Philosophy of the GNU Project

Free software means that the software's users have freedom. (The issue is not about price.) We developed the GNU operating system so that users can have freedom in their computing.

Specifically, free software means users have the four essential freedoms: (0) to run the program, (1) to study and change the program in source code form, (2) to redistribute exact copies, and (3) to distribute modified versions.

Software differs from material objects—such as chairs, sandwiches, and gasoline—in that it can be copied and changed much more easily. These facilities are why software is useful; we believe a program's users should be free to take advantage of them, not solely its developer.

The articles in the short list below give an overview of GNU philosophy. For further reading, please check the menu above, especially Essays & Articles, and Speeches & Interviews.


See audio-video.gnu.org for recordings of Richard Stallman's speeches.


Introduction