Freedom of utilization

Freedom of modification

Freedom of distribution

These aren’t affirmations that give little, that upsets the logic of who completely wants to manage to its pleasure the increase of the persons, controlling the distribution of the information, and consequently controlling who uses them. Saying this way can seem abstract, but think well on it…

Richard Stallman believes a lot in personal ethics, he prefers an exchange of information rather than simple I sell you buy.
I make some examples using a bit of irony, in order to make that everyone can get its own conclusions. My personal opinions are based directly from The GNU’ Manifesto, and from what I have learned from Richard’s words on the meeting in Rome on 5 december 1997.

Here the speech is complicated, when the utilization of the computer was of the elite few, difficultly the programs were closed in order to avoid manipulations, also because there still did not exist reliable programs to 100% (now they exist?). A program could be copied and installed on various machines, thus everyone could use and, to his discretion, modify it, if there were difficulties on right functionality, and once the problem was resolved the information would have been passed on. Who uses Internet for a long time knows of the importance in the exchange of information, and there exist not written rules or so, which are respected, not for fear but for simple personal ethics.

You have perhaps thought that I’m crazy? Maybe you aren’t wrong, but at least I’m not the only one, Richard Stallman is an uncomfortable personage, he makes fear, many years ago everyone pointed out to hime like crazy, because he was predicting the free software, not necessarily free, all of this exist today, in remarkable amount and of quality, and maybe the greater part of the persons has found his programs, many of the Unix machines and those called Linux being on Internet which offer services of many kinds have GNU software or made with it.

What is GNU?

GNU, which is Gnu’s Not Unix(Gnu isn’t Unix), is the name of the operating system and Unix-compatible which was written to be freely distributable to whoever can use it. GNU can run Unix software, but it isn’t identical to Unix. With passing of the time it is improved on the base of the experiences matured with other operating systems. In particular the plan heads to having one fluid vision of the evolution of computer science, with a file system anti crash, with independent support from the terminal for the visualization and with a visual system, through which more Lisp programs and ordinary programs can share the screen. GNU is mainly oriented to the machines with virtual memory, because they are those where it is easier make it run. The ulterior effort for making it run on other smaller machines will be left to who will want use it on said machines.

The intention is that nobody must pay for the permission to use the GNU system. But the words do not express clearly this concept, and the persons interpret this assertion like that GNU must always be distributed in free shape. But in truth the attempt never has been this, beyond The Manifesto it is spoken about the possible existence of companies that supply the service of distribution for money. FREE in english has many meanings, while luckily for us in Italian language two adjectives exist, consequently I have learned to distinguish between “free” as freedom and “free” as free of charge. The free software is the software that the customers are free to distribute and to modify. Some will have it free of charge, others will have to pay in order to obtain their copies, and if money helps to improve the software much better. The important thing is that anyone that has a copy is free to cooperate with others in the use of it.

Now I will try to explain what we mean for Free Software, carrying like example a written text, instead of a program. You’re reading this page, it is presupposed that you know the operation of a computer, that stupid box full of circuits that you have there, but imagine a book that contains many pages full of useful information. An advice, do not continue with the reading, less that you want to begin to question yourself:

To read a book is a crime?

Sure it is not a crime to read the book in itself, but if you begin to add some note, widening therefore the opinions or the knowledge of the writer, what happens?

To write notes is a crime?

To modify a text is not a crime, until everyone holds the own opinions for himself, who knows how many persons while studying have written notes on the books, in order to only make the information more assimilable, and if a friend succeeds to learn more quickly reading also to yours notes?

To make a copy is a crime?

And thus, you do not have the money to buy a book, remain in your ignorance, because the book is of property of the author, and if then it has been modified with some note, scattered here and there, you merit being put to the ban, what do you do, you argue on the ideas and logic of others?

To give a book is crime?

At least this let it be done, but the will to rewrite all the notes goes away, and thus the best thing is to give a new book, and all your knowledge will be lost?