Free software movement: Difference between revisions
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The Free Software Movement is a movement that aims to create and distribute software that is ''free'' in all sense of the word, not just monetarily. The movement was formally initiated by [[Richard Stallman]] in 1983 with the creation of the [[GNU Project]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stallman |first=Richard |date=1983 |title=Initial Announcement |url=https://www.gnu.org/gnu/initial-announcement.html}}</ref> | {{StubNotice}} | ||
The '''Free Software Movement''' is a movement that aims to create and distribute software that is ''free'' in all sense of the word, not just monetarily. The movement was formally initiated by [[Richard Stallman]] in 1983 with the creation of the [[GNU Project]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stallman |first=Richard |date=1983 |title=Initial Announcement |url=https://www.gnu.org/gnu/initial-announcement.html |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260124140738/https://www.gnu.org/gnu/initial-announcement.html |archive-date=24 Jan 2026}}</ref> | |||
==How it works== | ==How it works== | ||
{{See also|right to own}} | |||
Creating free software means creating software that ''"the user has the freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change, and improve [...]."''<ref>{{Cite web |last=The GNU project |date=2024-01-01 |title=What is free software ? |url=https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260128112500/http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html |archive-date=28 Jan 2026}}</ref> This means that the source code must be available. This is in contrast with most commercial software that hides its real mechanisms from the user. | |||
==Why it is beneficial== | ==Why it is beneficial== | ||
{{See also|Security}} | |||
By making software free in all sense of the word, including the freedom to study the source code, GNU creates trust in software that abides by these rules. Trust that the software does not spy on you, trust that the software will never stop working for monetary reasons, trust that the user will always be in control, instead of a corporation. | By making software free in all sense of the word, including the freedom to study the source code, GNU creates trust in software that abides by these rules. Trust that the software does not spy on you, trust that the software will never stop working for monetary reasons, trust that the user will always be in control, instead of a corporation. | ||
==Examples== | ==Examples== | ||
GNU+Linux | * [[wikipedia:Linux|GNU+Linux]] | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
[[Category:Common terms]] | [[Category:Common terms]] | ||
[[Category: Pro-consumer articles]] | |||
<references /> | <references /> | ||