <h4> The four essential freedoms</h4>
  <p>
  A program is free software if the program's users have the
  four essential freedoms:
-Line 75 
 freedoms.  Otherwise, it is nonfree.  Wh
+Line 85 
 freedoms.  Otherwise, it is nonfree.  Wh
  nonfree distribution schemes in terms of how far they fall short of
  being free, we consider them all equally unethical.</p>
- <p>The rest of this page clarifies certain points about what makes
+ <p>In any given scenario, these freedoms must apply to whatever code
- specific freedoms adequate or not.</p>
+ we plan to make use of, or lead others to make use of.  For instance,
+ consider a program A which automatically launches a program B to
- <p>Freedom to distribute (freedoms 2 and 3) means you are free to
+ handle some cases.  If we plan to distribute A as it stands, that
- redistribute copies, either with or without modifications, either
+ implies users will need B, so we need to judge whether both A and B
- gratis or charging a fee for distribution, to
+ are free.  However, if we plan to modify A so that it doesn't use B,
- <a href="#exportcontrol">anyone anywhere</a>.  Being free to do these
+ only A needs to be free; B is not pertinent to that plan.</p>
- things means (among other things) that you do not have to ask or pay
- for permission to do so.
- </p>
  <p>
- You should also have the freedom to make modifications and use them
+ &ldquo;Free software&rdquo; does not mean &ldquo;noncommercial&rdquo;.  A free
- privately in your own work or play, without even mentioning that they
+ program must be available for commercial use, commercial development,
- exist.  If you do publish your changes, you should not be required to
+ and commercial distribution.  Commercial development of free software
- notify anyone in particular, or in any particular way.
+ is no longer unusual; such free commercial software is very important.
+ You may have paid money to get copies of free software, or you may have
+ obtained copies at no charge.  But regardless of how you got your copies,
+ you always have the freedom to copy and change the software, even to
+ <a href="/philosophy/selling.html">sell copies</a>.
  </p>
+ <p>The rest of this page clarifies certain points about what makes
+ specific freedoms adequate or not.</p>
+ <h4>The freedom to run the program as you wish</h4>
  <p>
  The freedom to run the program means the freedom for any kind of person
  or organization to use it on any kind of computer system, for any kind of
-Line 106 
 for her purposes, but you are not entitl
+Line 122 
 for her purposes, but you are not entitl
  <p>
  The freedom to run the program as you wish means that you are not
- forbidden or stopped from doing so.  It has nothing to do with what
+ forbidden or stopped from making it run.  This has nothing to do with what
- functionality the program has, or whether it is useful for what you
+ functionality the program has, whether it is technically capable of
- want to do.</p>
+ functioning in any given environment, or whether it is useful for any
+ particular computing activity.</p>
- <p>
+ <h4>The freedom to study the source code and make changes</h4>
- The freedom to redistribute copies must include binary or executable
- forms of the program, as well as source code, for both modified and
- unmodified versions.  (Distributing programs in runnable form is necessary
- for conveniently installable free operating systems.)  It is OK if there
- is no way to produce a binary or executable form for a certain program
- (since some languages don't support that feature), but you must have the
- freedom to redistribute such forms should you find or develop a way to
- make them.
- </p>
  <p>
  In order for freedoms 1 and 3 (the freedom to make changes and the
-Line 150 
 license is too restrictive to qualify as
+Line 158 
 license is too restrictive to qualify as
  </p>
  <p>
+ Whether a change constitutes an improvement is a subjective matter.
+ If your right to modify a program is limited, in substance, to changes that
+ someone else considers an improvement, that program is not free.
+ </p>
+ <h4>The freedom to redistribute if you wish: basic requirements</h4>
+ <p>Freedom to distribute (freedoms 2 and 3) means you are free to
+ redistribute copies, either with or without modifications, either
+ gratis or charging a fee for distribution, to
+ <a href="#exportcontrol">anyone anywhere</a>.  Being free to do these
+ things means (among other things) that you do not have to ask or pay
+ for permission to do so.
+ </p>
+ <p>
+ You should also have the freedom to make modifications and use them
+ privately in your own work or play, without even mentioning that they
+ exist.  If you do publish your changes, you should not be required to
+ notify anyone in particular, or in any particular way.
+ </p>
+ <p>
  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
-Line 159 
 as a free license.
+Line 190 
 as a free license.
  </p>
  <p>
- In order for these freedoms to be real, they must be permanent and
+ The freedom to redistribute copies must include binary or executable
- irrevocable as long as you do nothing wrong; if the developer of the
+ forms of the program, as well as source code, for both modified and
- software has the power to revoke the license, or retroactively add
+ unmodified versions.  (Distributing programs in runnable form is necessary
- restrictions to its terms, without your doing anything wrong to give
+ for conveniently installable free operating systems.)  It is OK if there
- cause, the software is not free.
+ is no way to produce a binary or executable form for a certain program
+ (since some languages don't support that feature), but you must have the
+ freedom to redistribute such forms should you find or develop a way to
+ make them.
  </p>
+ <h4>Copyleft</h4>
  <p>
- However, certain kinds of rules about the manner of distributing free
+ Certain kinds of rules about the manner of distributing free
  software are acceptable, when they don't conflict with the central
  freedoms.  For example, <a href="/copyleft/copyleft.html">copyleft</a>
  (very simply stated) is the rule that when redistributing the program,
-Line 189 
 Software</a> for a description of how &l
+Line 225 
 Software</a> for a description of how &l
  relate to each other.
