begin quoting Menachem Shapiro as of Fri, Aug 19, 2005 at 09:34:39AM -0700: [snip] > -----quote------ > Here, therefore, is the definition of free software: a program is free > software, for you, a particular user, if: > > * You have the freedom to run the program, for any purpose. > * You have the freedom to modify the program to suit your needs. > (To make this freedom effective in practice, you must have access to > the source code, since making changes in a program without having the > source code is exceedingly difficult.)
These first two are the key freedoms that I, as a user and a programmer, desire. > * You have the freedom to redistribute copies, either gratis or for a fee. This is where all software becomes free. Sure, you can charge a fee. You'll only be able to if you're famous. Eventually, someone will make it free for everyone. If for every copy you redistribute you pay the fee (possibly $0) to the source you got your code from, a whole different dynamic would appear. Plus that would fit in with our model of how "real goods" work, but annoy the moochers to no end. > * You have the freedom to distribute modified versions of the > program, so that the community can benefit from your improvements. Assigning rights back to the owner lets you do this as well, but that is seen as objectionable to a lot of people these days. > Since "free" refers to freedom, not to price, there is no > contradiction between selling copies and free software. In fact, the > freedom to sell copies is crucial: collections of free software sold > on CD-ROMs are important for the community, and selling them is an > important way to raise funds for free software development. Therefore, > a program which people are not free to include on these collections is > not free software. It really makes the most sense if you are looking to be a part of a movement. > -----end quote----- -Stewart "If everyone were college students, it would be grand." Stremler
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