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128 lines
4.2 KiB
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<title>Why we speak about Free Software</title> |
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<body> |
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<h1>We speak about Free Software</h1> |
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<p>Free Software is often referred to as "Open Source." This is a |
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result of an attempt by the <a href="http://www.opensource.org/">Open |
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Source Initiative</a> (OSI) to create a marketing campaign for Free |
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Software.</p> |
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<p>The OSI set out to maintain the integrity of the movement and |
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prevent abuse by proprietary vendors by introducing "Open Source" as a |
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trademark for Free Software; but this initiative failed.</p> |
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<p>Examining the development of the Open Source Initiative after three |
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years, it becomes apparent that the reasons to prefer the term Free |
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Software have become even more true. Speaking of Free Software or the |
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equivalent term in other languages offers many advantages, which we |
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explain below.</p> |
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<h3>"Free Software" is easier to understand</h3> |
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<p>Although some people say that using the term "free" creates |
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ambiguity, many languages have separate terms referring to freedom and |
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price. In these languages, the term "free" is not ambiguous. It may be |
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in others, including English, but in those misunderstandings can |
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easily be avoided by pointing out that free refers to freedom, not |
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price.</p> |
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<p>The terminology "Open Source" refers to having access to the source |
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code. But access to the source code is only a precondition for two of |
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the four freedoms that define Free Software. Many people do not |
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understand that access to the source code alone is not enough. "Free |
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Software" avoids catering to this relatively common misunderstanding.</p> |
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<h3>Free Software is harder to abuse</h3> |
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<p>Unfortunately many companies have started calling their products |
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"Open Source" if at least some parts of the source code can be |
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seen. Users buy this software believing they are purchasing something |
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"as good as GNU/Linux" because it claims to follow the same |
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principle.</p> |
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<p>We should not allow proprietary vendors to abuse people's enthusiasm |
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like this. Since the "Open Source" trademarking initiative failed, |
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there is no way to prevent abuse of the term that becomes possible |
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because of the aforementioned misunderstanding.</p> |
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<h3>Free Software is well-defined</h3> |
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<p>Experience in science and philosophy has shown that a good and |
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clear definition is to be preferred.</p> |
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<p>The Free Software Definition of the Free Software Foundation with |
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its four freedoms is the clearest definition existing today.</p> |
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<h3>Free Software provides additional value</h3> |
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<p>Unlike Open Source, Free Software provides more than just a |
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technical model how to develop better software, it provides a |
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philosophy. Companies can learn and profit from the philosophy and |
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background of Free Software.</p> |
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<h3>Free Software offers freedom</h3> |
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<p>Free Software provides the freedoms to </p> |
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<ul> |
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<li>run the program, for any purpose.</li> |
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<li>study how the program works, and adapt it to your needs.</li> |
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<li>redistribute copies.</li> |
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<li>improve the program, and release your improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits.</li> |
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</ul> |
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<p>Because of these four freedoms, Free Software offers freedom to |
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learn, freedom to teach, freedom of competition, freedom of speech and |
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freedom of choice.</p> |
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<p>Freedom counts!</p> |
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<p>For all these reasons we made the conscious decision to avoid the term |
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Open Source and speak of Free Software or the equivalent term in other |
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languages.</p> |
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<p>We encourage you to make the same decision.</p> |
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<p>An initiative of the<br /> |
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Free Software Foundation Europe</p> |
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<hr /> |
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<h2>We speak about Free Software</h2> |
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<speakers/> |
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<br /> |
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<p>This campaign was started for Free Software companies, but in this |
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special case we decided to make an exception to the rule:</p><p class="indent"> |
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<a href="http://perens.com/">Bruce Perens</a>, co-founder of the Open |
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Source movement and author of the "Debian Free Software |
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Guidelines" and the "Open Source Definition" asked us |
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to add his name to the list and make it known that he also speaks |
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about Free Software and supports the "We speak about Free |
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Software" campaign.</p> |
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