The principles of Free Software are simple but it is important
to not get confused by the underlying complexity caused by its
long history. Learn about the four
freedoms and their meaning, the fundamentals about Free Software licences, the advantages that Free Software provides,
and the most common synonyms.
Looking beyond the circle of software itself, you can read more about
the interplay of Free Software with other fields
like education, procurement and democracy.
The Four Freedoms
Free Software refers to freedom, not price. It guarantees its users the
essential four freedoms. The absence of at least one of these freedoms
means an application is proprietary, so non‐Free Software.
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Use
Free Software can be used for any purpose and is free of
restrictions such as licence expiry or geographic limitations. -
Study
Free Software and its code can be studied by anyone, without
non‐disclosure agreements or similar restrictions. -
Free Software can be shared and copied at virtually no cost.
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Improve
Free Software can be modified by anyone, and these improvements
can be shared publicly.
Licences
The four freedoms are given by a software licence. Software licences
define the conditions under which a programme can be used and reused. For
it to be Free Software, the licence text must contain at least the four
freedoms. The Free Software
Foundation and the Open Source Initiative
maintain lists of reviewed and approved licences. An application can
usually not be considered Free Software if its licence does not appear in
one of these lists.
There are a multitude of licences with different focuses, and a software
product or parts of it can also be licensed under more than one licence.
The actual selection is a strategic question but you are advised to pick
one of the most widely used licences. For more insights on legal and
licensing questions, you can Read more…
Advantages
Free Software is about freedom. In practice, this provides numerous
advantages for users, organisations, businesses, and governments.
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Autonomy
Free Software helps to develop and maintain tailored software that
suits your needs, not just the vendor’s business model. -
Collaboration
Free Software can be shared and used in a non-exclusive way by
everyone – serving the public good. -
A Free Software licence allows a limitless number of installations
to be run, without paying extra. -
No Lock-in
Free Software licences reinforce independence from vendors and
provide more choice in service provide
