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<title>Essays and Articles
- GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title>
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<h2>Essays and Articles</h2>
<div class="summary"> class="thin"></div>

<div class="comment">
<p>This page lists a series of articles describing the philosophy of the
free software movement, which is the motivation for our development of
the free software operating system GNU.</p>

<p>The most important articles are marked with asterisks, and listed first
in each category. The other ones are in reverse chronological order.</p>
</div>

<div class="toc">
<h3 class="no-display">Table of Contents</h3>
<ul>
<ul class="columns">
 <li><a href="#aboutfs">About Free Software</a></li> Software</a>
  <ul>
  <li><a href="#aboutgnu">About the href="#principles">Principles</a></li>
  <li><a href="#practice">Practice</a></li>
  <li><a href="#extension">Extension to other areas</a></li>
  <li><a href="#mix">Mixing free and nonfree</a></li>
  <li><a href="#free-open">Free software and open source</a></li>
  </ul>
 </li>
 <li><a href="#upholding">Upholding Software Freedom</a>
  <ul>
  <li><a href="/gnu/gnu.html">The GNU Operating System</a></li> Project</a></li>
  <li><a href="#fsmovement">The free software movement</a></li>
  <li><a href="#need">The need for free software</a></li>
  <li><a href="#action">Guide for action</a></li>
  </ul>
 </li>
 <li><a href="#LicensingFreeSoftware">Licensing Free Software</a></li> Software</a>
  <ul>
  <li><a href="#Laws">Laws and href="/licenses/licenses.html">General information</a></li>
  <li><a href="#copyleft">Copyleft</a></li>
  <li><a href="#non-copyleft">Non-copyleft</a></li>
  <li><a href="#traps">Licensing traps</a></li>
  </ul>
 </li>
 <li><a href="#Laws">Legal Issues</a>
  <ul>
  <li><a href="#patents">Patents</a></li>
  <li><a href="#copyright">Copyright</a></li>
  <li><a href="#drm">Digital Restrictions Management</a></li>
      <li><a href="#noip">The propaganda term “Intellectual
    Property”</a></li>
  <li><a href="#ns">Network Services</a></li> href="#sco">Response to SCO's attacks</a></li>
  </ul>
 </li>
 <li><a href="#cultural">Cultural and Social Issues</a></li> Issues</a>
  <ul>
  <li><a href="#society">Digital society</a></li>
  <li><a href="#misc">Misc</a></li>
    </ul></li> href="#drm">Digital restrictions management and treacherous computing</a></li>
  <li><a href="#ns">Network services</a></li>
  <li><a href="#access">Accessing culture</a></li>
  <li><a href="#funding">Funding cultural works</a></li>
  <li><a href="#evils">Surveillance, censorship, lock-in, etc.</a></li>
  <li><a href="/proprietary/proprietary.html">Proprietary malware</a></li>
  </ul>
 </li>
 <li><a href="#terminology">Terminology and Definitions</a></li>
 <li><a href="#upholding">Upholding Software Freedom</a></li>
  <li><a href="#humor">Philosophical href="/philosophy/third-party-ideas.html#humor">Philosophical Humor</a></li>
</ul>
<hr class="no-display" />
</div>

<p>This page lists a series of articles describing the philosophy of the
free software movement, which is the motivation for our development of
the free software operating system GNU.</p>

<p>A <a href="/philosophy/latest-articles.html">list of the latest 
published articles</a> is also available.</p>

<p>
<!-- please leave both these ID attributes here. ... -->
<a id="TOCFreedomOrganizations">We</a>
<a id="FreedomOrganizations">also</a>
<!-- ... we removed this as an H$ section as it was duplicating the  -->
<!-- same information on links.html, but it's possible that some users -->
<!-- have the URLs bookmarked or on their pages. -len -->
keep a list of
<a href="/links/links.html#FreedomOrganizations">Organizations
that Work for Freedom in
Computer Development and Electronic Communications</a>.</p>

<h3 id="aboutfs">About Free Software</h3>
<p>
Free software is a matter of freedom: people should be free to use
software in all the ways that are socially useful.  Software differs
from material objects—such as chairs, sandwiches, and
gasoline—in that it can be copied and changed much more easily.
These possibilities make software as useful as it is; we believe
software users should be able to make use of them.</p>

<ul>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/free-sw.html">What

<h4 id="principles">Principles</h4>
<ul class="no-bullet">
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[1996… ]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/free-sw.html">
  What is Free Software?</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/why-free.html">Why
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2015]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html">
  Free Software Is Even More Important Now</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[1996]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/selling.html">
  Selling Free Software</a>
  — This is OK!</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2012]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/programs-must-not-limit-freedom-to-run.html">
  Why programs must not limit the freedom to run them</a>
  (by RMS)
  — Freedom 0 must not be limited.</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2007]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/your-freedom-needs-free-software.html">
  Your Freedom Needs Free Software</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1994]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/why-free.html">
  Why Software Should Not Have Owners</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/shouldbefree.html">Why Owners</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1991]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/shouldbefree.html">
  Why Software Should Be Free</a>  (This is an
  (by RMS)
  — An older and longer essay about the same topic as the 
  previous one)</li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/free-doc.html">Why one.</li>
</ul>

<h4 id="practice">Practice</h4>
<ul class="no-bullet"> 
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2023]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/tivoization.html">
  Tivoization</a>
  — When free software isn't free in practice</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[1999-2011]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/when-free-software-isnt-practically-superior.html">
  When Free Software Isn't (Practically) Superior</a>
  (by Benjamin Mako Hill)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2015]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/applying-free-sw-criteria.html">
  Applying the Free Software Criteria</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2014]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/imperfection-isnt-oppression.html">
  Imperfection is not the same as oppression</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2011]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/android-and-users-freedom.html">
  Android and Users' Freedom</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1997-2011]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/software/reliability.html">
  Free Software is More Reliable!</a></li>
</ul>

