Editing Free software movement

{{short description|Social movement}}
{{Distinguish|text=[[Open-source-software movement]], a related movement}}
{{For|related movements beyond software |Open source{{!}}Open-source model}}

The '''free software movement''' is a social movement with the goal of obtaining and guaranteeing certain freedoms for [[user (computing)|software users]], namely the freedoms to run, study, modify, and share copies of software.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html|title=What is Free Software?|website=(gnu.org)|access-date=2020-03-18|archive-date=2013-10-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014132149/https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>[http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2008-03/msg00635.html Richard Stallman on the nature of the Free software movement] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170513005715/http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2008-03/msg00635.html |date=2017-05-13 }} in 2008 on emacs-devel mailing list.</ref> Software which meets these requirements, [[The Free Software Definition#The Four Essential Freedoms of Free Software|The Four Essential Freedoms of Free Software]], is termed [[free software]].

Although drawing on traditions and philosophies among members of the 1970s [[hacker (programmer subculture)|hacker culture]] and academia, [[Richard Stallman]] formally founded the movement<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Corrado |first1=Edward M. |last2=Moualison Sandy |first2=Heather |last3=Mitchell |first3=Erik T. |date=2018-07-03 |title=Nullis in Verba: The Free Software Movement as a model for Openness and Transparency |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07317131.2018.1456849 |journal=Technical Services Quarterly |language=en |volume=35 |issue=3 |pages=269–279 |doi=10.1080/07317131.2018.1456849 |s2cid=196159979 |issn=0731-7131 |access-date=2022-05-03 |archive-date=2023-07-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230710173206/https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07317131.2018.1456849 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription }}</ref> in 1983 by launching the [[GNU Project]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gnu.org/gnu/initial-announcement.html|title=Initial Announcement |website=GNU Project |date=September 27, 1983 |first1=Richard |last1=Stallman |access-date=2014-04-18|archive-date=2009-03-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305002259/http://www.gnu.org/gnu/initial-announcement.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Stallman later established the [[Free Software Foundation]] in 1985 to support the movement.

== Philosophy ==
The philosophy of the Free Software Movement is based on promoting collaboration between programmers and computer users. This process necessitates the rejection of
[[proprietary software]] and the promotion of [[free software]].<ref name="20 Years"/> Stallman notes that this action would not hinder the progression of technology, as he states, "Wasteful duplication of system programming effort will be avoided. This effort can go instead into advancing the state of the art."<ref name="The GNU Manifesto">{{cite web
|title=The GNU Manifesto
|publisher=GNU
|url=https://www.gnu.org/gnu/manifesto.html
|access-date=2014-04-18
|archive-date=2020-05-11
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200511025028/http://www.gnu.org/gnu/manifesto.html
|url-status=live
}}</ref>

Members of the Free Software Movement believe that all software users should have the freedoms listed in [[The Free Software Definition]]. Members hold the belief that it is immoral to prohibit or prevent people from exercising these freedoms, and that they are required in creating a community where software users can help each other and have control over their technology.<ref>{{cite web
|title=Why free software?
|url=https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/why-free.html
|publisher=GNU
|access-date=2014-04-18
|archive-date=2021-05-04
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504231916/http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/why-free.html
|url-status=live
}}</ref> Regarding [[proprietary software]], some believe that it is not strictly immoral, citing increased profitability in the business models available for proprietary software, along with technical features and convenience.<ref>{{cite web
|title=Copyleft: Pragmatic Idealism
|publisher=GNU
|url=http://www.fsf.org/licensing/essays/pragmatic.html
|access-date=2007-04-09
|archive-date=2012-09-19
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120919112405/http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/pragmatic.html
|url-status=live
}}</ref>

The Free Software Foundation espouses the principle that all software needs free documentation, as programmers should have the ability to update manuals to reflect modifications made to the software.<ref>{{cite web
|title=Free Software and Free Manuals
|url=https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-doc.html
|publisher=GNU
|access-date=2014-04-18
|archive-date=2021-08-15
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210815064923/https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-doc.html
|url-status=live
}}</ref> Within the movement, the [[FLOSS Manuals]] foundation specializes in providing such documentation.

