-The Free Software Definition - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation (FSF) -

-One important way to modify a program is by merging in available -free subroutines and modules. If the program's license says that you -cannot merge in an existing module, such as if it requires you to be the -copyright holder of any code you add, then the license is too restrictive -to qualify as free. +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 become a +theoretical fiction rather than a practical freedom. This is not +sufficient.

-In order for these freedoms to be real, they must be irrevocable as -long as you do nothing wrong; if the developer of the software has the -power to revoke the license, without your doing anything to give cause, -the software is not free. +One important way to modify a program is by merging in available free +subroutines and modules. If the program's license says that you +cannot merge in a suitably-licensed existing module, such as if it +requires you to be the copyright holder of any code you add, then the +license is too restrictive to qualify as free. +

+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.

+Free software does not mean non-commercial. 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 @@ -149,15 +139,14 @@

-Free software does not mean non-commercial. 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. +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.

-Rules about how to package a modified version are acceptable, if they -don't substantively block your freedom to release modified versions, or +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 @@ -176,8 +165,8 @@ non-copylefted 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, we can still -use it. +but if your program is non-copylefted free software, it is still basically +ethical.

@@ -193,7 +182,9 @@ eliminate or override these restrictions, but what they can and must do 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. +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.

Beyond Software

+Software manuals must be free, +for the same reasons that software must be free, and because the +manuals are in effect part of the software. +

+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 +example. +

+Any kind of work can be free, and the definition of free software +has been extended to a definition of +free cultural works applicable to any kind of works. +

Open Source?

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 it refers to -freedom rather than price, it -calls to mind freedom. The word open never does that. +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 +never refers to freedom.

History

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.

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