<h4 id="extension">Extension to other areas</h4>
<ul class="no-bullet"> 
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[1996]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/free-doc.html">
  Why Free Software Needs Free Documentation</a></li>
 <li><a
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2020]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/free-software-rocket.html">
  Should Rockets Have Only Free Software? Free Software and Appliances</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2015]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/free-hardware-designs.html">
  Free Hardware and Free Hardware Designs</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2015]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/loyal-computers.html">
  What Does It Mean for Your Computer to Be Loyal?</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2012]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/network-services-arent-free-or-nonfree.html">
  Network Services Aren't Free or Nonfree; They Raise Other Issues</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2000]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/gnutella.html" id="Gnutella">
  Regarding Gnutella</a></li>
</ul>

<h4 id="mix">Mixing free and nonfree</h4>
<ul class="no-bullet"> 
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2016]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/when-free-depends-on-nonfree.html">
  When Free Software Depends on Nonfree</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/selling.html">Selling Free Software</a> is OK!</li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/categories.html">Categories of Nonfree</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2013]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/is-ever-good-use-nonfree-program.html">
  Is It Ever a Good Thing to Use a Nonfree Program?</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2005]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/mcvoy.html">
  Thank You, Larry McVoy</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1998]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/udi.html">
  The Free Software Movement and
      Non-Free Software</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/floss-and-foss.html"> FLOSS UDI</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
</ul>

<h4 id="free-open">Free software and FOSS</a></li>
  <li><a href="/software/reliability.html">Free Software is More Reliable!</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/when-free-software-isnt-practically-superior.html">
      When Free Software Isn't (Practically) Superior</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html">Why open source</h4>
<ul class="no-bullet"> 
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2007-2021]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html">
  Why “Open Source” misses Misses the point Point of Free Software</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/free-open-overlap.html">How Software</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2015]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/free-open-overlap.html">
  How Free Software and Open Source Relate as Categories of Programs</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/linux-gnu-freedom.html">Linux,
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2013]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/floss-and-foss.html">
  FLOSS and FOSS</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2002]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/linux-gnu-freedom.html">
  Linux, GNU, and
      Freedom</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/gnutella.html"
         id="Gnutella">Regarding Gnutella</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/schools.html">Why Schools Should Use
      Exclusively Freedom</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2001]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/drdobbs-letter.html">
  Letter from RMS to the Editor of Dr. Dobb's Journal</a>
  on the distinction between open source and the free software movement.</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1998]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/free-software-for-freedom.html">
  “Open Source Software” or “Free Software”?</a>
  (replaced by <a href="/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html">
  Why “Open Source” Misses the Point of Free Software</a></li> Software</a>)</li>
</ul>


<h3 id="upholding">Upholding Software Freedom</h3>

<h4>The GNU Project</h4>
<ul class="no-bullet">
 <li><a href="/philosophy/my_doom.html">MyDoom and You</a></li> href="/gnu/gnu.html">The GNU Operating System</a>
  — History, relationship with Linux, etc.</li>
</ul>

<h4 id="fsmovement">The free software movement</h4>
<ul class="no-bullet"> 
 <li><a href="https://www.fsf.org/">
  The official website of the Free Software Foundation</a></li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2004]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/use-free-software.html">
  The Free Software Community After 20 Years</a>
  (by RMS)
  — With great but incomplete success, what now?</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1999]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/15-years-of-free-software.html">
  15 Years of Free Software</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/free-software-intro.html">Free Software movement</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/your-freedom-needs-free-software.html">
      Your Freedom Needs Free Software</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/fs-motives.html">
      Motives For Writing Software</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1999]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/free-software-intro.html">
  Free Software</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/government-free-software.html">Measures Software Movement</a></li>
</ul>

<h4 id="need">The need for free software</h4>
<ul class="no-bullet"> 
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2011-2017]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/government-free-software.html">
  Measures Governments Can Use to Promote Free Software</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/uruguay.html">Lesson Software</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2009-2014]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/education/edu-schools.html">
  Why Schools Should Use Exclusively Free Software</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2014]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/technological-neutrality.html">
  Technological Neutrality and Free Software</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2013]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/uruguay.html">
  Lesson from Uruguay</a>. Uruguay</a>
  — The FSF learned something from a bill presented in Uruguay.</li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/programs-must-not-limit-freedom-to-run.html">
      Why programs must not limit the freedom to run them</a>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2005]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/second-sight.html">
  Free Software and (e-)Government</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2005]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/fs-and-sustainable-development.html">
  Free Software and Sustainable Development</a>
  (by RMS)
  —
      Freedom 0 must not be limited.</li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/imperfection-isnt-oppression.html">
      Imperfection is not A short article regarding the same as oppression</a></li> 
  <li><a href="/philosophy/applying-free-sw-criteria.html">
      Applying use of proprietary software in
  cultural development.</li>
</ul>

<h4 id="action">Guide for action</h4>
<ul class="no-bullet">
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2024]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/the-moral-and-the-legal.html">
  The Moral and the Legal</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2020]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/saying-no-even-once.html">
  Saying No to unjust computing even once is help</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2009]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/fs-motives.html">
  Motives For Writing Free Software Criteria</a></li>
</ul>

<h3 id="aboutgnu">About Software</a></li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2002-2020]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html" id="NoWordAttachments">
  We Can Put an End to Word Attachments</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2019]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/install-fest-devil.html">
  Install Fests: What to Do about the GNU Operating System</h3>

