Free software movement facts for kids
The free software movement is a social movement. Its main goal is to make sure computer users have certain important freedoms with their software. These freedoms include being able to run, study, change, and share copies of the software. Software that offers these freedoms is called free software.
This movement officially started in 1983 when Richard Stallman launched the GNU Project. Stallman then created the Free Software Foundation in 1985 to help the movement grow.
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Why Free Software Matters
The idea behind the Free Software Movement is to encourage people who write computer programs and people who use them to work together. This means saying no to proprietary software and promoting free software.
Proprietary software is like a secret recipe. You can use the finished dish, but you can't see the ingredients or how it's made. You also can't change it or share your changes with others. Free software, on the other hand, is like an open recipe. You can see everything, change it, and share your new version.
Members of the Free Software Movement believe that everyone who uses software should have the four freedoms:
- The freedom to run the program for any purpose.
- The freedom to study how the program works and change it.
- The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor.
- The freedom to distribute copies of your modified versions to others.
They believe it's wrong to stop people from having these freedoms. They also think these freedoms help create a community where users can help each other and control their own technology.
The Free Software Foundation also believes that all free software needs free documentation. This means the instruction manuals should also be free. This way, programmers can update the manuals when they make changes to the software.
What the Movement Does
Creating Free Software
A big part of the free software movement's work is writing new software. They also refuse to use proprietary software. This is because they believe proprietary software harms the community of users. It stops people from sharing and improving the software together.
Spreading the Word
Many supporters of the free software movement give talks or set up booths at computer conferences. They do this to teach people about software freedom. It's important for users to know that the software they receive is free. Otherwise, they might later accept software that takes away their freedoms.
Groups That Support Free Software
Many organizations around the world support the free software movement:
Asia
- Free Software Movement of India
- International Centre for Free and Open Source Software (ICFOSS)
Africa
- Free Software and Open Source Foundation for Africa
North America
- Free Software Foundation
- Software Freedom Law Center
South America
- Free Software Foundation Latin America
- Software Livre Brasil
Europe
- Free Software Foundation Europe
- Framasoft
- Irish Free Software Organisation
Australia
- Free Software Australia
Governments and Free Software
Many groups work to influence laws about software. They often speak out against software patents and strict copyright laws. They also encourage government offices and projects funded by the government to use free software.
Asia
China
In 1997, a group was formed in Beijing to study and use free software. The use of Linux, a type of open-source software, has grown in China. It's used by government, schools, banks, and other groups. Some Chinese experts say that free and open-source software has helped challenge the strong presence of Microsoft in China.
India
The Indian government released a policy in 2015 to encourage the use of open-source software in government. In 2019, they approved a national policy to help India become a leader in software products.
Pakistan
The Union of Information Technology helps promote free and open-source software (FOSS) in Pakistan. The Pakistan Software Export Board also supports FOSS use in government. They also work to stop illegal copying of software. Pakistan is also working to teach about open-source solutions in schools and colleges. This is because FOSS offers many benefits for technology and society.
North America
United States
In the United States, some states have tried to pass laws that encourage government agencies to use free software. For example, in January 2022, two bills were proposed in New Hampshire. One bill aimed to replace proprietary software used by state agencies with free software. The other bill wanted to make sure state agencies used proprietary software if it was the most effective choice.
South America
Peru
In Peru, congressmen Edgar David Villanueva and Jacques Rodrich Ackerman helped introduce a bill about using free software in public administration. This caught the attention of Microsoft Peru. The general manager wrote a letter to Villanueva, whose reply became famous for arguing in favor of free software in governments.
Uruguay
Uruguay has a law that says the government should prefer free software. It also requires that information be shared using open formats.
Venezuela
The Government of Venezuela passed a free software law in 2006. This law required all government agencies to switch to free software over two years.
Europe
A campaign called Publiccode.eu wants a law that says software developed for the public sector with public money should be made available as free and open-source software. The idea is: if it's public money, it should be public code.
France
The French Gendarmerie (a police force) and the French National Assembly (their parliament) use the open source operating system Linux.
United Kingdom
Gov.uk, the UK government's website, lists the free and open-source tools they used to build their site.
Free Software Events
Free software events happen all over the world. They help people connect, make free software projects more visible, and encourage teamwork.
How Free Software Works Economically
Economists have studied why programmers in the free software movement work on projects. Often, they create high-quality software without getting paid directly. Studies have shown that open-source code can sometimes be even better quality than proprietary code.
People contribute to free software for many reasons. These include getting recognition, earning respect, and feeling honored within the community. It's often more about these rewards than about money. Some even see the free software movement as a new way of working that combines labor with fun.
Different Views in the Movement
Since it started, there have been different ideas within the free software movement. Groups like the Free Software Foundation and the Open Source Initiative sometimes disagree. Their main arguments are about how much to compromise and how strictly to stick to the original ideas.
Open Source Software
The Open Source Initiative (OSI) was started in 1998 by Eric Raymond and Bruce Perens. They wanted to promote the term "open-source software" as another way to talk about free software. The OSI wanted to focus on open source as a better way to develop software. They saw it as a practical choice, not just an ethical one.
Some people use the terms "Free and Open-Source Software" (FOSS) or "Free/Libre and Open-Source Software" (FLOSS). These terms try to include both free software and open-source ideas. They bring together people who care about user freedom and those who focus on efficient software development. Most open-source licenses also work with free software rules.
While free software and open source software are often linked, they have different main ideas. Richard Stallman has said that "open source" is "a non-movement" because it "does not campaign for anything."
"Open source" looks at software being open as a practical matter. It's about making good software. The free software movement sees free software as a moral must. They believe proprietary software should be rejected. They think only free software should be made and taught. This way, computer technology can truly benefit everyone.
Even though they have different goals, the Free Software Movement and the Open Source Initiative often work together on projects. By 2005, some experts felt the differences were important to those involved. However, they had little effect on the actual field of software engineering.
More to Explore
- GNU Manifesto
- History of free software
- Linux adoption
- Open-source movement
- Free-culture movement
- Free Software Foundation
- Open Source Initiative
- Software Freedom Conservancy
- Free Software Movement of India
- Free Software Foundation of India
- Free Software Foundation Europe
- Free Software Movement Karnataka
- Free Software Foundation Tamil Nadu
- Swecha
- Gift economy
See also
In Spanish: Movimiento del software libre para niños