  </p>
- <p>
+ <h4>Rules about packaging and distribution details</h4>
- &ldquo;Free software&rdquo; does not mean &ldquo;noncommercial&rdquo;.  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.
- You may have paid money to get copies of free software, or you may have
- obtained copies at no charge.  But regardless of how you got your copies,
- you always have the freedom to copy and change the software, even to
- <a href="/philosophy/selling.html">sell copies</a>.
- </p>
  <p>
- Whether a change constitutes an improvement is a subjective matter.
+ Rules about how to package a modified version are acceptable,
- If your right to modify a program is limited, in substance, to changes that
- someone else considers an improvement, that program is not free.
- </p>
- <p>
- 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
-Line 239 
 sort of requirement is acceptable only i
+Line 260 
 sort of requirement is acceptable only i
  facility that allows you to specify the original program's name as an
  alias for the modified version.</p>
+ <h4>Export regulations</h4>
  <p>
  Sometimes government <a id="exportcontrol">export control regulations</a>
  and trade sanctions can constrain your freedom to distribute copies of
-Line 261 
 export law could make the requirement no
+Line 284 
 export law could make the requirement no
  software nonfree.
  </p>
+ <h4>Legal considerations</h4>
+ <p>
+ 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 add
+ restrictions to its terms, without your doing anything wrong to give
+ cause, the software is not free.
+ </p>
  <p>
  A free license may not require compliance with the license of a
  nonfree program.  Thus, for instance, if a license requires you to
-Line 275 
 It is acceptable for a free license to s
+Line 308 
 It is acceptable for a free license to s
  law applies, or where litigation must be done, or both.
  </p>
+ <h4>Contract-based licenses</h4>
  <p>
  Most free software licenses are based on copyright, and there are limits
  on what kinds of requirements can be imposed through copyright.  If a
-Line 294 
 legitimate, we will have to think about
+Line 329 
 legitimate, we will have to think about
  it is nonfree.
  </p>
+ <h4>Use the right words when talking about free software</h4>
  <p>
  When talking about free software, it is best to avoid using terms
  like &ldquo;give away&rdquo; or &ldquo;for free,&rdquo; because those terms imply that
-Line 305 
 a list of proper <a href="/philosophy/fs
+Line 342 
 a list of proper <a href="/philosophy/fs
  &ldquo;free software&rdquo;</a> into various languages.
  </p>
+ <h4>How we interpret these criteria</h4>
  <p>
  Finally, note that criteria such as those stated in this free software
  definition require careful thought for their interpretation.  To decide
-Line 319 
 a conclusion about a new issue, we often
+Line 358 
 a conclusion about a new issue, we often
  it easier to see why certain licenses do or don't qualify.
  </p>
+ <h4>Get help with free licenses</h4>
  <p>
  If you are interested in whether a specific license qualifies as a free
  software license, see our <a href="/licenses/license-list.html">list
-Line 366 
 free cultural works</a> applicable to an
+Line 407 
 free cultural works</a> applicable to an
  <h3 id="open-source">Open Source?</h3>
  <p>
- Another group has started using the term &ldquo;open source&rdquo; to mean
+ Another group uses the term &ldquo;open source&rdquo; to mean
  something close (but not identical) to &ldquo;free software&rdquo;.  We
  prefer the term &ldquo;free software&rdquo; because, once you have heard that
  it refers to freedom rather than price, it calls to mind freedom.  The
-Line 382 
 was changed.</p>
+Line 423 
 was changed.</p>
  <ul>
+ <li><a href="http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewvc/www/philosophy/free-sw.html?root=www&amp;r1=1.152&amp;r2=1.153">Version
+.153</a>: Clarify that freedom to run the program means nothing stops
+ you from making it run.</li>
+ <li><a href="http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewvc/www/philosophy/free-sw.html?root=www&amp;r1=1.140&amp;r2=1.141">Version
+.141</a>: Clarify which code needs to be free.</li>
  <li><a href="http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewvc/www/philosophy/free-sw.html?root=www&amp;r1=1.134&amp;r2=1.135">Version
 .135</a>: Say each time that freedom 0 is the freedom to run the program
  as you wish.</li>
-Line 485 
 licenses.</li>
+Line 533 
 licenses.</li>
  <li><a href="http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewvc/www/philosophy/free-sw.html?root=www&amp;r1=1.10&amp;r2=1.11">Version
 .11</a>: Note that a free license may require you to send a copy of
- versions you distribute to the author.</li>
+ versions you distribute to previous developers on request.</li>
  </ul>
-Line 530 
 of this article.</p>
+Line 578 
 of this article.</p>
  <!-- Regarding copyright, in general, standalone pages (as opposed to
       files generated as part of manuals) on the GNU web server should
-      be under CC BY-ND 3.0 US.  Please do NOT change or remove this
+      be under CC BY-ND 4.0.  Please do NOT change or remove this
       without talking with the webmasters or licensing team first.
       Please make sure the copyright date is consistent with the
       document.  For web pages, it is ok to list just the latest year the
-Line 545 
 of this article.</p>
+Line 593 
 of this article.</p>
       There is more detail about copyright years in the GNU Maintainers
       Information document, www.gnu.org/prep/maintain. -->
- <p>Copyright &copy; 1996-2002, 2004-2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015
+ <p>Copyright &copy; 1996, 2002, 2004-2007, 2009-2018
  Free Software Foundation, Inc.</p>
  <p>This page is licensed under a <a rel="license"
- href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/us/">Creative
+ href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">Creative
- Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License</a>.</p>
+ Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.</p>
  <!--#include virtual="/server/bottom-notes.html" -->

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