<ul>
  <li><a href="/gnu/initial-announcement.html">Initial announcement of Deal with the GNU Operating System</a></li>
  <li><a href="/gnu/manifesto.html">The GNU Manifesto</a></li>
  <li><a href="/gnu/gnu-history.html">Brief history of Devil</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2019]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/upgrade-windows.html">
  What Is the Right Way to Upgrade an Installation of Windows?</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2018]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/kind-communication.html">
  GNU Project</a></li>
  <li><a href="/gnu/thegnuproject.html">The GNU Project</a>,
      a longer and more complete description Kind Communications Guidelines</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2017]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/hackathons.html">
  Why Hackathons Should Insist on Free Software</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2014]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/contradictory-support.html">
  Beware of Contradictory “Support”</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2012]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/devils-advocate.html">
  Why the project and its
      history.</li>
  <li><a href="/fsf/fsf.html">The official website Devil's Advocate Doesn't Help Reach the Truth</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2010]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/practical.html">
  The Advantages of Free Software</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2009]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/pirate-party.html">
  How the Swedish Pirate Party Platform Backfires on Free Software Foundation</a></li>
  <li><a href="/gnu/why-gnu-linux.html">Why GNU/Linux?</a></li> Software</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2009]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/lest-codeplex-perplex.html">
  Lest CodePlex perplex</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2008]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/ucita.html">
  Why We Must Fight UCITA</a></li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2008]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/compromise.html">
  Avoiding Ruinous Compromises</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2007]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/social-inertia.html">
  Overcoming Social Inertia</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2004]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/my_doom.html">
  MyDoom and You</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2003]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/kevin-cole-response.html">
  A Response Letter to the Word Attachments</a>
  (by Kevin Cole)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2003]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/anonymous-response.html">
  A Response to Word Attachments</a></li>
</ul>


<h3 id="LicensingFreeSoftware">Licensing Free Software</h3>

<ul>

<ul class="no-bullet">
 <li><a href="/licenses/licenses.html">General href="/licenses/licenses.html">
  Licenses</a>
  — General information on licensing and copyleft</a></li>
  <li><a href="/licenses/license-list.html">A list of free and nonfree
      licenses, with comments</a>.</li>
  <li><a href="/licenses/gpl-faq.html">Frequently Asked Questions About copyleft</li>
</ul>

<h4 id="copyleft">Copyleft</h4>
<ul class="no-bullet"> 
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2003]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/why-copyleft.html">
  Why Copyleft?</a></li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[1998]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/pragmatic.html">
  Copyleft: Pragmatic Idealism</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2009-2017]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/selling-exceptions.html">
  On Selling Exceptions to the GNU Licenses</a></li>
  <li><a href="/licenses/why-not-lgpl.html">Why You Shouldn't Use the 
      Lesser GPL for Your Next Library</a></li>
  <li><a href="/licenses/copyleft.html">Copyleft</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/why-copyleft.html">Why Copyleft?</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/university.html">Releasing Free Software if 
      You Work at GPL</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2014]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/assigning-copyright.html">
  When a University</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/pragmatic.html">Copyleft: Pragmatic Idealism</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/javascript-trap.html">Javascript Trap</a>. 
         You may be running nonfree programs on your computer 
         every day without realizing it—through your web browser.</li>
  <li><a href="http://www.fsf.org/blogs/licensing/20050211.html"> Company Asks For Your Copyright</a></li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2005]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="https://www.fsf.org/blogs/licensing/20050211.html">
  Censorship envy and licensing</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/x.html">The X Window System Trap</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/apsl.html">The Problems of the Apple License</a></li>
  <li><a href="/licenses/bsd.html">The BSD License Problem</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/netscape-npl.html">The Netscape Public License 
      Has Serious Problems</a>. An licensing</a>
  (by David “Novalis” Turner, on <i>fsf.org</i>)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2004]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/netscape-npl-old.html">
      earlier version href="https://web.archive.org/web/20210228133128/https://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/archive/downloads/research/gpl/OIIFB_GPL2_20040903.pdf">
  English translation of this article</a> is also available.</li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/udi.html">The Free Software Movement and UDI</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/gates.html">It's not the Gates, it's the 
      bars</a>, an article by Richard Stallman published in BBC News in
      2008.</li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/microsoft.html">Is Microsoft famous decision of the Great Satan?</a>  
      (An <a href="/philosophy/microsoft-old.html">older version</a> District Court of 
      this article is also available.)</li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/microsoft-antitrust.html">The Microsoft 
      Antitrust Trial and Free Software</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/microsoft-verdict.html">On
  Munich</a> regarding the Microsoft Verdict</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/microsoft-new-monopoly.html">
       Microsoft's New Monopoly</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/lest-codeplex-perplex.html">
      Lest CodePlex perplex</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/plan-nine.html" id="PlanNineLicense">
      The Problems enforceability and validity of the Plan 9 License</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/motif.html" id="MotifLicense">
      The New Motif License</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/using-gfdl.html" id="UsingGFDL">Using GPL (by
  the GNU FDL</a></li>
  <li><a translators of the Oxford Internet Institute, on
  <i>oii.ox.ac.uk</i>)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2002]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/university.html">
  Releasing Free Software if You Work at a University</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2001]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/gpl-american-way.html" id="GPLAmericanWay">
  The GNU GPL and the American Way</a></li>
  <li><a Way</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2001]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/gpl-american-dream.html" id="GPLAmericanDream">
  The GNU GPL and the American Dream</a></li>
  <li><a Dream</a>
  (by Bradley M. Kuhn)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2001]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/freedom-or-power.html" id="FreedomOrPower">
  Freedom or Power?</a>
  (by Bradley M. Kuhn and RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2001]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/rtlinux-patent.html">
  GPL-compliant version of RTLinux Open Patent License in Works</a></li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2001]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/enforcing-gpl.html" id="EnforcingGPL">
  Enforcing the GNU GPL</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/selling-exceptions.html">
      On Selling Exceptions to GPL</a>
  (by Eben Moglen)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1999]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/using-gfdl.html" id="UsingGFDL">
  Using the GNU GPL</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/freedom-or-power.html" id="FreedomOrPower">
      Freedom or Power?</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html" id="NoWordAttachments">
      We Can Put FDL</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
</ul>