== Actions ==
[[File:Encerramento do FISL 16.jpg|thumb|300px|[[GNU]] and [[Tux (mascot)|Tux]] mascots around free software supporters at [[FISL|FISL 16]]]]

=== Writing and spreading free software ===
The core work of the free software movement is focused on software development. The free software movement also rejects proprietary software, refusing to install software that does not give them the freedoms of free software. According to Stallman, "The only thing in the software field that is worse than an unauthorised copy of a proprietary program, is an authorised copy of the proprietary program because this does the same harm to its whole community of users, and in addition, usually the developer, the perpetrator of this evil, profits from it."<ref>{{cite web
|title=Transcript of Stallman on Free Software
|date=2006-03-09
|url=http://fsfeurope.org/documents/rms-fs-2006-03-09.en.html
|publisher=FSFE
|access-date=2007-01-09
|archive-date=2009-03-12
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090312070656/http://fsfeurope.org/documents/rms-fs-2006-03-09.en.html
|url-status=live
}}</ref>

=== Building awareness ===
Some supporters of the free software movement take up [[public speaking]], or host a stall at software-related conferences to raise awareness of software freedom. This is seen as important since people who receive free software, but who are not aware that it is free software, will later accept a non-free replacement or will add software that is not free software.<ref>{{cite web
|title=Transcript of Stallman speaking at WSIS
|url=http://fsfe.org/en/fellows/ciaran/ciaran_s_free_software_notes/transcript_of_rms_at_wsis_on_is_free_open_source_software_the_answer#wsis--importance-of-awareness
|publisher=[[Ciarán O'Riordan]]
|access-date=2006-10-07
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081221131332/http://fsfe.org/en/fellows/ciaran/ciaran_s_free_software_notes/transcript_of_rms_at_wsis_on_is_free_open_source_software_the_answer#wsis--importance-of-awareness
|archive-date=2008-12-21
|url-status=dead
}}</ref>

== Organisations ==
{{Main|List of free and open-source software organizations}}

=== Asia ===
* [[Free Software Movement of India]]
* [[ICFOSS|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

== Legislation and government ==
A lot of lobbying work has been done against [[software patent]]s and expansions of [[Copyright|copyright law]]. Other lobbying focuses directly on the use of free software by government agencies and government-funded projects.

=== Asia ===

==== China ====
In June 1997, the Society for Study, Application, and Development of Free Software was established under the [[China Software Industry Association]] in Beijing. Through this organization, the website freesoft.cei.gov.cn was developed, though the website is currently inaccessible on IP addresses located in the United States. The use of open-source software [[Linux]] in China has moved beyond government and educational institutions and has extended to other organizations such as financial institutions, telecommunications, and public security. Several Chinese researchers and scholars have claimed that the existence of FOSS in China has been important in challenging the presence of [[Microsoft]], which Guangnan Ni, a member of the [[Chinese Academy of Engineering]] stated, "The monopoly of (Microsoft Windows) is even more powerful in China than other places in the world".<ref name="auto">{{Cite journal |title=Against Intellectual Monopoly: Free Software in China |jstor=41917739 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/41917739 |url-status=live |last1=Zhou |first1=Yi |journal=World Review of Political Economy |year=2011 |volume=2 |issue=2 |pages=290–306 |access-date=2023-04-07 |archive-date=2023-04-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230407192053/https://www.jstor.org/stable/41917739 }}</ref> Yi Zhou, a professor of mathematics at [[Fudan University]], has also alleged that, "Government procurement of FLOSS for a number of years in China has compelled Microsoft to cut its prices of Office software substantially" <ref name="auto"/>

==== India ====
Government of India had issued Policy on Adoption of Open Source Software for Government of India in 2015 to drive uptake within the government. With the vision to transform India as a Software Product Nation, National Policy on Software Products-2019 was approved by the Government.<ref>{{Cite web |title=FOSS4GOV Innovation Challenge |url=https://innovateindia.mygov.in/foss4gov-innovation-challenge/ |url-status=live |access-date=2021-08-27 |archive-date=2021-08-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827062916/https://innovateindia.mygov.in/foss4gov-innovation-challenge/ }}</ref>

====Pakistan====

Free and Open Source Software (Foss) is crucial for countries such as Pakistan which is set up by Union of Information Technology.  For the case of Pakistan, Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) aids in the creation and advocate of FOSS usage in various government departments in addition to curbing illegality of copying that is software piracy. Promotion of adoption of FOSS is essential however it comes with problems of proprietary anti competition software practices including indulging in bribing and corruption by government departments. Pakistan works on the introduction  of usage of open type  basis of source Solutions in the curricula  in schools and colleges. This is because of FOSS uniqueness in terms of political, democratic and social varieties of aspect regarding  information communication and technology.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Rehman |first=Ata |date=July 2017 |title=Free and Open Source Software Movement in LIS Profession in Pakistan |url=https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/852/ |journal=University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Digital Commons  |access-date=2023-04-08 |archive-date=2023-04-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408150248/https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/852/ |url-status=live }}</ref> 
<!-- === Africa === -->

