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diff --git a/talermerchantdemos/blog/articles/en/government-free-software.html b/talermerchantdemos/blog/articles/en/government-free-software.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7788f93 --- /dev/null +++ b/talermerchantdemos/blog/articles/en/government-free-software.html @@ -0,0 +1,275 @@ +<!--#include virtual="/server/header.html" --> +<!-- Parent-Version: 1.86 --> +<title>Measures Governments Can Use to Promote Free Software +- GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title> +<!--#include virtual="/philosophy/po/government-free-software.translist" --> +<!--#include virtual="/server/banner.html" --> +<h2>Measures Governments Can Use to Promote Free Software</h2> +<h3>And why it is their duty to do so</h3> + +<p>by <a href="http://www.stallman.org/"><strong>Richard +Stallman</strong></a></p> + +<p>This article suggests policies for a strong and firm effort to promote +free software within the state, and to lead the rest of the country +towards software freedom.</p> + +<p>The mission of the state is to organize society for the freedom and +well-being of the people. One aspect of this mission, in the +computing field, is to encourage users to adopt free software: +<a href="/philosophy/free-sw.html">software that respects the users' +freedom</a>. A proprietary (non-free) program tramples the freedom of +those that use it; it is a social problem that the state should work +to eradicate.</p> + +<p>The state needs to insist on free software in its own computing for +the sake of its computational sovereignty (the state's control over +its own computing). All users deserve control over their computing, +but the state has a responsibility to the people to maintain control +over the computing it does on their behalf. Most government +activities now depend on computing, and its control over those +activities depends on its control over that computing. Losing this +control in an agency whose mission is critical undermines national +security.</p> + +<p>Moving state agencies to free software can also provide secondary +benefits, such as saving money and encouraging local software support +businesses.</p> + +<p>In this text, “state entities” refers to all levels of government, and +means public agencies including schools, public-private partnerships, +largely state-funded activities such as charter schools, and “private” +corporations controlled by the state or established with special +privileges or functions by the state.</p> + +<h3>Education</h3> +<p>The most important policy concerns education, since that shapes +the future of the country:</p> + +<ul> +<li><b>Teach only free software</b><br /> +Educational activities, or at least those of state entities, must +teach only free software (thus, they should never lead students to use +a nonfree program), and should teach the civic reasons for insisting +on free software. To teach a nonfree program is to teach dependence, +which is contrary to the mission of the school.</li> +</ul> + +<h3>The State and the Public</h3> +<p>Also crucial are state policies that influence what software +individuals and organizations use:</p> + +<ul> +<li><p><b>Never require nonfree programs</b><br /> +Laws and public sector practices must be changed so that they never +require or pressure individuals or organizations to use a nonfree +program. They should also discourage communication and publication +practices that imply such consequences (including +<a href="http://www.defectivebydesign.org/what_is_drm">Digital +Restrictions Management</a>).</p></li> + +<li><p><b>Distribute only free software</b><br /> +Whenever a state entity distributes software to the public, +including programs included in or specified by its web pages, it must +be distributed as free software, and must be capable of running on a +platform containing exclusively free software.</p></li> + +<li><p><b>State web sites</b><br /> +State entity web sites and network services must be designed so +that users can use them, without disadvantage, by means of free +software exclusively.</p></li> + +<li><p><b>Free formats and protocols</b><br /> +State entities must use only file formats and communication +protocols that are well supported by free software, preferably with +published specifications. (We do not state this in terms of +“standards” because it should apply to nonstandardized interfaces as +well as standardized ones.) For example, they must not distribute +audio or video recordings in formats that require Flash or nonfree +codecs, and public libraries must not distribute works with Digital +Restrictions Management.</p> + +<p>To support the policy of distributing publications and works in +freedom-respecting formats, the state must insist that all reports +developed for it be delivered in freedom-respecting formats.</p></li> + +<li><p><b>Untie computers from licenses</b><br /> +Sale of computers must not require purchase of a proprietary +software license. The seller should be required by law to offer the +purchaser the option of buying the computer without the proprietary +software and without paying the license fee.</p> +<p>The imposed payment is a secondary wrong, and should not distract +us from the essential injustice of proprietary software, the loss of +freedom which results from using it. Nonetheless, the abuse of +forcing users to pay for it gives certain proprietary software +developers an additional unfair advantage, detrimental to users' +freedom. It is proper for the state to prevent this abuse.</p> +</li> +</ul> + +<h3>Computational Sovereignty</h3> +<p>Several policies affect the computational sovereignty of the state. +State entities must maintain control over their computing, not cede +control to private hands. These points apply to all computers, +including smartphones.