<h4 id="non-copyleft">Non-copyleft</h4>
<ul class="no-bullet"> 
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2003]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/apsl.html">
  FSF's Opinion of the Apple Public Source License (APSL) 2.0</a></li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2000]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/plan-nine.html" id="PlanNineLicense">
  The Problems of the (Earlier) Plan 9 License</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1998]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/netscape-npl.html">
  On the Netscape Public License</a>
  (by RMS)
  [<a href="/philosophy/netscape-npl-old.html">older version</a>]</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1998]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/netscape.html">
  Netscape and Free Software</a>
  — An old article that clarifies some misunderstandings about an End to Word Attachments</a></li>
  <li><a
  announcement by Netscape.</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1997]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/motif.html" id="MotifLicense">
  The Motif License</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
</ul>

<h4 id="traps">Licensing traps</h4>
<ul class="no-bullet"> 
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2009-2019]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/javascript-trap.html">
  JavaScript Trap</a>
  (by RMS)
  — You may be running nonfree programs on your computer every day
  without realizing it—through your web browser.</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2004-2015]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/java-trap.html" id="JavaTrap">
  Free But Shackled - The Java Trap</a> (Although
  (by RMS)
  — Although Sun has
  <a href="http://www.fsf.org/news/fsf-welcomes-gpl-java.html"> href="https://www.fsf.org/news/fsf-welcomes-gpl-java.html">
  relicensed</a> most of its Java platform reference implementation under
  the GNU General Public License, the issue described in this article
  still remains important.)</li>  
  <li><a href="/philosophy/rtlinux-patent.html">GPL-compliant version important.</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1998-2009]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/x.html">
  The X Window System Trap</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2006]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/sun-in-night-time.html">
  The Curious Incident of RTLinux Open Patent License Sun in Works</a></li> the Night-Time</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
</ul>


<h3 id="Laws">Laws and id="Laws">Legal Issues</h3>

<p><a href="/philosophy/stallmans-law.html">Stallman's Law</a></p>

<h4 id="patents">Patents</h4>

<ul>  
  <li><a href="/philosophy/limit-patent-effect.html">Giving
<ul class="no-bullet"> 
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2012]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/limit-patent-effect.html">
  Giving the Software Field Protection from Patents</a></li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/w3c-patent.html">FSF's Position on W3
  Consortium “Royalty-Free” Patent Policy</a>
  rewritten</li>

  <li>How to Protect the Patents</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2011]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/protecting.html">Right
  to Write Software</a> (whether it's free or not).</li>

  <li>In href="/philosophy/europes-unitary-patent.html">
  Europe's “unitary patent” could mean unlimited software
  patents</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2000-2007]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="https://www.eff.org/press/releases/princeton-scientists-sue-over-squelched-research">
  Felten v. RIAA</a>, scientists are asking a court to rule that the
  Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) does not prohibit them from
  publishing their research.</li>

  <li><a href="https://www.eff.org/search/site/dvd cases/">EFF href="https://www.eff.org/search/site/dvd%20cases/">
  EFF “Intellectual Property”: MPAA (Motion Picture
  Association of America) DVD Cases Archive</a></li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/patent-reform-is-not-enough.html">Patent
  Reform Is Not Enough</a></li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/savingeurope.html">Saving Europe from
  Software Patents</a></li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/europes-unitary-patent.html">Europe's 
  “unitary patent” could mean unlimited software patents</a></li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/amazon.html">Boycott Amazon!</a></li>
  
  <li><a href="/philosophy/amazon-nat.html">Amazon Boycott Success!</a>, a 
  letter from Nat Friedman to Richard Stallman.</li>
  
  <li><a href="/philosophy/amazon-rms-tim.html">Letter from RMS to Tim 
  O'Reilly</a> in regard to a statement by Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, on 
  the duration of software patents.</li>
  
  <li><a href="/philosophy/amazonpatent.html">Amazon's patent on a system 
  for placing a purchase order over the internet</a>, with notes by Richard
  Stallman.</li>

  <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20000815064858/http://www.researchoninnovation.org/patent.pdf"
  id="SequentialIPandI">Sequential Innovation, Patents, and
  Imitation</a> is a paper that presents a mathematical model showing
  how patents can impede progress in fields like software.</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/hague.html">Harm from the Hague</a>.</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/guardian-article.html">Opposing The European
  Software Patent Directive</a>, a slightly modified version of the 
  article originally published in
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2006]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/international"> href="/philosophy/trivial-patent.html">
  The Guardian</a> Anatomy of London, by Richard Stallman and Nick Hill.</li>

  <li><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2005/aug/02/comment.business"> a Trivial Patent</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2005]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/microsoft-new-monopoly.html">
  Microsoft's New Monopoly</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2005]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2005/aug/02/comment.business">
  Soft sell</a>. Richard Stallman's comments sell</a>
  (by RMS, on <i>theguardian.com</i>)
  — Comments on the defeat of the EU software patenting directive. Published in <i>The Guardian</i> in 2005.</li>