=== North America ===

==== United States ====
In the United States, there have been efforts to pass legislation at the state level encouraging the use of free software by state government agencies.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/tech-industry/open-sources-new-weapon-the-law/|title=Open source's new weapon: The law?|website=CNET|access-date=2023-03-16|archive-date=2023-03-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230316221116/https://www.cnet.com/tech/tech-industry/open-sources-new-weapon-the-law/|url-status=live}}</ref>

On January 11, 2022, two bills were shown on the New Hampshire legislating floor. The first bill called "HB 1273" was introduced by Democratic New Hampshire representative Eric Gallager, the bill prioritized "replacing proprietary software used by state agencies with free software." Gallager stated that to an extent, the proposed legislation will help distinguish "free software" and "open-source software", this will also put these two into state regulation. The second bill called "HB 1581" was proposed by Grafton Republican representative Lex Berezhny. The bill would've restored a requisite forcing "state agencies to use proprietary software" and as Lex put it, "when it is the most effective solution." He also said that requisite was happening between 2012 and 2018. According to the Concord Monitor, the state of New Hampshire had an already  "thriving open source software community" with a view of "live free or die" but they had difficulty getting that notion with the state.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lots of recycled arguments when the legislature debates open source software |url=https://www.concordmonitor.com/open-software-nh-new-hampshire-44505163 |website=Concord Monitor |access-date=2023-04-09 |archive-date=2023-04-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409184759/https://www.concordmonitor.com/open-software-nh-new-hampshire-44505163 |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== South America ===

==== Peru ====
Congressmen [[Edgar David Villanueva]] and Jacques Rodrich Ackerman have been instrumental in introducing free software in [[Peru]], with bill 1609 on "Free Software in Public Administration".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Free_Software_in_Public_Agencies|title=An English translation of the Free Software bill proposed in Peru|access-date=2007-05-10|archive-date=2010-12-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101204201527/http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Free_Software_in_Public_Agencies|url-status=live}}</ref> The incident invited the attention of [[Microsoft]], Peru, whose general manager wrote a letter to Villanueva. His response received worldwide attention and is seen as a classic piece of argumentation favouring use of free software in governments.<ref>{{cite web|title=Peruvian Congressman Edgar Villanueva writing to Microsoft about free software.|url=http://www.gnu.org.pe/resmseng.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070829215908/http://www.gnu.org.pe/resmseng.html|archive-date=2007-08-29}}</ref>

==== Uruguay ====
Uruguay has a sanctioned law requiring that the state give priority to free software. It also requires that information be exchanged in [[open formats]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://libreplanet.org/wiki/Group:Free_Software_in_Government#Uruguay|title=Group:Free Software in Government|website=libreplanet.org|access-date=2019-05-09|archive-date=2020-10-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023002248/https://libreplanet.org/wiki/Group:Free_Software_in_Government#Uruguay|url-status=live}}</ref>

==== Venezuela ====
The [[Government of Venezuela]] implemented a free software law in January 2006. Decree No. 3,390 mandated all government agencies to migrate to free software over a two-year period.<ref>{{cite web|date=2006-02-08|title=Free software liberates Venezuela|url=http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/articles/professional_services_venezuela/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303214841/http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/articles/professional_services_venezuela/|archive-date=2016-03-03|access-date=2007-03-16|publisher=[[Free Software Magazine]] n°10}}</ref>

=== Europe ===
Publiccode.eu is a campaign launched demanding a legislation requiring that publicly financed software developed for the public sector be made publicly available under a Free and Open Source Software licence. If it is public money, it should be public code as well.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Public Money? Public Code! |url=https://publiccode.eu/ |url-status=live |access-date=2021-08-27 |archive-date=2020-02-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219184118/https://publiccode.eu/ }}</ref>

==== France ====
The [[French Gendarmerie]] and the [[French National Assembly]] utilize the [[open source]] operating system [[Linux]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2014-02-27|title=AFP: French police deal blow to Microsoft|url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iU4Lq7tOR_WVOJLZ3IeRaIH03x6w?hl=en|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227230123/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iU4Lq7tOR_WVOJLZ3IeRaIH03x6w?hl=en|archive-date=2014-02-27|access-date=2019-05-12}}</ref>

