Free software is a matter of the users' freedom to run, copy, distribute, -study, change and improve the software. More precisely, it refers to -four kinds of freedom, for the users of the software: +study, change and improve the software. More precisely, it means that the +program's users have the four essential freedoms:
-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 becomes 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.
@@ -116,6 +128,10 @@
+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
@@ -123,15 +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
@@ -150,8 +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.
@@ -167,7 +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.
@@ -278,8 +295,28 @@
Please send FSF & GNU inquiries to
-gnu@gnu.org.
+<gnu@gnu.org>.
There are also other ways to contact
the FSF.
Please send broken links and other corrections or suggestions to
-webmasters@gnu.org.
+<webmasters@gnu.org>.
@@ -350,9 +387,8 @@
Copyright © 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, -2005, 2006, 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc., +2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
-51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301, USAVerbatim copying and distribution of this entire article is permitted in any medium without royalty provided this notice is preserved. @@ -361,7 +397,7 @@
Updated: -$Date: 2008/12/09 14:49:59 $ +$Date: 2009/09/12 01:12:13 $
@@ -393,61 +429,63 @@