  <li><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2005/jun/23/onlinesupplement.insideit">
  Patent absurdity</a>, an article by Richard M. Stallman published in
  <i>The Guardian</i> in 2005.</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/bill-gates-and-other-communists.html">Bill directive.</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2005]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/bill-gates-and-other-communists.html">
  Bill Gates and Other Communists</a>. An article by Richard Stallman published
  in CNET News.com in 2005.</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/trivial-patent.html">The Anatomy of a
  Trivial Patent</a>, by Richard M. Stallman.</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/fighting-software-patents.html" id="FightingSoftwarePatents">
  Fighting Software Patents - Singly and Together</a></li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/software-patents.html">Software patents — 
  Obstacles to software development</a></li>
  
  <li><a Communists</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2005]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/software-literary-patents.html" id="SoftwareLiteraryPatents">
  Software Patents and Literary Patents</a>, by Richard M. Stallman. Patents</a>
  (by RMS)
  — Speaking of patenting artistic techniques, US patent (6,935,954)
  covers making game characters start to hallucinate when (according to the
  game) they are being driven insane. That is getting pretty close to the
  hypothetical examples cited in this article.</li>  

  <li><a href="/philosophy/gif.html">Why there are no
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2004]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/fighting-software-patents.html" id="FightingSoftwarePatents">
  Fighting Software Patents—Singly and Together</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2005]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2005/jun/23/onlinesupplement.insideit">
  Patent absurdity</a>
  (by RMS, on <i>theguardian.com</i>)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2003]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/w3c-patent.html">
  FSF's Position on W3 Consortium “Royalty-Free” Patent Policy</a>
  (rewritten)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2003]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/guardian-article.html">
  Opposing The European Software Patent Directive</a>
  (by RMS and Nick Hill)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2001]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="https://www.eff.org/press/releases/princeton-scientists-sue-over-squelched-research">
  Princeton Scientists Sue Over Squelched Research</a>
  (press release on <i>eff.org</i>)
  — In <cite>Felten v. RIAA</cite>, scientists ask a court to rule that the
  Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) does not prohibit them from
  publishing their research.</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2001]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/hague.html">
  Harm from the Hague</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2000]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20000815064858/http://www.researchoninnovation.org/patent.pdf"
  id="SequentialIPandI">
  Sequential Innovation, Patents, and Imitation</a>
  (by James Bessen and Eric Maskin, on <i>researchoninnovation.org</i>, archived)
  — This paper presents a mathematical model showing how patents can
  impede progress in fields like software.</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1999]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/amazon-rms-tim.html">
  Letter from RMS to Tim O'Reilly</a>
  in regard to a statement by Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, on the duration of
  software patents.</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1999]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/amazon-nat.html">
  Amazon Boycott Success!</a>
  (a letter from Nat Friedman to RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1999]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/amazon.html">
  (Formerly) Boycott Amazon!</a></li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1999]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/amazonpatent.html">
  Method and system for placing a purchase order via a communications
  network</a> 
  — Amazon patent with notes by RMS</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1997]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/gif.html">
  Why There Are No GIF files Files on GNU web 
  pages</a>. Web Pages</a>
  — While this story is a historical illustration of the danger of
  software patents, these particular patents are now no longer a concern.
  For details of our website 
  <a href="/server/fsf-html-style-sheet.html#UseofGraphics"> policies regarding GIFs</a>, GIFs, see our <a href="/server/standards/">
  web
  href="/server/standards/gnu-website-guidelines.html#UseofGraphics">web
  guidelines</a>.</li> 
</ul>

<h4 id="copyright">Copyright</h4>

<ul>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/assigning-copyright.html">When a Company Asks 
  For Your Copyright</a></li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/public-domain-manifesto.html">Why I Will Not Sign
  the Public Domain Manifesto</a></li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/pirate-party.html">How
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1996]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/savingeurope.html">
  Saving Europe from Software Patents</a></li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1996]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/protecting.html">
  Help Protect the Swedish Pirate Party 
  Platform Backfires on Rights to Write Both Nonfree and Free Software</a></li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/misinterpreting-copyright.html">Misinterpreting
  Copyright</a> is another essay by Richard Stallman about
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1996]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/patent-reform-is-not-enough.html">
  Patent Reform Is Not Enough</a></li>
</ul>

<h4 id="copyright">Copyright</h4>
<ul class="no-bullet"> 
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2002]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/misinterpreting-copyright.html">
  Misinterpreting Copyright—A Series of Errors</a>
  (by RMS)
  — About the flaws in popular defenses of copyright law.</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/eldred-amicus.html">FSF's
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[1996]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/reevaluating-copyright.html">
  Reevaluating Copyright: The Public Must Prevail</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2010]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/public-domain-manifesto.html">
  Why I Will Not Sign the Public Domain Manifesto</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2008]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/freedom-or-copyright.html">
  Freedom—or Copyright?</a>
  (by RMS)
  [<a href="/philosophy/freedom-or-copyright-old.html">older version</a>]</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2002]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/eldred-amicus.html">
  FSF's Brief Amicus Curiae in the Eldred <cite>Eldred v. Ashcroft Ashcroft</cite> Supreme Court case</a></li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/push-copyright-aside.html">Science case</a>
  (by Eben Moglen)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2001]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/push-copyright-aside.html">
  Science must “push copyright aside”</a>, another work of <a
  href="http://www.stallman.org">Richard Stallman</a> that appeared aside”</a>
  (by RMS, first published in
  the <a
  href="https://web.archive.org/web/20050729110347/http://www.nature.com/nature/debates/e-access/Articles/stallman.html">
  Nature Webdebates</a>
  <cite>Nature WebDebates</cite></a> in 2001, 2001)
  — This article explains how copyright is impeding progress in
  scientific research.  You may also be interested
  in <a
  href="https://www.plos.org/">The href="https://plos.org/">The Public Library of Science</a>,
  which is dedicated to making scientific research freely available to all
  on the Internet.</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/reevaluating-copyright.html">Reevaluating
  Copyright: The Public must prevail</a></li>