==== United Kingdom ====
[[Gov.uk]] keeps a list of "key components, tools and services that have gone into the construction of GOV.UK".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Colophon for GOV.UK at launch &#124; Government Digital Service|url=https://gds.blog.gov.uk/govuk-launch-colophon/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20141116114020/https://gds.blog.gov.uk/govuk-launch-colophon/|archive-date=2014-11-16|access-date=2014-11-16}}</ref>{{sup|[''{{tooltip|title needed|This reference contains a placeholder title. Please replace it with the actual title of the work referenced. (April 2021)}}'']}}

== Events ==
{{Main|List of free-software events}}
Free Software events happening all around the world connects people to increase visibility for Free software projects and foster collaborations.

==Economics==
The free software movement has been extensively analyzed using economic methodologies, including perspectives from [[heterodox economics]]. Of particular interest to economists{{Who|date=June 2021}} is the willingness of programmers in the free software movement to work, {{citation needed span|date=June 2021|often producing higher-quality than proprietary programmers, without financial compensation}}.<!-- Free software can be commercial -->

In his 1998 article "The High-Tech Gift Economy", [[Richard Barbrook]] suggested that the then-nascent free software movement represented a return to the [[gift economy]] building on [[hobby]]ism and the [[Post-scarcity economy|absence of economic scarcity]] on the Internet.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Barbrook |first1=Richard |date=1998 |title=The High-Tech Gift Economy |url=http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/631/552 |journal=First Monday |volume=13 |issue=12 |access-date=July 22, 2018 |archive-date=July 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180722184805/http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/631/552 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Gabriella Coleman]] has emphasized the importance of accreditation, respect, and [[honour]] within the free software community as a form of compensation for contributions to projects, over and against financial motivations.<ref>Coleman (2013), p. 116-7.</ref>

The Swedish [[Marxian economics|Marxian]] economist Johan Söderberg has argued that the free software movement represents a complete alternative to [[capitalism]] that may be expanded to create a post-work society. He argues that the combination of a manipulation of intellectual property law<!-- The term "intellectual property" groups together multiple unrelated laws. Which one is being referred to here? --> and [[private property]] to make goods available to the public and a thorough blend between labor and fun make the free software movement a [[communism|communist economy]].<ref>Söderberg (2007), p. 153-4.</ref>

== Subgroups and schisms ==
Since its inception, there is an ongoing contention between the many [[FLOSS]] organizations ([[Free Software Foundation|FSF]], [[Open Source Initiative|OSI]], [[Debian]], [[Mozilla Foundation]], [[Apache Foundation]], etc.) within the free software movement, with the main conflicts centered around the organization's needs for compromise and pragmatism rather than adhering to founding values and philosophies.<ref name="pragmatism">{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20160217000741/http://thevarguy.com/open-source-application-software-companies/060915/pragmatism-history-gnu-linux-and-freeopen-source-software Pragmatism in the History of GNU, Linux and Free/Open Source Software]}} Jun 9, 2015 Christopher Tozzi</ref>

