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+<!--#include virtual="/server/header.html" -->
+<!-- Parent-Version: 1.77 -->
+
+<title>Imperfection is not the same as oppression
+- GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title>
+ <!--#include virtual="/philosophy/po/imperfection-isnt-oppression.translist" -->
+<!--#include virtual="/server/banner.html" -->
+<h2>Imperfection is not the same as oppression</h2>
+
+<p>by <a href="http://www.stallman.org/">Richard Stallman</a></p>
+
+<p>When a free program lacks capabilities that users want, that is
+ unfortunate; we urge people to add what is missing. Some would go
+ further and claim that a program is not even free software if it lacks
+ certain functionality &mdash; that it denies freedom 0 (the freedom to
+ run the program as you wish) to users or uses that it does not
+ support. This argument is misguided because it is based on
+ identifying capacity with freedom, and imperfection with oppression.</p>
+
+<p>Each program inevitably has certain functionalities and lacks others
+ that might be desirable. There are some jobs it can do, and others it
+ can't do without further work. This is the nature of software.</p>
+
+<p>The absence of key functionality can mean certain users find the
+ program totally unusable. For instance, if you only understand
+ graphical interfaces, a command line program may be impossible for you
+ to use. If you can't see the screen, a program without a screen
+ reader may be impossible for you to use. If you speak only Greek, a
+ program with menus and messages in English may be impossible for you
+ to use. If your programs are written in Ada, a C compiler is
+ impossible for you to use. To overcome these barriers yourself
+ is unreasonable to demand of you. Free software really ought to
+ provide the functionality you need.</p>
+
+<p>Free software really ought to provide it, but the lack of that feature
+ does not make the program nonfree, because it is an imperfection,
+ not oppression.</p>
+
+<p>Making a program nonfree is an injustice committed by the developer
+ that denies freedom to whoever uses it. The developer deserves
+ condemnation for this. It is crucial to condemn that developer,
+ because nobody else can undo the injustice as long as the developer
+ continues to do it. We can, and do, try to rescue the victims by
+ developing a free replacement, but we can't make the nonfree program
+ free.</p>
+
+<p>Developing a free program without adding a certain important
+ feature is not doing wrong to anyone. Rather, it's doing some good
+ but not all the good that people need. Nobody in particular deserves
+ condemnation for not developing the missing feature, since any
+ capable person could do it. It would be ungrateful, as well as
+ self-defeating, to single out the free program's authors for blame
+ for not having done some additional work.</p>
+
+<p>What we can do is state that completing the job calls for doing
+ some additional work. That is constructive because it helps us
+ convince someone to do that work.</p>
+
+<p>If you think a certain extension in a free program is important,
+ please push for it in the way that respects our contributors. Don't
+ criticize the people who contributed the useful code we have. Rather,
+ look for a way to complete the job. You can urge the program's
+ developers to turn their attention to the missing feature when they
+ have time for more work. You can offer to help them. You can recruit
+ people or raise funds to support the work.</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 &amp; GNU inquiries to
+<a href="mailto:gnu@gnu.org">&lt;gnu@gnu.org&gt;</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">&lt;webmasters@gnu.org&gt;</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">
+ &lt;web-translators@gnu.org&gt;</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 &copy; 2014 Free Software Foundation, Inc.</p>
+
+<p>This page is licensed under a <a rel="license"
+href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/us/">Creative
+Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License</a>.</p>
+
+<!--#include virtual="/server/bottom-notes.html" -->
+
+<p class="unprintable">Updated:
+<!-- timestamp start -->
+$Date: 2014/05/29 12:27:36 $
+<!-- timestamp end -->
+</p>
+</div>
+</div>
+</body>
+</html>