  <li><a href="http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/openlaw/eldredvashcroft/cyber/complaint_orig.html">
  Eldred
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2001]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20030604075825/http://www.humaninfo.org/copyrigh.htm">
  Examples of Excellent Copyright Policies</a>
  (on <i>humaninfo.org</i>, archived)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1999]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="https://cyber.harvard.edu/openlaw/eldredvashcroft/cyber/complaint_orig.html">
  Original complaint in <cite>Eldred v. Reno</a> is about a Reno</cite></a>
  (on <i>harvard.edu</i>)
  — A lawsuit to overturn a law that extends copyright by 20 extra
  years.</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/freedom-or-copyright.html">Freedom-Or
  Copyright?</a>, by Richard Stallman (an <a
  href="/philosophy/freedom-or-copyright-old.html">older version</a> of
  this essay remains online as well.)</li>

  <li>An <a href="https://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/archive/downloads/research/gpl/OIIFB_GPL2_20040903.pdf">
  English translation of the famous 
  decision of the District Court of Munich</a> regarding the enforceability and 
  validity of the GPL. The translation was done by the Oxford Internet
  Institute.</li>
  <!-- This link is broken
  <li><a href="http://www.humaninfo.org/copyrigh.htm">Examples of
  Excellent Copyright Policies</a></li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1996]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
</ul>

<h4 id="drm">Digital Restrictions Management</h4>

<ul>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/correcting-france-mistake.html">
  Correcting My Mistake about French Law</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/the-root-of-this-problem.html">The problem is
  software controlled by its developer</a>, by Richard M. Stallman.</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/computing-progress.html">Computing
  “progress”: good and bad</a>, by Richard M. Stallman.</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/opposing-drm.html">Opposing Digital Rights
  Mismanagement</a>, by Richard M. Stallman, answers a few common
  questions about DRM.</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/ebooks.html">Ebooks: Freedom Or
  Copyright</a> a slightly modified version of the article, originally
  published in Technology Review in 2000, by Richard Stallman</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/ebooks-must-increase-freedom.html">
  Ebooks must increase our freedom, not decrease it</a></li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/can-you-trust.html">Can you trust your
  computer?</a>, a work by Richard Stallman about the so-called 
  “trusted computing” initiatives.</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/right-to-read.html">The Right to Read: A
  Dystopian Short Story</a> by Richard Stallman.</li>
  <a href="/philosophy/rms-comment-longs-article.html">
  Comments on Roderick Long's Article</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
</ul>

<h4 id="noip">The propaganda term “<a
href="/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html#IntellectualProperty">Intellectual
Property</a>”</h4>
<ul class="no-bullet"> 
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2004]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html#IntellectualProperty"> href="/philosophy/not-ipr.html">
  Did You Say “Intellectual Property”</a></h4>

<ul>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/komongistan.html">The Property”? It's a Seductive Mirage</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2015]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/komongistan.html">
  The Curious History of Komongistan (Busting the term “intellectual property”)</a></li>
  
  <li><a href="/philosophy/no-ip-ethos.html">Don't
  property”)</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2006]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/no-ip-ethos.html">
  Don't Let “Intellectual Property” Twist Your Ethos</a>, by
  Richard Stallman.</li>

  <li>Comments from Richard Stallman
  on Ethos</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2003]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/ipjustice.html">the ICLC's href="/philosophy/ipjustice.html">
  Reject IP Enforcement Directive</a>
  — Comments on the rejection of this directive by the
  IP Enforcement Directive</a></li>

  <li>Richard Stallman has
  written International
  Civil Liberties Coalition.</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2003]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/boldrin-levine.html">a review of href="/philosophy/boldrin-levine.html">
  Review: Boldrin and Levine's Levine, “The case against intellectual
  property.”</a></li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/not-ipr.html">Did You Say
  “Intellectual Property”?  It's a Seductive Mirage</a>.
  An essay on the true meaning of the phrase “Intellectual
  Property”, by Richard M. Stallman.</li> Case Against Intellectual
  Property”</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
</ul>

<h4 id="ns">Network Services</h4>
<ul>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/network-services-arent-free-or-nonfree.html">
  Network Services Aren't id="sco">Response to SCO's attacks</h4>
<ul class="no-bullet"> 
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2003-2004]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/sco/sco.html">
  FSF's Position regarding SCO's attacks on Free or Nonfree; They Raise Other Issues</a> an
  article by Richard Stallman.</li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/who-does-that-server-really-serve.html">Who
  does that server really serve?</a>  by Richard Stallman published
  in Software</a></li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2003]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="http://www.bostonreview.net/richard-stallman-free-software-DRM">
  Boston Review.</a></li>
</ul>

<h4 id="cultural">Cultural href="/philosophy/sco/sco-gnu-linux.html">
  SCO, GNU, and Social Issues</h4>

<ul>
 <li><a href="/philosophy/surveillance-testimony.html">Surveillance
  Testimony</a></li>

 <li><a href="/philosophy/devils-advocate.html">
  Why Linux</a>
  (by RMS)
  — How SCO's lawsuit against IBM pertains to the Devil's Advocate Doesn't Help Reach work of the Truth</a></li>

 <li><a href="/philosophy/hackathons.html">
  Why Hackathons Should Insist on Free Software</a>
  by Richard Stallman</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/technological-neutrality.html">
  Technological Neutrality
  GNU project.</li>
</ul>


<h3 id="cultural">Cultural and Free Software</a>
  by Richard Stallman</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/surveillance-vs-democracy.html">How Much
  Surveillance Can Democracy Withstand?</a> by Richard Stallman</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/nonfree-games.html">Nonfree DRM'd Games on
  GNU/Linux: Good or Bad?</a> by Richard Stallman.</li>

