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Free Software

How does Free Software work ?

One of the core attributes of Free Software is the availability of the source codes and the permission to make your own additions.

This enables users to adapt existing software to their special needs. The changes in turn become available to those interested. The principal their advantage is being able to benefit from all further enhancements of the software.

Additionally, the software can be distributed and used without limitations.

What is Free software ?

Free Software enables all those interested to use it. The availability of the source codes offers you the freedom to learn from the implementation and to adapt the program to your own needs. It also permits the copying and distribution of even the modified/enhanced software.

This is a simplified explanation; the Free Software Foundation (FSF) offers a and describes several categories of free and non-free software. The freedom of software is realized by appropriate licenses, the best known being the GNU General Public Licence. Richard Stallman announced the GNU-Projekt in 1983 and founded die FSF in 1985. The FSF is the backbone of the Free Software concepts. In 2001 an FSF Europe was established.

Free does not mean gratis (although Free Software is usually available without fees). Software which is distributed without a fee and does not enable users to modify and enhance the software to their own needs is not free. Neither is software which does not permit commercial use.

Free Software is sometimes called "Open-Source" a missleading term aiming at licenses. The Open Source Initiative (OSI) keeps a list of licences which fulfil the Open Source Definition (OSD) (OSI-certified).

Why use Free Software ?

The advantages of Free Software are numberous:
  • Free Software ensures higher quality, stability and portability:
    • Voluntary software developers working on a program are usually distributed around the world. Hence reported bugs can be rapidly eliminated and also feature wishes can be considered.
    • The quality check of the source codes by several independent developers reduces the numbers of errors in stable releases.
    • A beneficial program coming with sources can be ported by interested people to their preferred platform.
  • Free Software offers you, the user, more safety:
    • If required you can fix an error by yourself or find someone else to do so.
    • The software (and the option for support/development) will also be available if the formerly commissioned company no longer exists.
  • Software is a social technique, Free Software hands this power over to the users and helps to prevent monopols.
    • Free Software avoids re-engineering of source code. This is a stimulating beneficial impact for economy.
    • Free Software increases competition for software and hardware market.
    • Setting up standards can best be established applying Free Software: The Internet and the World Wide Web owe their success Free Software products.

Why GPL?

The GNU General Public Licence ensures freedom in the long run. In some cases it is favourable to release Free Software under a different licence (e.g. for a reference-implementation of a protocol). But in general, GPL should be applied.
Bernhard Reiter <bernhard@intevation.de>
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