gpl-american-dream.html (5946B)
1 <!--#include virtual="/server/header.html" --> 2 <!-- Parent-Version: 1.96 --> 3 <!-- This page is derived from /server/standards/boilerplate.html --> 4 <!--#set var="TAGS" value="essays licensing copyleft" --> 5 <!--#set var="DISABLE_TOP_ADDENDUM" value="yes" --> 6 <title>The GNU GPL and the American Dream 7 - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation</title> 8 <!--#include virtual="/philosophy/po/gpl-american-dream.translist" --> 9 <!--#include virtual="/server/banner.html" --> 10 <!--#include virtual="/philosophy/ph-breadcrumb.html" --> 11 <!--GNUN: OUT-OF-DATE NOTICE--> 12 <!--#include virtual="/server/top-addendum.html" --> 13 <div class="article reduced-width"> 14 <h2>The GNU GPL and the American Dream</h2> 15 16 <address class="byline">by Bradley M. Kuhn</address> 17 18 <p> 19 When I was in grade school, right here in the United States of 20 America, I was taught that our country was the “land of 21 opportunity.” My teachers told me that my country was special, 22 because anyone with a good idea and a drive to do good work could make 23 a living, and be successful too. They called it the “American 24 Dream.”</p> 25 <p> 26 What was the cornerstone to the “American Dream”? It was 27 equality—everyone had the same chance in our society to choose 28 their own way. I could have any career I wanted, and if I worked 29 hard, I would be successful.</p> 30 <p> 31 It turned out that I had some talent for working with 32 computers—in particular, computer software. Indoctrinated with 33 the “American Dream,” I learned as much as I could about 34 computer software. I wanted my chance at success.</p> 35 <p> 36 I quickly discovered though, that in many cases, not all the players in the 37 field of computer software were equal. By the time I entered the field, 38 large companies like Microsoft tended to control much of the technology. 39 And, that technology was available to me under licensing agreements that 40 forbid me to study and learn from it. I was completely prohibited from 41 viewing the program source code of the software.</p> 42 <p> 43 I found out, too, that those with lots of money could negotiate different 44 licenses. If they paid enough, they could get permission to study and learn 45 from the source code. Typically, such licenses cost many thousands of 46 dollars, and being young and relatively poor, I was out of luck.</p> 47 <p> 48 After spending my early years in the software business a bit downtrodden by 49 my inability to learn more, I eventually discovered another body of software 50 that did allow me to study and learn. This software was released under a 51 license called the GNU General Public License (GNU GPL). Instead of 52 restricting my freedom to study and learn from it, this license was 53 specifically designed to allow me to learn. The license ensured that no 54 matter what happened to the public versions of the software, I'd always be 55 able to study its source code.</p> 56 <p> 57 I quickly built my career around this software. I got lots of work 58 configuring, installing, administering, and teaching about that software. 59 Thanks to the GNU GPL, I always knew that I could stay competitive in my 60 business, because I would always be able to learn easily about new 61 innovations as soon as they were made. This gave me a unique ability to 62 innovate myself. I could innovate quickly, and impress my employers. I was 63 even able to start my own consulting business. My own business! The 64 pinnacle of the American Dream!</p> 65 <p> 66 Thus, I was quite surprised last week when a vice president at Microsoft 67 hinted that the GNU GPL contradicted the American Way.</p> 68 <p> 69 The GNU GPL is specifically designed to make sure that all technological 70 innovators, programmers, and software users are given equal footing. Each 71 high school student, independent contractor, small business, and large 72 corporation are given an equal chance to innovate. We all start the race 73 from the same point. Those people with deep understanding of the software 74 and an ability to make it work well for others are most likely to succeed, 75 and they do succeed.</p> 76 <p> 77 That is exactly what the American Way is about, at least the way I learned 78 it in grade school. I hope that we won't let Microsoft and others change 79 the definition.</p> 80 </div> 81 82 </div><!-- for id="content", starts in the include above --> 83 <!--#include virtual="/server/footer.html" --> 84 <div id="footer" role="contentinfo"> 85 <div class="unprintable"> 86 87 <p>Please send general FSF & GNU inquiries to <a 88 href="mailto:gnu@gnu.org"><gnu@gnu.org></a>. There are also <a 89 href="/contact/">other ways to contact</a> the FSF. Broken links and other 90 corrections or suggestions can be sent to <a 91 href="mailto:webmasters@gnu.org"><webmasters@gnu.org></a>.</p> 92 93 <p><!-- TRANSLATORS: Ignore the original text in this paragraph, 94 replace it with the translation of these two: 95 96 We work hard and do our best to provide accurate, good quality 97 translations. However, we are not exempt from imperfection. 98 Please send your comments and general suggestions in this regard 99 to <a href="mailto:web-translators@gnu.org"> 100 <web-translators@gnu.org></a>.</p> 101 102 <p>For information on coordinating and contributing translations of 103 our web pages, see <a 104 href="/server/standards/README.translations.html">Translations 105 README</a>. --> 106 Please see the <a 107 href="/server/standards/README.translations.html">Translations README</a> for 108 information on coordinating and contributing translations of this article.</p> 109 </div> 110 111 <p>Copyright © 2001 Bradley M. Kuhn</p> 112 113 <p>Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article is 114 permitted in any medium without royalty provided this notice is 115 preserved.</p> 116 117 <!--#include virtual="/server/bottom-notes.html" --> 118 119 <p class="unprintable">Updated: 120 <!-- timestamp start --> 121 $Date: 2021/09/12 08:14:17 $ 122 <!-- timestamp end --> 123 </p> 124 </div> 125 </div><!-- for class="inner", starts in the banner include --> 126 </body> 127 </html>