  <li> Social Issues</h3>

<h4 id="society">Digital society</h4>
<ul class="no-bullet"> 
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2012]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/stallmans-law.html">
  Stallman's Law</a></li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2009]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/blog/2010/apr/06/digital-economy-bill-richard-stallman">
  Digital economy bill: One clown giveth and the other clown taketh 
  away</a>, by Richard Stallman.</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/digital-inclusion-in-freedom.html">
  Is Digital Inclusion A Good Thing? How Can We Make Sure It Is?</a> 
  By Richard Stallman.</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/wsis.html">World
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2007]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/computing-progress.html">
  Computing “progress”: good and bad</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2003]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/wsis.html">
  World Summit on the Information
  Society</a></li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/wassenaar.html">Encryption software
  volunteers needed in countries without export control</a>.</li>

  <li>How Society</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
</ul>

<h4 id="drm">Digital restrictions management and treacherous computing</h4>
<ul class="no-bullet"> 
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2006]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/opposing-drm.html">
  Opposing Digital Rights Mismanagement</a>
  (by RMS)
  — Answers to Protect a few common questions about DRM.</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2002]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/can-you-trust.html">
  Can You Trust Your Computer?</a>
  (by RMS)
  — About the so-called “trusted computing” initiatives.</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2013]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/basic-freedoms.html">
  Freedoms of Speech, Press, and Association</a> href="/philosophy/nonfree-games.html">
  Nonfree DRM'd Games on the Internet.</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/privacyaction.html">Protect Postal
  Privacy</a>, a campaign to resist the proposed rule by the United
  States Postal Service to collect private information from
  customers.</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/ucita.html">Why We Must Fight UCITA</a></li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/second-sight.html">Free Software and
  (e-)Government</a> — an article from GNU/Linux: Good or Bad?</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2012]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/correcting-france-mistake.html">
  Correcting My Mistake about French Law</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
</ul>

<h4 id="ns">Network Services</h4>
<ul class="no-bullet"> 
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2010-2020]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/who-does-that-server-really-serve.html">
  Who does that server really serve?</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2020]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/posting-videos.html">
  Posting Videos</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2015]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/whats-wrong-with-youtube.html">
  What's Wrong with YouTube</a></li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2014]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/bug-nobody-allowed-to-understand.html">
  The Guardian, by Richard
  Stallman (originally published under the title “Second
  Sight”).</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/fs-and-sustainable-development.html">
  Free Software and Sustainable Development</a> — Bug Nobody is Allowed to Understand</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2011]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/judge-internet-usage.html">
  A short
  article by Richard Stallman regarding the use of proprietary
  software in cultural development.</li>

  <li><a wise user judges each Internet usage scenario carefully</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2011]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/keep-control-of-your-computing.html">
  Keep control of your computing, so it doesn't control you!</a></li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/judge-internet-usage.html"> you!</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
</ul>

<h4 id="access">Accessing culture</h4>
<ul class="no-bullet"> 
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[1996-2016]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/right-to-read.html">
  The Right to Read: A wise user judges each Internet usage scenario carefully</a></li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/the-danger-of-ebooks.html">The Dystopian Short Story</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2012]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/ebooks-must-increase-freedom.html">
  Ebooks must increase our freedom, not decrease it</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2011]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/the-danger-of-ebooks.html">
  The Danger of E-Books</a></li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/is-ever-good-use-nonfree-program.html">
  Is It Ever a Good Thing E-Books</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2010]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/blog/2010/apr/06/digital-economy-bill-richard-stallman">
  Digital economy bill: One clown giveth and the other clown taketh away</a>
  (by RMS, on <i>theguardian.com</i>)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2000]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/ebooks.html">
  Ebooks: Freedom Or Copyright</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2000]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/encyclopedia/free-encyclopedia.html">
  The Free Universal Encyclopedia and Learning Resource</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1999]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/new-monopoly.html">
  U.S. Congress Threatens to Use Establish a Nonfree Program?</a> By
  Richard Stallman.</li>

 <li><a href="/philosophy/contradictory-support.html">
  Beware New Kind of Contradictory “Support”</a></li> Monopoly</a>
  — An attempt of the Congress to create a private monopoly over
  repeating publicly known information.</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1999]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/stophr3028.html">
  Stop H.R. 3028 - Protect the Net - Stop the Trademark Monopolists</a>
  (by Marc Rotenberg)</li>
</ul>

<h4 id="misc">Misc</h4>

<ul>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/proprietary.html">Clearly id="funding">Funding cultural works</h4>
<ul class="no-bullet">
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2013]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/funding-art-vs-funding-software.html">
  Funding Art vs Funding Software</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1992]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/dat.html">
  The Right Way to Tax DAT</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
</ul>