=== Open source ===
{{main|Open-source-software movement}}

The [[Open Source Initiative]] (OSI) was founded in February 1998 by [[Eric Raymond]] and [[Bruce Perens]] to promote the term "[[open-source software]]" as an [[alternative term for free software]]. The OSI aimed to address the perceived shortcomings and ambiguity of the term "free software", as well as shifting the focus of free software from a social and ethical issue to instead emphasize open source as a superior model for software development.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.catb.org/~esr/open-source.html |title=Goodbye, "free software"; hello, "open source" |quote=The problem with it is twofold. First, ... the term "free" is very ambiguous ... Second, the term makes a lot of corporate types nervous. |author=Eric S. Raymond |author-link=Eric S. Raymond |access-date=2016-03-22 |archive-date=2020-01-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200102094841/http://www.catb.org/~esr/open-source.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://twobits.net/pub/Kelty-TwoBits.pdf |title=The Cultural Significance of free Software – Two Bits |first=Christpher M. |last=Kelty |publisher=[[Duke University]] Press |location= Durham and London |year=2008 |page=99 |quote=Prior to 1998, Free Software referred either to the Free Software Foundation (and the watchful, micromanaging eye of Stallman) or to one of thousands of different commercial, avocational, or university-research projects, processes, licenses, and ideologies that had a variety of names: sourceware, freeware, shareware, open software, public domain software, and so on. The term Open Source, by contrast, sought to encompass them all in one movement. |access-date=2016-03-22 |archive-date=2008-08-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080827175442/http://twobits.net/pub/Kelty-TwoBits.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="infoworld1983">{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yy8EAAAAMBAJ&q=us%20government%20public%20domain%20software&pg=PA31 |work=[[InfoWorld]] |date=1983-06-23|title=Free software – Free software is a junkyard of software spare parts |quote=In contrast to commercial software is a large and growing body of free software that exists in the public domain. Public-domain software is written by microcomputer hobbyists (also known as 'hackers') many of whom are professional programmers in their work life. [...] Since everybody has access to source code, many routines have not only been used but dramatically improved by other programmers. |first=Tom |last=Shea |access-date=2016-02-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|publisher=GNU
|url=https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html
|title=Open Source misses the point
|access-date=2014-04-18
|archive-date=2011-08-04
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110804231811/http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html
|url-status=live
}}</ref> The latter became the view of Eric Raymond and [[Linus Torvalds]], while Bruce Perens argued that open source was meant to popularize free software under a new brand and called for a return to basic ethical principles.<ref>{{cite web
|author1=Bruce Perens
|author-link1=Bruce Perens
|title=It's Time to Talk About Free Software Again
|url=https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/1999/02/msg01641.html
|date=17 February 1999
|access-date=2 April 2015
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140716055445/https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/1999/02/msg01641.html
|archive-date=16 July 2014}}</ref>

Some free software advocates use the terms "[[free and open-source software|Free and Open-Source Software]]" (FOSS) or "Free/Libre and Open-Source Software" (FLOSS) as a form of inclusive compromise, which brings free and open-source software advocates together to work on projects cohesively. Some users believe this is an ideal solution in order to promote both the user's freedom with the software and the pragmatic efficiency of an open-source development model. This view is reinforced by fact that majority of [[List of OSI approved software licences|OSI-approved licenses]] and self-avowed open-source programs are also compatible with the free software formalisms and vice versa.<ref name="OSS misses the point">{{cite web|last=Stallman|first=Richard|title=Why Open Source Misses the Point of Free Software|url=https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html|work=GNU Operating System|publisher=Free Software Foundation|access-date=11 February 2013|archive-date=4 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110804231811/http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

While free and open source software are often linked together, they offer two separate ideas and values. Richard Stallman has referred to open source as "''a non-movement''", as it "''does not campaign for anything''".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://siliconangle.com/blog/2016/04/28/gnu-founder-stallman-open-source-is-not-free-software/|title=GNU founder Stallman: 'Open source is not free software' |last=Gillin|first=Paul|date=2016-04-28|work=SiliconANGLE|access-date=2017-10-17|language=en-US|archive-date=2017-10-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171017145802/https://siliconangle.com/blog/2016/04/28/gnu-founder-stallman-open-source-is-not-free-software/|url-status=live}}</ref>

"Open source" addresses software being open as a practical question  rather than an ethical dilemma – non-free software is not the best solution but nonetheless a solution. The free software movement views free software as a moral imperative: that proprietary software should be rejected, and that only free software should be developed and taught in order to make computing technology beneficial to the general public.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stallman |first=Richard |title=Why 'Open Source' Misses the Point of Free Software {{!}} June 2009 {{!}} Communications of the ACM |url=https://cacm.acm.org/magazines/2009/6/28491-why-open-source-misses-the-point-of-free-software |access-date=2017-10-17 |website=cacm.acm.org}}</ref>

Although the movements have differing values and goals, collaborations between the Free Software Movement and Open Source Initiative have taken place when it comes to practical projects.<ref>{{cite web
|publisher=GNU
|url=https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-software-for-freedom.html
|title=Why "Free Software" is better than "Open Source"
|access-date=2014-04-18
|archive-date=2021-03-27
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210327080246/https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-software-for-freedom.html
|url-status=live
}}</ref> By 2005, Richard Glass considered the differences to be a "serious fracture" but "vitally important to those on both sides of the fracture" and "of little importance to anyone else studying the movement from a software engineering perspective" since they have had "little effect on the field".<ref>{{Citation
 | author = Richard Glass
 | chapter = Standing in Front of the Open Source Steamroller
 | title = Perspectives on Free and Open Source Software
 |editor1=Joseph Feller |editor2=Brian Fitzgerald |editor3=Scott A. Hissam |editor4=Karim R. Lakahani | publisher = MIT Press
 | year = 2005
 | isbn = 0262062461
 | page = 89}}</ref>

