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diff --git a/talermerchantdemos/blog/articles/en/categories.html b/talermerchantdemos/blog/articles/en/categories.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5c4dbcb --- /dev/null +++ b/talermerchantdemos/blog/articles/en/categories.html @@ -0,0 +1,458 @@ +<!--#include virtual="/server/header.html" --> +<!-- Parent-Version: 1.86 --> +<title>Categories of Free and Nonfree Software +- GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title> +<style type="text/css" media="screen"> +<!-- +#content #diagram { overflow: auto; margin: 2em 0; } +#diagram img { width: 31.7em; } +--> +</style> +<!--#include virtual="/philosophy/po/categories.translist" --> +<!--#include virtual="/server/banner.html" --> +<h2>Categories of free and nonfree software</h2> + +<p>Also see <a href="/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html">Confusing + Words which You Might Want to Avoid</a>.</p> + +<!-- GNUN: localize URL /philosophy/category.png --> +<p id="diagram" class="c"> +<img src="/philosophy/category.png" alt=" [Categories of software] " /> +</p> + + <p>This diagram, originally by Chao-Kuei and updated by several + others since, explains the different categories of software. It's + available as a <a href="/philosophy/category.svg">Scalable Vector + Graphic</a> and as an <a href="/philosophy/category.fig">XFig + document</a>, under the terms of any of the GNU GPL v2 or later, + the GNU FDL v1.2 or later, or the Creative Commons + Attribution-Share Alike v2.0 or later.</p> + +<h3 id="FreeSoftware">Free software</h3> + + <p>Free software is software that comes with permission for + anyone to use, copy, and/or distribute, either verbatim or with + modifications, either gratis or for a fee. In particular, this + means that source code must be available. “If it's not + source, it's not software.” This is a simplified + description; see also + the <a href="/philosophy/free-sw.html">full + definition</a>.</p> + + <p>If a program is free, then it can potentially be included + in a free operating system such as GNU, or free versions of + the <a href="/gnu/linux-and-gnu.html">GNU/Linux + system</a>.</p> + + <p>There are many different ways to make a program free—many + questions of detail, which could be decided in more than one way + and still make the program free. Some of the possible variations + are described below. For information on specific free software + licenses, see the <a href="/licenses/license-list.html">license + list</a> page.</p> + + <p>Free software is a matter of freedom, not price. But + proprietary software companies typically use the term + “free software” to refer to price. Sometimes they + mean that you can obtain a binary copy at no charge; sometimes + they mean that a copy is bundled with a computer that you are + buying, and the price includes both. Either way, it has + nothing to do with what we mean by free software in the GNU + project.</p> + + <p>Because of this potential confusion, when a software company + says its product is free software, always check the actual + distribution terms to see whether users really have all the + freedoms that free software implies. Sometimes it really is free + software; sometimes it isn't.</p> + + <p>Many languages have two separate words for + “free” as in freedom and “free” as in + zero price. For example, French has “libre” and + “gratuit”. Not so English; there is a word + “gratis” that refers unambiguously to price, but + no common adjective that refers unambiguously to freedom. So + if you are speaking another language, we suggest you translate + “free” into your language to make it clearer. See + our list of <a href= "/philosophy/fs-translations.html"> + translations of the term “free software”</a> into + various other languages.</p> + + <p>Free software is often <a href="/software/reliability.html">more + reliable</a> than nonfree software.</p> + +<h3 id="OpenSource">Open source software</h3> + + <p> + The term “open source” software is used by some + people to mean more or less the same category as free + software. It is not exactly the same class of software: they + accept some licenses that we consider too restrictive, and + there are free software licenses they have not + accepted. However, the differences in extension of the + category are small: we know of only a few cases of source code that + is open source but not free. In principle it could happen + that some free programs are rejected as open source, but + we don't know if that has ever happened.</p> + <p>We prefer the term “<a + href="/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html">free + software</a>” because it refers to + freedom—something that the term “open + source“ does not do.</p> + +<h3 id="PublicDomainSoftware">Public domain + software</h3> + + <p>Public domain software is software that is not copyrighted. If + the source code is in the public domain, that is a special case of + <a href="#Non-CopyleftedFreeSoftware">noncopylefted free + software</a>, which means that some copies or modified versions + may not be free at all.