From RBOSE
Contents |
What is Free Software
Free Software is software which grants the following four rights to users:
- The freedom to run the program, for any purpose (freedom 0).
- The freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to your needs (freedom 1). Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
- The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor (freedom 2).
- The freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements (and modified versions in general) to the public, so that the whole community benefits (freedom 3). Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
The Free in Free Software refers to Freedom, not necessarily price (although practically almost all Free Software is free/gratis) .
You may already be using Free Software. One of the most popular Free applications is the Mozilla Firefox web browser, this is very popular. However, fewer people use GNU/Linux, an entire Free operating system.
The history of Free Software
The Free Software movement was started by Richard Stallman in 1983 when announced the GNU project, and later founded the Free Software Foundation in 1985.
Free software and Open source
Free software is often called Open Source. However, Open Source refers to a variety of licenses, some of which are not Free due to advertising clauses, etc. Therefore it is better practice to use the term Free Software as it is more precise. See this article for a more in-depth discussion.
Why we should support Free Software
We should support Free Software because it guarantees the user's freedom, and is available freely for modification to the benefit of all. Most Free Software is developed by communal development from the community, the Bazaar model.
There are many benefits to using Free Software. You can see exactly what code is running on your computer, and with a community watching the code, can be confident that there are no backdoors or monitoring hidden in the software. Furthermore, you are easily able to apply community patches and modify the programs for your own needs.
How can I support Free Software?
Firstly, by using it. Where at all possible you should strive to use Free Software alternatives.
| Purpose | Free Software Application |
|---|---|
| Operating System | GNU/Linux distribution (such as Trisquel or Debian) |
| Web Browser | Icecat, Mozilla Firefox... |
| IRC Client | Irssi, Konversation... |
| Media player | Totem, VLC Media player |
If you are a programmer you could also donate code to the projects. And finally you can donate to the projects.
See also
- FOSS list - List of Free & Open Source Software
- Free OS - List of Free & Open Source Operating Systems
- Revolution OS - Documentary movie