How does free software compete with commercial software ?
How do the Indians of North America live ?
Is the new economy really new ?
Distinctives
Conditions
A program is a free software if :
- you are free to execute it;
- you are free to modify it so that it meets your needs;
- you are free to redistribute copies of it, freely or in exchange for money;
- you are free to distribute modified versions of it.
The word "free"
The word "free" does not mean that free software can't be bought or sold. Firms like RedHat, MandrakeSoft or Suse sells CD-ROMs of Linux distributions (the Linux kernels and a lot of Linux softwares). The sales of these CD-ROMs are very important because it allows to have money in order to develop free software. The word "free" refers to the liberty allowed to the user for the software.
The GNU GPL
A free software can be modified and reditributed. So a firm should modify the program and turn it into a commercial software. To protect the free software from this, the FSF created the GNU GPL (GNU General Public Licence). A software protected by this licence is a free software and all modified versions of this version will stay free. The Linux kernel and a most of the Linux software are protected by the GNU GPL.
The motivation of the hacker
Anybody can download free software on the Internet without paying anything. So, what the independant developpers of free softwares (also called hackers) work for ? They make free software because they like to develop. When they solve a bug or when they success in a difficult algorithm, they feel a real pleasure. Some hackers consider themselves as scientists. They publish and share their work to the rest of the world.
Author : Julien L.
Last update : June 2005