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<title>Netscape and Free Software
- GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title>
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<h2>Netscape and Free Software</h2>
<p><a href="/philosophy/netscape-npl.html">More recent news about Netscape</a></p>
<hr class="thin" />
<p>People have been writing with joy to tell us that Netscape has
announced a plan to make its browser free software, under the GNU GPL.</p>
<p>That is getting a bit ahead of events. The announcement Netscape made
does not actually say that they will use the GNU GPL, and does not
assert that the program will
be <a href="/philosophy/free-sw.html">free software</a> as we define
it in our community. It's clear that Netscape will take a big step in
the direction of free software, but we don't know whether they will
get all the way there or fall substantially short. In fact, Netscape
is still deciding what to do.</p>
<p>When they decide, two crucial questions will be whether people will be
free to distribute copies for a fee (on free software CD-ROM
collections, for example) and whether people will be free to
redistribute modified versions just like the original version. If
either of those freedoms is lacking, the program won't be free
software.</p>
<p>If Netscape does release the Netscape browser as free software, that
will be a great day for the free software movement. But rather than
rejoicing or criticizing now, let's see what actually happens, and
then we'll know whether to celebrate. What we can usefully do now is
urge Netscape, calmly and politely, to make the software free, and to
copyleft it with the <a href="/licenses/gpl.html">GNU General Public
License</a>.</p>
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