The Free Software Definition
Template:Short description Template:Italic The Free Software Definition, written by Richard Stallman and published by the Free Software Foundation (FSF), defines free software as being software that ensures that the users have freedom in using, studying, sharing and modifying that software. The term "free" is used in the sense of "free speech," not of "free of charge."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The earliest-known publication of the definition was in the February 1986 edition<ref name="bull6">Template:Cite web</ref> of the now-discontinued GNU's Bulletin publication by the FSF. The canonical source for the document is in the philosophy section of the GNU Project website. Template:As of, it is published in 39 languages.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The FSF publishes a list of licences that meet this definition.
The Four Essential Freedoms of Free Software
[edit]The definition published by the FSF in February 1986 had two points:<ref name="bull6" />
In 1996, when the gnu.org website was launched, "free software" was defined referring to "three levels of freedom" by adding an explicit mention of the freedom to study the software (which could be read in the two-point definition as being part of the freedom to change the program).<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Stallman later avoided the word "levels", saying that all of the freedoms are needed, so it is misleading to think in terms of levelsTemplate:Cn.
Finally, another freedom was added, to explicitly say that users should be able to run the program. The existing freedoms were already numbered one to three, but this freedom should come before the others, so it was added as "freedom zero".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The modern definition defines free software by whether or not the recipient has the following four freedoms:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Freedoms 1 and 3 require source code to be available because studying and modifying software without its source code is highly impractical.
Later definitions
[edit]In July 1997, Bruce Perens published the Debian Free Software Guidelines.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A definition based on the DFSG was also used by the Open Source Initiative (OSI) under the name "The Open Source Definition".
Comparison with The Open Source Definition
[edit]Template:Main Template:See also Despite the philosophical differences between the free software movement and the open-source-software movement, the official definitions of free software by the FSF and of open-source software by the OSI basically refer to the same software licences, with a few minor exceptions. While stressing these philosophical differences, the Free Software Foundation comments: Template:Quote
See also
[edit]- Free software movement (FSM)
- The GNU Manifesto
- Definition of Free Cultural Works
- Debian Free Software Guidelines
- The Open Source Definition