</p> + +<ul> +<li><p><b>Migrate to free software</b><br /> +State entities must migrate to free software, and must not install, +or continue using, any nonfree software except under a temporary +exception. Only one agency should have the authority to grant these +temporary exceptions, and only when shown compelling reasons. This +agency's goal should be to reduce the number of exceptions to zero.</p></li> + +<li><p><b>Develop free IT solutions</b><br /> +When a state entity pays for development of a computing solution, the +contract must require it be delivered as free software, and that it be +designed such that one can both run it and develop it on a 100%-free +environment. All contracts must require this, so that if the +developer does not comply with these requirements, the work cannot be +paid for.</p></li> + +<li><p><b>Choose computers for free software</b><br /> +When a state entity buys or leases computers, it must choose among +the models that come closest, in their class, to being capable of +running without any proprietary software. The state should maintain, +for each class of computers, a list of the models authorized based on +this criterion. Models available to both the public and the state +should be preferred to models available only to the state.</p></li> + +<li><p><b>Negotiate with manufacturers</b><br /> +The state should negotiate actively with manufacturers to bring +about the availability in the market (to the state and the public) of +suitable hardware products, in all pertinent product areas, that +require no proprietary software.</p></li> + +<li><p><b>Unite with other states</b><br /> +The state should invite other states to negotiate collectively with +manufacturers about suitable hardware products. Together they will +have more clout.</p></li> +</ul> + +<h3>Computational Sovereignty II</h3> +<p>The computational sovereignty (and security) of the state includes +control over the computers that do the state's work. This requires +avoiding <a href="/philosophy/who-does-that-server-really-serve.html"> +Service as a Software Substitute</a>, unless the service is run by a state +agency under the same branch of government, as well as other practices +that diminish the state control over its computing. Therefore,</p> + +<ul> +<li><b>State must control its computers</b><br /> +Every computer that the state uses must belong to or be leased by +the same branch of government that uses it, and that branch must not +cede to outsiders the right to decide who has physical access to the +computer, who can do maintenance (hardware or software) on it, or +what software should be installed in it. If the computer is not +portable, then while in use it must be in a physical space of which +the state is the occupant (either as owner or as tenant).</li> +</ul> + +<h3>Influence Development</h3> +<p>State policy affects free and nonfree software development:</p> + +<ul> +<li><p><b>Encourage free</b><br /> +The state should encourage developers to create or enhance free +software and make it available to the public, e.g. by tax breaks +and other financial incentive. Contrariwise, no such incentives +should be granted for development, distribution or use of nonfree +software.</p></li> + +<li><p><b>Don't encourage nonfree</b><br /> +In particular, proprietary software developers should not be able to +“donate” copies to schools and claim a tax write-off for the nominal +value of the software. Proprietary software is not legitimate in a +school.</p></li> +</ul> + +<h3>E-waste</h3> +<p>Freedom should not imply e-waste:</p> + +<ul> +<li><p><b>Replaceable software</b><br /> +Many modern computers are designed to make it impossible to +replace their preloaded software with free software. Thus, the only +way to free them is to junk them. This practice is harmful to +society.</p> + +<p>Therefore, it should be illegal, or at least substantially +discouraged through heavy taxation, to sell, import or distribute in +quantity a new computer (that is, not second-hand) or computer-based +product for which secrecy about hardware interfaces or intentional +restrictions prevent users from developing, installing and using +replacements for any and all of the installed software that the +manufacturer could upgrade. This would apply, in particular, to any +device on which <a href="/proprietary/proprietary-jails.html">“jailbreaking”</a> is needed to install a +different operating system, or in which the interfaces for some +peripherals are secret. +</p></li> +</ul> + +<h3>Technological neutrality</h3> + +<p>With the measures in this article, the state can recover control +over its computing, and lead the country's citizens, businesses and +organizations towards control over their computing. However, some +object on the grounds that this would violate the +“principle” of technological neutrality.</p> + +<p>The idea of technological neutrality is that the state should not +impose arbitrary preferences on technical choices. Whether that is a +valid principle is disputable, but it is limited in any case to issues +that are merely technical. The measures advocated here address issues +of ethical, social and political importance, so they are +<a href="/philosophy/technological-neutrality.html">outside the scope +of <em>technological</em> neutrality</a>. Only those who wish to +subjugate a country would suggest that its government be +“neutral” about its sovereignty or its citizens' freedom.</p> + +</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 © 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 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: 2018/12/15 14:02:38 $ +<!-- timestamp end --> +</p> +</div> +</div><!-- for class="inner", starts in the banner include --> +</body> +</html> |