</p> + + <p>In some cases, an executable program can be in the public domain + but the source code is not available. This is not free software, + because free software requires accessibility of source code. + Meanwhile, most free software is not in the public domain; it is + copyrighted, and the copyright holders have legally given + permission for everyone to use it in freedom, using a free software + license.</p> + + <p>Sometimes people use the term “public domain” + in a loose fashion to + mean <a href="#FreeSoftware">“free”</a> or + “available gratis.” However, “public + domain” is a legal term and means, precisely, “not + copyrighted”. For clarity, we recommend using + “public domain” for that meaning only, and using + other terms to convey the other meanings.</p> + + <p>Under the Berne Convention, which most countries have + signed, anything written down is automatically + copyrighted. This includes programs. Therefore, if you want a + program you have written to be in the public domain, you must + take some legal steps to disclaim the copyright on it; + otherwise, the program is copyrighted.</p> + +<h3 id="CopyleftedSoftware">Copylefted software</h3> + + <p>Copylefted software is free software whose distribution + terms ensure that all copies of all versions carry more or + less the same distribution terms. This means, for instance, + that copyleft licenses generally disallow others to add + additional requirements to the software (though a limited set + of safe added requirements can be allowed) and require making + source code available. This shields the program, and its + modified versions, from some of the common ways of making a + program proprietary.</p> + + <p>Some copyleft licenses, such as GPL version 3, block + other means of turning software proprietary, such as <a + href="/licenses/rms-why-gplv3.html">tivoization</a>.</p> + + <p>In the GNU Project, we copyleft almost all the software we + write, because our goal is to give <em>every</em> user the freedoms + implied by the term “free software.” See our <a + href="/licenses/copyleft.html">copyleft article</a> for more explanation of + how copyleft works and why we use it.</p> + + <p>Copyleft is a general concept; to copyleft an actual program, + you need to use a specific set of distribution terms. There are + many possible ways to write copyleft distribution terms, so in + principle there can be many copyleft free software licenses. + However, in actual practice nearly all copylefted software uses the + <a href="/licenses/gpl.html">GNU General Public + License</a>. Two different copyleft licenses are usually + “incompatible”, which means it is illegal to merge + the code using one license with the code using the other + license; therefore, it is good for the community if people use + a single copyleft license.</p> + +<h3 id="Non-CopyleftedFreeSoftware">Noncopylefted free software</h3> + + <p>Noncopylefted free software comes from the author with + permission to redistribute and modify, and also to add additional + restrictions to it.</p> + + <p>If a program is free but not copylefted, then some copies + or modified versions may not be free at all. A software + company can compile the program, with or without + modifications, and distribute the executable file as + a <a href="#ProprietarySoftware">proprietary</a> software + product.</p> + + <p>The <a href="http://www.x.org">X Window System</a> + illustrates this. The X Consortium released X11 with + distribution terms that made it noncopylefted free + software, and subsequent developers have mostly followed the + same practice. A copy which has those + distribution terms is free software. However, there are nonfree + versions as well, and there are (or at least were) popular + workstations and PC graphics boards for which nonfree + versions are the only ones that work. If you are using this + hardware, X11 is not free software for + you. <a href="/philosophy/x.html">The developers of X11 even + made X11 nonfree</a> for a while; they were able to do this + because others had contributed their code under the same + noncopyleft license.</p> + +<h3 id="LaxPermissiveLicensedSoftware">Lax permissive licensed software</h3> + + <p>Lax permissive licenses include the X11 license and the + <a href="/licenses/bsd.html">two BSD licenses</a>. These licenses permit + almost any use of the code, including distributing proprietary + binaries with or without changing the source code.</p> + +<h3 id="GPL-CoveredSoftware">GPL-covered software</h3> + + <p>The <a href="/licenses/gpl.html">GNU GPL (General Public + License)</a> is one specific set of distribution terms for + copylefting a program. The GNU Project uses it as the distribution + terms for most GNU software.</p> + + <p>To equate free software with GPL-covered software is therefore + an error.</p> + +<h3 id="TheGNUsystem">The GNU operating system</h3> + + <p>The <a href="/gnu/gnu-history.html">GNU operating system</a> is the + Unix-like operating system, which is entirely free software, that + we in the GNU Project have developed since 1984.</p> + + <p>A Unix-like operating system consists of many programs. The + GNU system includes all of the <a href="#GNUsoftware">official + GNU packages</a>. It also includes many other packages, such as + the X Window System and TeX, which are not GNU software.