What is Free Software?
1.
Free software does NOT mean that you do not have to pay to get it. Free software is a matter of freedom, not price. In order for software to be free, users must be able to run, copy, distribute (with a fee or without a fee), study, change and improve the software.
Do not confuse free software with open source software. Although they are very similar, the philosophy behind them is different. Free software is about ethics and open source software is about being practical.
It's pretty amazing that so many people illegally use
proprietary software as if it was free software. Why don't they just use free software and avoid legal issues?
2.
A term much beloved of self-important programmers, who love to rant tiresomely about such things as modification and redistribution of software, oblivious to the fact that most of us couldn't care less whether our software is free as in free speech, free beer, free love, or freestyle snowboarding, as long as we don't have to pay for it.
I can download it and use it for free, of course it's free software!
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