This Saturday, 20-09-2014, the world celebrates Software Freedom Day.
Software Freedom Day
At the link above, you can find events in your area.
If you have questions, you can chat about Free Software using IRC on Freenode. Choose the following channel:
#fsf
For those unfamiliar with free software, it is free as in freedom, not free as in beer.
Software freedom is important. Either you can control the software, or the software controls you. Join the resistance!
Four freedoms are required for software to be free:
Freedom 0
You must be able to use the software in any way you choose. (Not, for example, only for educational purposes.)
Freedom 1
You must be able to study the software and make changes to it. That means it must be available in a human readable form. If it isn't readable by the user, the user can't check it for bugs or vulnerablities.
Freedom 2
You must be permitted to make and distribute exact copies of the program.
Freedom 3
You must be able to distribute changed copies to the program you have made. This is important, as otherwise you couldn't help others and others couldn't help you.
The GPL is an example of a free licence.
Open Source does not mean Free. Free is a sub-set of open source. Open Sourcing software is a methodology to improve production of software. Freeing software is a social movement.
Essentially, Open means only that you can read it (Freedom 1); Free means Freedoms 0-3.
It might surprise people who have heard of GNU+Linux that most GNU+Linux distributions are non-free. By including non-free software, the operating system teaches people to put convenience ahead of their freedom. Remember, freedom sometimes requires sacrifices.
Linux, the kernel, has been non-free for some while. Parts of its code contain binary blobs. These blobs are stretches of code that are not human readable.
When people are casually speaking, they often just say 'Linux', instead of GNU+Linux. (Essentially, GNU forms the Userland, the entire collection of free applications used.) Please think about saying GNU+Linux in future, as it is from GNU that the free philosophy grew, and not abbreviating helps us remember the importance of freedom.
Even some very familiar software, like Firefox, is not entirely free, due to issues around its branding. Free forks of Firefox, like Abrowser, are available. It is argued that distributions like Ubuntu and Debian are also non-free, as they include in their software repositories non-free applications.
For a fully free distribution, try Trisquel.
Trisquel - a Free Operating System
Trisquel is a free fork of Ubuntu. The kernel used is Linux Libre, which is an ordinary Linux kernel stripped of the binary blobs.
A new release of Trisquel, based on Ubuntu 14.04 Long Term Support Trusty Tahr, is due to be released very shortly.
Life with free software is wonderful. You feel very pure. It takes some discipline and self restraint, though. Instead of succumbing to convenience, like accepting the non-free BBC iPlayer, one has to find an alternative and work on communicating with the people producing software. I suggest picking hardware carefully, so that it can be supported with free firmware and drivers.
h-node is a site where you can check functioning of hardware with free software.
Free Software is an ethical choice. If you would like to learn more about it, please check out what RMS (Richard Stallman) has to say about it.
Look at the FSF (Free Software Foundation) website.
Our freedoms, of speech, to read, to express ourselves, to communicate in privacy, are dependent upon each other. In an increasingly computerised world, free software is becoming ever more important. Scotland just had a free and open election. Imagine if that were not possible, due to a repressive state that maintained its grip over the population through controlling computers and software. Such states already exist.
Respect your freedom. Choose free software.
Software Freedom Day
At the link above, you can find events in your area.
If you have questions, you can chat about Free Software using IRC on Freenode. Choose the following channel:
#fsf
For those unfamiliar with free software, it is free as in freedom, not free as in beer.
Software freedom is important. Either you can control the software, or the software controls you. Join the resistance!
Four freedoms are required for software to be free:
Freedom 0
You must be able to use the software in any way you choose. (Not, for example, only for educational purposes.)
Freedom 1
You must be able to study the software and make changes to it. That means it must be available in a human readable form. If it isn't readable by the user, the user can't check it for bugs or vulnerablities.
Freedom 2
You must be permitted to make and distribute exact copies of the program.
Freedom 3
You must be able to distribute changed copies to the program you have made. This is important, as otherwise you couldn't help others and others couldn't help you.
The GPL is an example of a free licence.
The GPL (General Public Licence)
Open Source does not mean Free. Free is a sub-set of open source. Open Sourcing software is a methodology to improve production of software. Freeing software is a social movement.
Essentially, Open means only that you can read it (Freedom 1); Free means Freedoms 0-3.
It might surprise people who have heard of GNU+Linux that most GNU+Linux distributions are non-free. By including non-free software, the operating system teaches people to put convenience ahead of their freedom. Remember, freedom sometimes requires sacrifices.
Linux, the kernel, has been non-free for some while. Parts of its code contain binary blobs. These blobs are stretches of code that are not human readable.
A Binary Blob - Does it make sense to you?
When people are casually speaking, they often just say 'Linux', instead of GNU+Linux. (Essentially, GNU forms the Userland, the entire collection of free applications used.) Please think about saying GNU+Linux in future, as it is from GNU that the free philosophy grew, and not abbreviating helps us remember the importance of freedom.
Even some very familiar software, like Firefox, is not entirely free, due to issues around its branding. Free forks of Firefox, like Abrowser, are available. It is argued that distributions like Ubuntu and Debian are also non-free, as they include in their software repositories non-free applications.
ABrowser - a free Firefox Alternative
For a fully free distribution, try Trisquel.
Trisquel - a Free Operating System
Trisquel is a free fork of Ubuntu. The kernel used is Linux Libre, which is an ordinary Linux kernel stripped of the binary blobs.
Freedo - the Libre Software Mascot
A new release of Trisquel, based on Ubuntu 14.04 Long Term Support Trusty Tahr, is due to be released very shortly.
Life with free software is wonderful. You feel very pure. It takes some discipline and self restraint, though. Instead of succumbing to convenience, like accepting the non-free BBC iPlayer, one has to find an alternative and work on communicating with the people producing software. I suggest picking hardware carefully, so that it can be supported with free firmware and drivers.
h-node is a site where you can check functioning of hardware with free software.
Think Penguin is a supplier that ensures that all products from its store work with free software. Outlets are in the UK and USA. They make donations to the Trisquel project and endeavour to provide some of the ecosystem in which free software users exist.
Free software means complete freedom and that includes the BIOS. There is a project that works on making a free BIOS available for your computer, too, Libre Boot.
If you would like a laptop with a free BIOS and free Operating System, they are available! You can buy a Libre Boot flashed IBM X60 running Trisquel from GLUGLUG. (Gnu+Linux Users Group)
The GLUGLUG X60 - a FSF Endorsed Laptop
Free software means complete freedom and that includes the BIOS. There is a project that works on making a free BIOS available for your computer, too, Libre Boot.
If you would like a laptop with a free BIOS and free Operating System, they are available! You can buy a Libre Boot flashed IBM X60 running Trisquel from GLUGLUG. (Gnu+Linux Users Group)
The GLUGLUG X60 - a FSF Endorsed Laptop
Richard Stallman (RMS) Free Software Hero
Look at the FSF (Free Software Foundation) website.
Our freedoms, of speech, to read, to express ourselves, to communicate in privacy, are dependent upon each other. In an increasingly computerised world, free software is becoming ever more important. Scotland just had a free and open election. Imagine if that were not possible, due to a repressive state that maintained its grip over the population through controlling computers and software. Such states already exist.
Respect your freedom. Choose free software.
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