== Criticism and controversy ==

=== Principle compromises ===
[[Eric Raymond]] criticises the speed at which the free software movement is progressing, suggesting that temporary compromises should be made for long-term gains. Raymond argues that this could raise awareness of the software and thus increase the free software movement's influence on relevant standards and legislation.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.catb.org/~esr/writings/world-domination/world-domination-201.html |title=ESR's "World Domination 201", on the need for more compromise by the free software movement |publisher=catb.org |author=Eric S. Raymond |date=2006-07-01 |access-date=2016-02-11 |author-link=Eric S. Raymond |archive-date=2019-09-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190905031807/http://catb.org/~esr/writings/world-domination/world-domination-201.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Richard Stallman, on the other hand, sees the current level of compromise as a greater cause for worry.<ref name="pragmatism"/><ref name="20 Years">{{cite web |last=Stallman |first=Richard |title=The Free Software Community After 20 Years |url=https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/use-free-software.html |url-status=live |access-date=2021-04-04 |website=GNU |archive-date=2021-04-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210425024735/http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/use-free-software.html }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.libervis.com/article/richard_stallman_on_world_domination_201 |title=Richard Stallman on "World Domination 201" |quote=I cannot agree to that compromise, and my experience teaches me that it won't be temporary. ... What our community needs most is more spine in rejection of non-free software. It has far too much willingness to compromise. ... To "argue" in favor of adding non-free software in GNU/Linux distros is almost superfluous, since that's what nearly all of them have already done. |access-date=2008-01-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603124006/http://www.libervis.com/article/richard_stallman_on_world_domination_201 |archive-date=2013-06-03 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== Programmer income ===
{{main|Business models for open-source software}}
Stallman said that this is where people get the misconception of "free": there is no wrong in programmers' requesting payment for a proposed project, or charging for copies of free software.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Selling Free Software |url=https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/selling.html |url-status=live |access-date=2021-04-04 |website=GNU |archive-date=2018-02-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207222030/http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/selling.html }}</ref> Restricting and controlling the user's decisions on use is the actual violation of freedom. Stallman defends that in some cases, monetary incentive is not necessary for motivation since the pleasure in expressing creativity is a reward in itself.<ref name="The GNU Manifesto" /> Conversely, Stallman admits that it is not easy to raise money for free software projects.<ref name="LAS300RMS">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=radmjL5OIaA&t=0h53m46s| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/radmjL5OIaA| archive-date=2021-12-11 | url-status=live|work=GNU/LAS s20e10 |title=Interview with Richard Stallman |publisher=[[Linux action show]] |quote=[[Richard Stallman|RMS]]: ''I'm not gone to claim that I got a way to make it easier to raise money to pay people who write free software. We all know, that to some extent there are ways to do that, but we all know that they are limited, they are not as broad as we would like.'' |access-date=2014-08-22 |date=2012-03-11 }}{{cbignore}}</ref>

=== "Viral" copyleft licensing ===
The free software movement champions [[copyleft]] licensing schema (often pejoratively called "[[viral license]]s"). In its strongest form, copyleft mandates that any works ''derived'' from copyleft-licensed software must also carry a copyleft license, so the license spreads from work to work like a computer virus might spread from machine to machine. Stallman has previously stated his opposition to describing the [[GNU GPL]] as "viral". These licensing terms can only be enforced through asserting copyrights.<ref>{{Citation
 | author = David McGowan
 | chapter = Legal Aspects of Free and Open Source Software
 | title = Perspectives on Free and Open Source Software
 |editor1=Joseph Feller |editor2=Brian Fitzgerald |editor3=Scott A. Hissam |editor4=Karim R. Lakahani | publisher = MIT Press
 | year = 2005
 | isbn = 0-262-06246-1
 | page = 382}}</ref>