</p> + + <p>The first test release of the complete GNU system was in + 1996. This includes the GNU Hurd, our kernel, developed since + 1990. In 2001 the GNU system (including the GNU Hurd) began + working fairly reliably, but the Hurd still lacks some + important features, so it is not widely used. Meanwhile, + the <a href="/gnu/linux-and-gnu.html">GNU/Linux system</a>, + an offshoot of the GNU operating system which uses Linux as + the kernel instead of the GNU Hurd, has been a great success + since the 90s. As this shows, the GNU system is not a single + static set of programs; users and distributors may select + different packages according to their needs and desires. The + result is still a variant of the GNU system.</p> + + <p>Since the purpose of GNU is to be free, every single + component in the GNU operating system is free + software. They don't all have to be copylefted, however; any + kind of free software is legally suitable to include if it + helps meet technical goals.</p> + +<h3 id="GNUprograms">GNU programs</h3> + + <p>“GNU programs” is equivalent + to <a href="#GNUsoftware">GNU software.</a> A program Foo is a + GNU program if it is GNU software. We also sometimes say it + is a “GNU package”.</p> + +<h3 id="GNUsoftware">GNU software</h3> + + <p><a href="/software/software.html">GNU software</a> is + software that is released under the auspices of the <a href= + "/gnu/gnu-history.html">GNU Project</a>. If a program is GNU + software, we also say that it is a GNU program or a GNU + package. The README or manual of a GNU package should say it + is one; also, the <a href="/directory">Free Software + Directory</a> identifies all GNU packages.</p> + + <p>Most GNU software is <a href= + "/licenses/copyleft.html">copylefted</a>, but not all; however, + all GNU software must be <a href="/philosophy/free-sw.html">free + software</a>.</p> + + <p>Some GNU software was written by <a href= + "http://www.fsf.org/about/staff/">staff</a> of + the <a href="http://www.fsf.org/">Free Software + Foundation</a>, but most GNU software comes from many + <a href="/people/people.html">volunteers</a>. (Some of these + volunteers are paid by companies or universities, but they are + volunteers for us.) Some contributed software is copyrighted + by the Free Software Foundation; some is copyrighted by the + contributors who wrote it.</p> + +<h3 id="FSF-CopyrightedGNUSoftware">FSF-copyrighted GNU software</h3> + + <p>The developers of GNU packages can transfer the copyright + to the FSF, or they can keep it. The choice is theirs.</p> + + <p>If they have transferred the copyright to the FSF, the program + is FSF-copyrighted GNU software, and the FSF can enforce + its license. If they have kept the copyright, enforcing the license + is their responsibility.</p> + + <p>The FSF does not accept copyright assignments of software + that is not an official GNU package, as a rule.</p> + +<h3 id="non-freeSoftware">Nonfree software</h3> + + <p>Nonfree software is any software that is not free. + Its use, redistribution or modification is prohibited, or + requires you to ask for permission, or is restricted so much + that you effectively can't do it freely.</p> + +<h3 id="ProprietarySoftware">Proprietary software</h3> + + <p>Proprietary software is another name for nonfree software. + In the past we subdivided nonfree software into + “semifree software”, which could be modified and + redistributed noncommercially, and “proprietary + software”, which could not be. But we have dropped that + distinction and now use “proprietary software” as + synonymous with nonfree software.</p> + + <p>The Free Software Foundation follows the rule that we cannot + install any proprietary program on our computers except temporarily + for the specific purpose of writing a free replacement for that + very program. Aside from that, we feel there is no possible excuse + for installing a proprietary program.</p> + + <p>For example, we felt justified in installing Unix on our + computer in the 1980s, because we were using it to write a free + replacement for Unix. Nowadays, since free operating systems are + available, the excuse is no longer applicable; we do not use any + nonfree operating systems, and any new computer we install + must run a completely free operating system.</p> + + <p>We don't insist that users of GNU, or contributors to GNU, have + to live by this rule. It is a rule we made for ourselves. But we + hope you will follow it too, for your freedom's sake.</p> + + +<h3 id="freeware">Freeware</h3> + + <p>The term “freeware” has no clear accepted + definition, but it is commonly used for packages which permit + redistribution but not modification (and their source code is + not available). These packages are <em>not</em> free software, + so please don't use “freeware” to refer to free + software.</p> + +<h3 id="shareware">Shareware</h3> + + <p>Shareware is software which comes with permission for people to + redistribute copies, but says that anyone who continues to use a + copy is <em>required</em> to pay a license fee.</p> + + <p>Shareware is not free software, or even semifree. There are two + reasons it is not:</p> + + <ul> + <li>For most shareware, source code is not available; thus, you + cannot modify the program at all.