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revision 1.159 by th_g, Mon Apr 23 17:57:32 2018 UTC revision 1.164 by gnun, Wed Mar 20 10:56:16 2019 UTC
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1  <!--#include virtual="/server/header.html" -->  <!--#include virtual="/server/header.html" -->
2  <!-- Parent-Version: 1.85 -->  <!-- Parent-Version: 1.86 -->
3  <title>What is free software?  <title>What is free software?
4  - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title>  - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title>
5    <style type="text/css" media="print,screen"><!--
6    .note { margin-left: 6%; margin-right: 6%; }
7    @media (min-width: 48em) {
8       .note { margin-top: .8em; }
9    }
10    --></style>
11  <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" />
12  <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." />
13    
# Line 11  Line 16 
16    
17  <h2>What is free software?</h2>  <h2>What is free software?</h2>
18    
19    <div class="article">
20    <h3>The Free Software Definition</h3>
21    
22  <blockquote class="note" id="fsf-licensing"><p style="font-size: 80%">  <blockquote class="note" id="fsf-licensing"><p style="font-size: 80%">
23  Have a question about free software licensing not answered here?  Have a question about free software licensing not answered here?
24  See our other <a href="http://www.fsf.org/licensing">licensing resources</a>,  See our other <a href="http://www.fsf.org/licensing">licensing resources</a>,
# Line 18  and if necessary contact the FSF Complia Line 26  and if necessary contact the FSF Complia
26  at <a href="mailto:licensing@fsf.org">licensing@fsf.org</a>.</p>  at <a href="mailto:licensing@fsf.org">licensing@fsf.org</a>.</p>
27  </blockquote>  </blockquote>
28    
29  <h3>The Free Software Definition</h3>  <div class="comment">
   
 <blockquote>  
30  <p>  <p>
31  The free software definition presents the criteria for whether a  The free software definition presents the criteria for whether a
32  particular software program qualifies as free software.  From time to  particular software program qualifies as free software.  From time to
# Line 38  in fact free.  We explain the Line 44  in fact free.  We explain the
44  difference in <a href="/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html">  difference in <a href="/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html">
45  Why &ldquo;Open Source&rdquo; misses the point of Free Software</a>.  Why &ldquo;Open Source&rdquo; misses the point of Free Software</a>.
46  </p>  </p>
47  </blockquote>  </div>
48    
49  <p>  <p>
50  &ldquo;Free software&rdquo; means software that respects users'  &ldquo;Free software&rdquo; means software that respects users'
# Line 71  A program is free software if the progra Line 77  A program is free software if the progra
77  four essential freedoms: <a href="#f1">[1]</a>  four essential freedoms: <a href="#f1">[1]</a>
78  </p>  </p>
79    
80  <ul>  <ul class="important">
81    <li>The freedom to run the program as you wish,    <li>The freedom to run the program as you wish,
82        for any purpose (freedom 0).</li>        for any purpose (freedom 0).</li>
83    <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
# Line 113  you always have the freedom to copy and Line 119  you always have the freedom to copy and
119  <a href="/philosophy/selling.html">sell copies</a>.  <a href="/philosophy/selling.html">sell copies</a>.
120  </p>  </p>
121    
122    <p>
123    A free program must offer the four freedoms to any user that obtains a
124    copy of the software, provided the user has complied thus far with the
125    conditions of the free license covering the software.  Putting some of
126    the freedoms off limits to some users, or requiring that users pay, in
127    money or in kind, to exercise them, is tantamount to not granting the
128    freedoms in question, and thus renders the program nonfree.
129    </p>
130    
131  <p>The rest of this page clarifies certain points about what makes  <p>The rest of this page clarifies certain points about what makes
132  specific freedoms adequate or not.</p>  specific freedoms adequate or not.</p>
133    
# Line 423  it refers to freedom rather than price, Line 438  it refers to freedom rather than price,
438  word &ldquo;open&rdquo; <a href="/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html">  word &ldquo;open&rdquo; <a href="/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html">
439  never refers to freedom</a>.  never refers to freedom</a>.
440  </p>  </p>
441    </div>
442    
443  <h3 id="History">History</h3>  <h3 id="History">History</h3>
444    
# Line 432  was changed.</p> Line 448  was changed.</p>
448    
449  <ul>  <ul>
450    
451    <li><a href="http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewvc/www/philosophy/free-sw.html?root=www&amp;r1=1.162&amp;r2=1.163">Version
452    1.163</a>: Clarify that the four freedoms apply to any and all users,
453    and that requiring users to pay to exercise some of these freedoms is
454    a way of denying them.</li>
455    
456  <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  <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
457  1.153</a>: Clarify that freedom to run the program means nothing stops  1.153</a>: Clarify that freedom to run the program means nothing stops
458  you from making it run.</li>  you from making it run.</li>
# Line 610  of this article.</p> Line 631  of this article.</p>
631       There is more detail about copyright years in the GNU Maintainers       There is more detail about copyright years in the GNU Maintainers
632       Information document, www.gnu.org/prep/maintain. -->       Information document, www.gnu.org/prep/maintain. -->
633    
634  <p>Copyright &copy; 1996, 2002, 2004-2007, 2009-2018  <p>Copyright &copy; 1996, 2002, 2004-2007, 2009-2019
635  Free Software Foundation, Inc.</p>  Free Software Foundation, Inc.</p>
636    
637  <p>This page is licensed under a <a rel="license"  <p>This page is licensed under a <a rel="license"
# Line 625  $Date$ Line 646  $Date$
646  <!-- timestamp end -->  <!-- timestamp end -->
647  </p>  </p>
648  </div>  </div>
649  </div>  </div><!-- for class="inner", starts in the banner include -->
650  </body>  </body>
651  </html>  </html>
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