Critics of copyleft licensing challenge the idea that restricting modifications is in line with the free software movement's emphasis on various "freedoms", especially when alternatives like [[MIT License|MIT]], [[BSD Licenses|BSD]], and [[Apache License|Apache]] licenses are more permissive.<ref>{{cite web|title=Open Source Licensing Guide|url=http://www.newmediarights.org/open_source/new_media_rights_open_source_licensing_guide|website=New Media Rights|access-date=13 February 2015|archive-date=13 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150213052820/http://www.newmediarights.org/open_source/new_media_rights_open_source_licensing_guide|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
| first=Dave
| last=Newbart
| title=Microsoft CEO takes launch break with the Sun-Times
| date=2001-06-01
| newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times
| url=http://suntimes.com/output/tech/cst-fin-micro01.html
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010615205548/http://suntimes.com/output/tech/cst-fin-micro01.html
| archive-date=2001-06-15
}}(Internet archive link)</ref> Proponents enjoy the assurance that copylefted work cannot usually be incorporated into non-free software projects.<ref>
{{Cite book
 |author1=Kirk St.Amant  |author2=Brian Still
  |name-list-style=amp | chapter = Examining Open Source Software Licenses through the Creative Commons Licensing Model
 | title = Handbook of Research on Open Source Software: Technological, Economic, and Social Perspectives
 | publisher = Information Science Reference
 | year = 2008
 | pages = 382 of 728
 | isbn = 978-1-59140-999-1}}</ref> They emphasize that copyleft licenses may not attach for all uses and that in any case, developers can simply choose not to use copyleft-licensed software.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.linuxtoday.com/developer/2006082902126OSHLLL |title=IT Manager's Journal: 10 Common Misunderstandings About the GPL |first=Bruce |last=Byfield |date=2006-08-29 |access-date=2008-08-23 |archive-date=2020-02-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200216180035/https://www.linuxtoday.com/developer/2006082902126oshlll |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| last=Poynder
| first=Richard
| title=The Basement Interviews: Freeing the Code
| date=21 March 2006
| access-date=5 February 2010
| url=https://archive.org/stream/The_Basement_Interviews/Richard_Stallman_Interview_djvu.txt
}}</ref>

