what the hell is. free software is software that anyone is free to use, copy, improve, examine or...

What the hell is

Free software is software that anyone is free to use, copy, improve, examine or distribute, either free of cost or for a price. More precisely, it refers to four fundamental freedoms, which users of the software should have:

4 fundamental freedoms Users should be able to run the software for any

purpose. (freedom 0 — many things in computers start at 0)

Users should be able to closely examine and study the software and should be able to freely modify and improve it to suit their needs better. (freedom 1)

Users should be able to give copies of the software to other people for whom the software will be useful, either gratis or for a fee. (freedom 2)

Users should be able to improve the software and freely distribute their improvements to the broader public so that they, as a whole, benefit. (freedom 3)

Richard Stallman and

Richard M. Stallman Free Software activist,

founder of such programmes as LINUX and GNU.

Was born in 1953 in New York City, was interested in computers since young ages . He was first one to realize that free software has more benefits then close one. His efforts made sharing and using information via internet much easier and availible for everyone.

The beginning

In 1971 Stallman created a community which shared software with each other for free, they found it natural but their activity was called illegal and community was closed. All members had hard times though Stollman didn’t gave up his idea of sharing information so he began planning a new operating system...

Emacs/GNU Emacs was Richards first operating

system early versions of which he worked out in 1985. It was UNIX-like and was for “free”. Actually he sold it to people who emailed him for 150$. They paid not for system but for his work and delivery. It was possible for people to improve it themselves, to add tools they found useful. It was free for everyone to copy it, to use it on personal purposes and even earn money with a help of the programme.

Linux

Linux it’s commonly used free operating system was created as a hobby by Linus Torvalds student of Helsinki university. It can run mobile phones and tablets as well as PCs and supercomputers.

In terms of FREE software words “user” and “creator” are pretty the same.

When one buys any “closed” or “non free” software, he never buys software itself, but pay money in return for license.

Free software is always a result of collaboration, so no one loses, when it is copied again and again. A really good example of such collaboration is Linux.

Companies, that sell free software mostly benefit from customizing the software for clients and by offering support to their clients

Copyleft

Copyleft is general method for making sure that anyone who redistributes the software, with or without changes , won’t pass it further for money, or other possible benefits.

Free software is not automatically copylefted, however several free license agreements exist. The most used is General Public License (GPL)

Due to collaboration, free software is usually better in use, than closed software, created by one person. Any bugs or problems are solved faster, as users are free to inform creators about them.

Langauage

Computer language, machines understand is called “object code”. Language use humans to write computer programs is called “source code”.

Special programme called “complier” transforms source code into object code.

Digital Commons

This is more collective or networked ownership, rather than individual.

Wikipedia

The largest encyclopedia of the wrld, with over 1.5 million articles in English edition only. People are free to edit and correct it, as well as send a feedback and improve it. Obviously it was built on free sofware.

Google and Yahoo Mail

Many state governments around the world are run by free software. Spanish state Extremadura, Munich, Sarai (in every area)

Tor

Tor (The Onion Router) is free software for enabling online anonymity and censorship resistance.

Work by

Valerie Martynenko & Catherine McGrath