<h4 id="evils">Surveillance, censorship, lock-in, etc.</h4>

<ul class="no-bullet">
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2013… ]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/proprietary/proprietary.html">
  Proprietary Software Is Often Malware</a>
  — Clearly established cases of proprietary software that does
  nasty things to the
  users</a>.</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/practical.html">The advantages of free 
  software</a>.</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/bug-nobody-allowed-to-understand.html">The
  Bug Nobody is Allowed to Understand</a>, By Richard Stallman.</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/sun-in-night-time.html">The Curious
  Incident of Sun in the Night-Time</a>, by Richard M. Stallman.</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/sco/sco-gnu-linux.html">SCO, GNU, and
  Linux</a>, users.</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[2015-2019]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/surveillance-vs-democracy.html">
  How Much Surveillance Can Democracy Withstand?</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2021]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/wwworst-app-store.html">
  The WWWorst App Store</a>
  (by Alexandre Oliva)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2018]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/phone-anonymous-payment.html">
  Anonymous Payment by Richard Stallman, discusses how SCO's lawsuit against
  IBM pertains Phone</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2018]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/apr/03/facebook-abusing-data-law-privacy-big-tech-surveillance">
  A radical proposal to keep your personal data safe</a>
  (by RMS, on <i>theguardian.com</i>)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2018]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/surveillance-testimony.html">
  Surveillance Testimony</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2012]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/ubuntu-spyware.html">
  Ubuntu Spyware: What to Do?</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2009]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/microsoft.html">
  Is Microsoft the work of Great Satan?</a>
  [<a href="/philosophy/microsoft-old.html">older version</a>]</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2008]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/the-root-of-this-problem.html">
  The Problem Is Software Controlled By Its Developer</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2008]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/gates.html">
  It's not the GNU project.  Please see Gates, it's the bars</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2002]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/sco/sco.html">FSF SCO Response Page</a> for
  more details on this subject.</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/ms-doj-tunney.html">FSF's href="/philosophy/wassenaar.html">
  The Wassenaar Arrangement</a>
  — Encryption software volunteers needed in countries without
  export control.</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2002]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/ms-doj-tunney.html">
  FSF's Statement in Response to Proposed Revised Final Judgment in Microsoft vs.
  <cite>Microsoft v. United
  States, submitted to the US Department of Justice under States</cite></a></li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2000]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/microsoft-verdict.html">
  On the Tunney
  Act</a>.</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/new-monopoly.html">U.S. Congress Threatens Microsoft Verdict</a></li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1999]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/microsoft-antitrust.html">
  The Microsoft Antitrust Trial and Free Software</a></li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1996]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/privacyaction.html">
  Protect Postal Privacy</a>
  (by Kathleen Ellis)
  — A campaign to Establish a New Kind of Monopoly</a>, an attempt of resist the Congress proposed rule by the United States
  Postal Service to create a collect private monopoly over repeating publicly known
  information.</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/dat.html">The Right Way to Tax DAT</a></li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/censoring-emacs.html">Censoring My
  Software</a>, by Richard Stallman.</li>
  
  <li><a href="/philosophy/funding-art-vs-funding-software.html">Funding
  Art vs Funding Software</a>, by Richard Stallman.</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/android-and-users-freedom.html">
  Android information from customers.</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1996]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/basic-freedoms.html">
  Freedoms of Speech, Press, and Users' Freedom</a></li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/ubuntu-spyware.html">Ubuntu Spyware: What Association</a>
  — How to Do?</a></li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/whats-wrong-with-youtube.html">What's Wrong with 
  YouTube</a></li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/netscape.html">Netscape and Free Software</a>,
  an old article that clarifies some misunderstandings about an 
  announcement by Netscape.</li>

  <li><a href="/philosophy/rms-comment-longs-article.html">Comments protect these freedoms on 
  Roderick Long's Article</a>.</li> the Internet.</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1996]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/censoring-emacs.html">
  Censoring My Software</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
</ul>


<h3 id="terminology">Terminology and Definitions</h3>

<ul>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/free-hardware-designs.html">

<ul class="no-bullet"> 
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">*[1996… ]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html">
  Words to Avoid (or Use with Care) Because They Are Loaded or Confusing</a></li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1999… ]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/fs-translations.html">
  Translations of the term “free software”</a>
  into various languages.</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[1996-2019]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/categories.html">
  Categories of Free Hardware and Free Hardware Designs</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html">Confusing Words</a>
      which You Might Want to Avoid</li>
  <li><a Nonfree Software</a></li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2013]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/why-call-it-the-swindle.html">
  Why Call It The Swindle?</a>
  (by RMS)</li>
 <li><!--#set var='DATE' value='<span class="date-tag">[2002]</span>'
  --><!--#echo encoding='none' var='DATE' -->
  <a href="/philosophy/wipo-PublicAwarenessOfCopyright-2002.html">
  Public Awareness of Copyright, WIPO, June 2002</a>. On how 2002</a>
  (by RMS)
  — How WIPO recognizes that their system is designed to restrict
  the public, and how they propose to modify terminology so that people
  won't notice.</li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html">Why
      “Open Source” misses the point of Free Software</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/free-software-for-freedom.html">“Open
      Source Software” or “Free Software”?</a>
      (This is an older essay about the same topic as the previous one.)</li>
  <li>Richard Stallman wrote <a href="/philosophy/drdobbs-letter.html">
      letter to the editor</a> of Dr. Dobb's Journal in June 2001 which further 
      explains the distinction between the Free Software and Open Source 
      movements.</li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/categories.html">Categories of Free and
      Non-Free Software</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/loyal-computers.html">
      What Does It Mean for Your Computer to Be Loyal?</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/fs-translations.html">Translations of the
      term “free software”</a> into various languages.</li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/why-call-it-the-swindle.html">Why call it the
      Swindle</a></li>
</ul>

<h3 id="upholding">Upholding Software Freedom</h3>

<ul>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/use-free-software.html">The Free Software 
      Community After 20 Years</a>, With great but incomplete success, 
      what now?</li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/mcvoy.html">Thank You, Larry McVoy</a>, 
      by Richard M. Stallman.</li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/social-inertia.html">
      Overcoming Social Inertia</a>, by Richard M. Stallman.</li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/compromise.html">Avoiding Ruinous Compromises</a></li>
  <li><a href="/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html">
      Free Software Is Even More Important Now</a></li>
</ul>

<h3 id="humor">Philosophical humor</h3>

<ul>
<li><a href="/fun/humor.html#Philosophy">Philosophy Humor</a>.
    We don't have to be serious <i>all</i> the time.</li>
</ul>
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