=== License proliferation and compatibility ===
{{main|Comparison of free and open-source software licenses}}
FLOSS [[license proliferation]] is a serious concern in the FLOSS domain due to increased complexity of [[license compatibility]] considerations which limits and complicates source code reuse between FLOSS projects.<ref name="proliferationimpact">[https://fossbazaar.org/content/osi-and-license-proliferation/ OSI and License Proliferation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160220081208/https://fossbazaar.org/content/osi-and-license-proliferation/ |date=2016-02-20 }} on fossbazar.com by Martin Michlmayr ''"Too many different licenses makes it difficult for licensors to choose: it's difficult to choose a good license for a project because there are so many. Some licenses do not play well together: some open source licenses do not inter-operate well with other open source licenses, making it hard to incorporate code from other projects. Too many licenses makes it difficult to understand what you are agreeing to in a multi-license distribution: since a FLOSS application typically contains code with different licenses and people use many applications which each contain one or several licenses, it's difficult to see what your obligations are."'' (on August 21st, 2008)</ref> The OSI and the FSF maintain their own lists of dozens of existing and acceptable FLOSS licenses.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Various Licenses and Comments about Them|url=https://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html|access-date=2021-04-04|website=GNU|archive-date=2010-07-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100724023833/https://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html|url-status=live}}</ref> There is an agreement among most that the creation of new licenses should be minimized and those created should be made compatible with the major existing FLOSS licenses. Therefore, there was a strong controversy around the update of the [[GNU GPLv2]] to the [[GNU GPLv3]] in 2007,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://socializedsoftware.com/2008/05/08/the-curse-of-open-source-license-proliferation/ |title=The Curse of Open Source License Proliferation |author=Mark |date=2008-05-08 |access-date=2015-11-30 |publisher=socializedsoftware.com |quote=Currently the decision to move from GPL v2 to GPL v3 is being hotly debated by many open source projects. According to Palamida, a provider of IP compliance software, there have been roughly 2489 open source projects that have moved from GPL v2 to later versions. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208112000/http://socializedsoftware.com/2008/05/08/the-curse-of-open-source-license-proliferation/ |archive-date=2015-12-08 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="mcdougall2007">{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080413091038/http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2007/07/linux_creator_c.html |url=http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2007/07/linux_creator_c.html |archive-date=2008-04-13 |title=Linux Creator Calls GPLv3 Authors 'Hypocrites' As Open Source Debate Turns Nasty |quote=[...]the latest sign of a growing schism in the open source community between business-minded developers like Torvalds and free software purists. |first=Paul |last=McDougall |date=2007-07-10 |access-date=2015-02-12 |publisher=informationweek.com}}</ref> as the updated license is not compatible with the previous version.<ref name="gpl2gpl3comp">{{cite web | url=https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#v2v3Compatibility | title=Frequently Asked Questions about the GNU Licenses – Is GPLv3 compatible with GPLv2? | publisher=GNU | access-date=3 June 2014 | quote=No. Some of the requirements in GPLv3, such as the requirement to provide Installation Information, do not exist in GPLv2. As a result, the licenses are not compatible: if you tried to combine code released under both these licenses, you would violate section 6 of GPLv2. However, if code is released under GPL "version 2 or later," that is compatible with GPLv3 because GPLv3 is one of the options it permits. | archive-date=30 March 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200330051354/http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html#v2v3Compatibility | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTI4Mjc |title=FSF Wastes Away Another "High Priority" Project |first=Michael |last=Larabel |date=24 January 2013 |publisher=[[Phoronix]] |access-date=22 August 2013 |quote=''Both LibreCAD and FreeCAD both want to use LibreDWG and have patches available for supporting the DWG file format library, but can't integrate them. The programs have dependencies on the popular GPLv2 license while the Free Software Foundation will only let LibreDWG be licensed for GPLv3 use, not GPLv2.'' |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161109200145/https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTI4Mjc |archive-date=9 November 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=1390172&seqNum=3 |title=The Failure of the GPL |first=David |last=Chisnall |date=2009-08-31 |access-date=2016-01-24 |publisher=[[informit.com]] |archive-date=2016-01-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160124132254/http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=1390172&seqNum=3 |url-status=live }}</ref> Several projects (mostly of the open source faction<ref name="mcdougall2007"/> like the [[Linux kernel]]<ref name="torvaldsgpl">{{cite web |url=http://www.internetnews.com/dev-news/article.php/3720371/Torvalds+Still+Keen+On+GPLv2.htm |title=Torvalds Still Keen On GPLv2 |quote=''"In some ways, Linux was the project that really made the split clear between what the FSF is pushing which is very different from what open source and Linux has always been about, which is more of a technical superiority instead of a -- this religious belief in freedom," Torvalds told Zemlin. So, the GPL Version 3 reflects the FSF's goals and the GPL Version 2 pretty closely matches what I think a license should do and so right now, Version 2 is where the kernel is."'' |date=2008-01-08 |first=Sean Michael |last=Kerner |publisher=internetnews.com |access-date=2015-02-12 |archive-date=2015-02-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150212130610/http://www.internetnews.com/dev-news/article.php/3720371/Torvalds+Still+Keen+On+GPLv2.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://lwn.net/Articles/202106/ |title=Busy busy busybox |date=2006-10-01 |author=corbet |publisher=lwn.net |quote=''Since BusyBox can be found in so many embedded systems, it finds itself at the core of the GPLv3 anti-DRM debate. [...]The real outcomes, however, are this: BusyBox will be GPLv2 only starting with the next release. It is generally accepted that stripping out the "or any later version" is legally defensible, and that the merging of other GPLv2-only code will force that issue in any case'' |access-date=2015-11-21 |archive-date=2016-01-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160107184000/https://lwn.net/Articles/202106/ |url-status=live }}</ref>) decided to not adopt the GPLv3 while almost all of the GNU project's packages adopted it.

== See also ==
{{Portal|Free and open-source software}}
* [[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]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book|last=Coleman|first=E. Gabriella|title=Coding Freedom: The Ethics and Aesthetics of Hacking|location=Princeton|publisher=Princeton University Press|date = 2013|isbn=978-0691144610}}
* David M. Berry, ''Copy, Rip, Burn: The Politics of Copyleft and Open Source'', Pluto Press, 2008, {{ISBN|0-7453-2414-2}}
* Johan Söderberg, ''Hacking Capitalism: The Free and Open Source Software Movement'', Routledge, 2007, {{ISBN|0-415-95543-2}}

==External links==
* [https://archive.org/details/Stallman_Free_Software_Movement_and_Future_of_Freedom The Free Software Movement and the Future of Freedom], a 2006 lecture by Richard Stallman
* [https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-software-intro.html Free Software Movement intro by FSF]
* [https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/ The GNU Project Philosophy Directory], containing many defining documents of the free software movement
* [http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20090701040338/http://www.zmag.org/znet/viewArticle/4795 An interview with Stallman, "Free Software as a social movement"]
* Christian Imhorst, [http://www.imhorst.net/translations/anarchy-and-source-code/ ''Anarchy and Source Code – What does the Free Software Movement have to do with Anarchism?''], 2005

{{FLOSS}}
{{Intellectual property activism}}
{{Open movements}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Free Software Movement}}
[[Category:Free software movement| ]]
[[Category:Copyleft media]]
[[Category:Free software culture and documents]]