New article by RMS, "Applying the Free Software Criteria"

jeremy · 11-11-2015, 11:25 AM

Quote:

The four essential freedoms provide the criteria for whether a particular piece of code is free/libre (i.e., respects its users' freedom). How should we apply them to judge whether a software package, an operating system, a computer, or a web page is fit to recommend?

Whether a program is free affects first of all our decisions about our private activities: to maintain our freedom, we need to reject the programs that would take it away. However, it also affects what we should say to others and do with others.

A nonfree program is an injustice. To distribute a nonfree program, to recommend a nonfree program to other people, or more generally steer them into a course that leads to using nonfree software, means leading them to give up their freedom. To be sure, leading people to use nonfree software is not the same as installing nonfree software in their computers, but we should not lead people in the wrong direction.

At a deeper level, we must not present a nonfree program as a solution because that would grant it legitimacy. Nonfree software is a problem; to present it as a solution denies the existence of the problem.

This article explains how we apply the basic free software criteria to judging various kinds of things, so we can decide whether to recommend them or not.

Software packages

For a software package to be free, all the code in it must be free. But not only the code. Since documentation files including manuals, README, change log, and so on are essential technical parts of a software package, they must be free as well.

A software package is typically used alongside many other packages, and interacts with some of them. Which kinds of interaction with nonfree programs are ethically acceptable?

GNU/Linux distros

After the liberation of Linux in 1992, people began developing GNU/Linux distributions (“distros”). Only a few distros are entirely free software.

The rules for a software package apply to a distro too: an ethical distro must contain only free software and steer users only towards free software. But what does it mean for a distro to “contain” a particular software package?

Peripherals

A computer peripheral needs software in the computer—perhaps a driver, perhaps firmware to be loaded by the system into the peripheral to make it run. Thus, a peripheral is acceptable to use and recommend if it can be used from a computer that has no nonfree software installed: if the peripheral's driver, and any firmware that the system needs to load into it, are free.

It is simple to check this: connect the peripheral to a computer running a totally free GNU/Linux distro and see if it works. But most users would like to know before they buy the peripheral, so we list information about many peripherals in h-node.org.

Computers

A computer contains software at various levels. On what criterion should we certify that a computer “Respects Your Freedom”?

Obviously the operating system and everything above it must be free. In the 90s, the startup software (BIOS, then) became replaceable, and since it runs on the CPU, it is the same sort of issue as the operating system. Thus, programs such as firmware and drivers that are installed in or with the system or the startup software must be free.

Web pages

Nowadays many web pages contain complex JavaScript programs and won't work without them. This is a harmful practice since it hampers users' control over their computing. Furthermore, most of these programs are nonfree, an injustice. Often the JavaScript code spies on the user. JavaScript has morphed into a attack on users' freedom.

Conclusion

Applying the basic idea that software should be free to different situations leads to different practical policies. As new situations arise, the GNU Project and the Free Software Foundation will adapt our freedom criteria so as to lead computer users towards freedom, in practice and in principle. By recommending only freedom-respecting programs, distros, and hardware products, and stating your policy, you can give much-needed support to the free software movement.

More at GNU...

What do LQ members think of the latest post from RMS?

--jeremy