</li> + <li>Shareware does not come with permission to make a copy and + install it without paying a license fee, not even for individuals + engaging in nonprofit activity. (In practice, people often + disregard the distribution terms and do this anyway, but the terms + don't permit it.)</li> + </ul> + +<h3 id="PrivateSoftware">Private software</h3> + <p>Private or custom software is software developed for one user + (typically an organization or company). That user keeps it and uses + it, and does not release it to the public either as source code or + as binaries.</p> + <p>A private program is free software (in a somewhat trivial + sense) if its sole user has the four freedoms. In particular, + if the user has full rights to the private program, the program is + free. However, if the user distributes copies to others and does + not provide the four freedoms with those copies, those copies + are not free software.</p> + + <p>Free software is a matter of freedom, not access. In + general we do not believe it is wrong to develop a program and + not release it. There are occasions when a program is so + important that one might argue that withholding it from the + public is doing wrong to humanity. However, such cases are + rare. Most programs are not that important, and declining to + release them is not particularly wrong. Thus, there is no + conflict between the development of private or custom software + and the principles of the free software movement.</p> + + <p>Nearly all employment for programmers is in development of + custom software; therefore most programming jobs are, or could be, + done in a way compatible with the free software movement.</p> + +<h3 id="commercialSoftware">Commercial software</h3> + + <p> “Commercial” and “proprietary” are + not the same! Commercial software is software developed by a + business as part of its business. Most commercial software + is <a href="#ProprietarySoftware">proprietary</a>, but there + is commercial free software, and there is noncommercial + nonfree software.</p> + + <p>For example, GNU Ada is developed by a company. It is always + distributed under the terms of the GNU GPL, and every copy is + free software; but its developers sell support contracts. When + their salesmen speak to prospective customers, sometimes the + customers say, “We would feel safer with a commercial + compiler.” The salesmen reply, “GNU + Ada <em>is</em> a commercial compiler; it happens to be free + software.”</p> + <p>For the GNU Project, the priorities are in the other order: + the important thing is that GNU Ada is free software; that + it is commercial is just a detail. However, the additional + development of GNU Ada that results from its being commercial + is definitely beneficial.</p> + <p>Please help spread the awareness that free commercial + software is possible. You can do this by making an effort not + to say “commercial” when you mean + “proprietary.”</p> + +<!-- If needed, change the copyright block at the bottom. In general, --> +<!-- all pages on the GNU web server should have the section about --> +<!-- verbatim copying. Please do NOT remove this without talking --> +<!-- with the webmasters first. --> +<!-- Please make sure the copyright date is consistent with the document --> +<!-- and that it is like this "2001, 2002" not this "2001-2002." --> +</div><!-- for id="content", starts in the include above --> +<!--#include virtual="/server/footer.html" --> +<div id="footer"> +<div class="unprintable"> + +<p>Please send general FSF & GNU inquiries to <a +href="mailto:gnu@gnu.org"><gnu@gnu.org></a>. There are also <a +href="/contact/">other ways to contact</a> the FSF. Broken links and other +corrections or suggestions can be sent to <a +href="mailto:webmasters@gnu.org"><webmasters@gnu.org></a>.</p> + +<p><!-- TRANSLATORS: Ignore the original text in this paragraph, + replace it with the translation of these two: + + We work hard and do our best to provide accurate, good quality + translations. However, we are not exempt from imperfection. + Please send your comments and general suggestions in this regard + to <a href="mailto:web-translators@gnu.org"> + <web-translators@gnu.org></a>.</p> + + <p>For information on coordinating and submitting translations of + our web pages, see <a + href="/server/standards/README.translations.html">Translations + README</a>. --> +Please see the <a +href="/server/standards/README.translations.html">Translations README</a> for +information on coordinating and submitting translations of this article.</p> +</div> + +<p>Copyright © 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 Free +Software Foundation, Inc.</p> + +<p>This page is licensed under a <a rel="license" +href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">Creative +Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.</p> + +<!--#include virtual="/server/bottom-notes.html" --> + +<p class="unprintable">Updated: +<!-- timestamp start --> +$Date: 2019/02/21 01:56:25 $ +<!-- timestamp end --> +</p> +</div> +</div><!-- for class="inner", starts in the banner include --> +</body> +</html> |