Free software movement - Revision history

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2026-02-23T04:52:17Z

Added archive URLs for 2 citation(s) using CRWCitationBot

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:52, 23 February 2026
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	The '''Free Software Movement''' is a movement that aims to create and distribute software that is ''free'' in all sense of the word, not just monetarily. The movement was formally initiated by [[Richard Stallman]] in 1983 with the creation of the [[GNU Project]].<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Stallman \|first=Richard \|date=1983 \|title=Initial Announcement \|url=https://www.gnu.org/gnu/initial-announcement.html}}</ref>		The '''Free Software Movement''' is a movement that aims to create and distribute software that is ''free'' in all sense of the word, not just monetarily. The movement was formally initiated by [[Richard Stallman]] in 1983 with the creation of the [[GNU Project]].<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Stallman \|first=Richard \|date=1983 \|title=Initial Announcement \|url=https://www.gnu.org/gnu/initial-announcement.html \|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260124140738/https://www.gnu.org/gnu/initial-announcement.html \|archive-date=24 Jan 2026}}</ref>

	==How it works==		==How it works==
	{{See also\|right to own}}		{{See also\|right to own}}

	Creating free software means creating software that ''"the user has the freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change, and improve [...]."''<ref>{{Cite web \|last=The GNU project \|date=2024-01-01 \|title=What is free software ? \|url=https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html}}</ref> This means that the source code must be available. This is in contrast with most commercial software that hides its real mechanisms from the user.		Creating free software means creating software that ''"the user has the freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change, and improve [...]."''<ref>{{Cite web \|last=The GNU project \|date=2024-01-01 \|title=What is free software ? \|url=https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html \|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260128112500/http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html \|archive-date=28 Jan 2026}}</ref> This means that the source code must be available. This is in contrast with most commercial software that hides its real mechanisms from the user.

	==Why it is beneficial==		==Why it is beneficial==

Drakeula: see also - right to own, security

2025-10-12T03:07:50Z

see also - right to own, security

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:07, 12 October 2025
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	The Free Software Movement is a movement that aims to create and distribute software that is ''free'' in all sense of the word, not just monetarily. The movement was formally initiated by [[Richard Stallman]] in 1983 with the creation of the [[GNU Project]].<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Stallman \|first=Richard \|date=1983 \|title=Initial Announcement \|url=https://www.gnu.org/gnu/initial-announcement.html}}</ref>		The '''Free Software Movement''' is a movement that aims to create and distribute software that is ''free'' in all sense of the word, not just monetarily. The movement was formally initiated by [[Richard Stallman]] in 1983 with the creation of the [[GNU Project]].<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Stallman \|first=Richard \|date=1983 \|title=Initial Announcement \|url=https://www.gnu.org/gnu/initial-announcement.html}}</ref>

	==How it works==		==How it works==
			{{See also\|right to own}}

	Creating free software means creating software that ''"the user has the freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change, and improve [...]."''<ref>{{Cite web \|last=The GNU project \|date=2024-01-01 \|title=What is free software ? \|url=https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html}}</ref> This means that the source code must be available. This is in contrast with most commercial software that hides its real mechanisms from the user.		Creating free software means creating software that ''"the user has the freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change, and improve [...]."''<ref>{{Cite web \|last=The GNU project \|date=2024-01-01 \|title=What is free software ? \|url=https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html}}</ref> This means that the source code must be available. This is in contrast with most commercial software that hides its real mechanisms from the user.

	==Why it is beneficial==		==Why it is beneficial==
			{{See also\|Security}}

	By making software free in all sense of the word, including the freedom to study the source code, GNU creates trust in software that abides by these rules. Trust that the software does not spy on you, trust that the software will never stop working for monetary reasons, trust that the user will always be in control, instead of a corporation.		By making software free in all sense of the word, including the freedom to study the source code, GNU creates trust in software that abides by these rules. Trust that the software does not spy on you, trust that the software will never stop working for monetary reasons, trust that the user will always be in control, instead of a corporation.

	==Examples==		==Examples==

Plankton: added category

2025-08-20T22:33:59Z

added category

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	[[Category:Common terms]]		[[Category:Common terms]]
			[[Category: Pro-consumer articles]]

	<references />		<references />

JackFromWisconsin: JackFromWisconsin moved page The Free Software Movement to Free software movement: Misspelled title: Not in sentence case

2025-08-20T22:01:45Z

JackFromWisconsin moved page The Free Software Movement to Free software movement: Misspelled title: Not in sentence case

← Older revision	Revision as of 22:01, 20 August 2025
(No difference)

Plankton: initial framework. needs more work, please help expand if you can

2025-08-20T21:59:31Z

initial framework. needs more work, please help expand if you can

New page

The Free Software Movement is a movement that aims to create and distribute software that is ''free'' in all sense of the word, not just monetarily. The movement was formally initiated by [[Richard Stallman]] in 1983 with the creation of the [[GNU Project]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stallman |first=Richard |date=1983 |title=Initial Announcement |url=https://www.gnu.org/gnu/initial-announcement.html}}</ref>

==How it works==

Creating free software means creating software that ''"the user has the freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change, and improve [...]."''<ref>{{Cite web |last=The GNU project |date=2024-01-01 |title=What is free software ? |url=https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html}}</ref> This means that the source code must be available. This is in contrast with most commercial software that hides its real mechanisms from the user.
==Why it is beneficial==

By making software free in all sense of the word, including the freedom to study the source code, GNU creates trust in software that abides by these rules. Trust that the software does not spy on you, trust that the software will never stop working for monetary reasons, trust that the user will always be in control, instead of a corporation.
==Examples==

GNU+Linux
==References==

[[Category:Common terms]]

<references />