The Free Software Foundation (FSF) defines free software by the freedoms it gives users: to run, study, share, and modify a program. “Free” means liberty, not necessarily zero cost. The FSF is a nonprofit that advocates and educates on software freedom.
What does “free software” mean?
The FSF’s definition focuses on what users are permitted to do with software, rather than what it costs. Its short explanation is: “Free software is software that gives you the user the freedom to share, study and modify it.” The FSF’s definition describes four freedoms that make the idea more precise.
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The four freedoms
- Run the program for any purpose.
- Study how the program works and change it to do what you wish. This requires access to the source code.
- Share exact copies with others.
- Share modified copies so others can benefit from your changes.
These are permissions, not obligations. A user need not study a program, modify it, or distribute copies; the point is that the software’s terms allow those actions.
Does free software have to cost nothing?
No. “Free” in the FSF’s definition means freedom, not necessarily a zero price. Software may be sold and still qualify if its license gives users the relevant freedoms. Conversely, a no-cost download is not enough by itself: its license may still prevent users from studying, modifying, or sharing it. Richard Stallman put the distinction this way in an FSF-hosted transcript of his GPLv3 talk in Brussels on April 1, 2007: “To understand the term Free Software correctly, think of free speech, not free beer.” The FSF’s explanation sets out the meaning of the term.
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What does the Free Software Foundation do?
The FSF describes itself as a nonprofit advocating and educating on behalf of computer users. Its history begins with the GNU project: Richard M. Stallman launched GNU in 1983 to create a UNIX replacement that would respect users’ freedoms, then started the FSF in 1985. The Foundation’s about page describes its mission and history.
The organization promotes software freedom through educational and advocacy resources, including introductory materials, posters, and stickers. It also maintains the Free Software Directory, a collaborative catalog. The FSF’s definition page states that the directory lists 17,000 programs and tools; that page was last modified February 15, 2024, and does not say when that count was compiled, so it should not be treated as a verified current total. The FSF’s definition page provides the figure and its context.
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How do licenses determine whether software is free?
A software license is the legal instrument that grants rights to copy, modify, and distribute a program. To assess a particular application, look at its actual license and terms rather than relying on its price or a label. The FSF recommends GNU licenses, which it says grant the freedoms in its definition. Some use copyleft: conditions that require derivative works to remain under the same license. The FSF’s license guidance explains its licenses and their terms.
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- May you run the program for any purpose?
- Can you obtain the source code and study how the program works?
- May you share exact copies?
- May you modify it and share copies of your version?
- What conditions apply when you distribute the program or your modifications?
Read the license for the specific program and the version you use. Redistribution conditions matter: two licenses can grant the four freedoms while setting different requirements for sharing modified versions.
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