“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. -
- --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. +copy, distribute, study, change and improve the software.
@@ -47,6 +37,16 @@
+With these freedoms, the users (both individually and collectively) +control the program and what it does for them. When users don't +control the program, the program controls the users. The developer +controls the program, and through it exercises power over the users. +Therefore, a “nonfree” or “proprietary” program +is an +instrument of unjust power. +
+ +A program is free software if the program's users have the four essential freedoms:
@@ -68,9 +68,17 @@-A program is free software if users have all of these freedoms. Thus, -you should be free to redistribute copies, either with or without -modifications, either gratis or charging a fee for distribution, to +A program is free software if it gives users adequately all of these +freedoms. Otherwise, it is nonfree. While we can distinguish various +nonfree distribution schemes in terms of how far they fall short of +being free, we consider them all equally unethical.
+ +The rest of this page clarifies certain points about what makes +specific freedoms adequate or not.
+ +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 anyone anywhere. Being free to do these things means (among other things) that you do not have to ask or pay for permission to do so. @@ -354,6 +362,11 @@ 1.122: An export control requirement is a real problem if the requirement is nontrivial; otherwise it is only a potential problem. +
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 +other changes in this page that do not affect the definition or its +interpretations. For instance, the list does not include changes in +asides, formatting, spelling, punctuation, or other parts of the page. +You can review the complete list of changes to the page through the cvsweb interface.
- + - - - -