Wordsmith on freedom to run and freedom to modify.
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gpl-lgpl.tex
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gpl-lgpl.tex
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@ -194,44 +194,43 @@ freedom in detail.
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\subsection{The Freedom to Run}
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For a program to be Free Software, the freedom to run the program must
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be completely unrestricted. This means any use for software the user
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can come up with must be permitted. Perhaps, for example, the user
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has discovered an innovative use for a particular program, one
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that the programmer never could have predicted. Such a use must not
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be restricted.
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The first tenant of software freedom is the user's fully unfettered right to
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run the program. The software's license must permit any conceivable use of
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the software. Perhaps, for example, the user has discovered an innovative
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use for a particular program, one that the programmer never could have
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predicted. Such a use must not be restricted.
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It was once rare that this freedom was restricted by even proprietary
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software; today it is not so rare. Most End User Licensing Agreements
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(EULAs) that cover most proprietary software restrict some types of
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use. For example, some versions of Microsoft's FrontPage software
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prohibit use of the software to create Web sites that generate
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negative publicity for Microsoft. Free Software has no such
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restrictions; everyone is free to use Free Software for any purpose
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whatsoever.
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software; but such is quite common today. Most End User Licensing Agreements
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(EULAs) that cover most proprietary software typically restrict some types of
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uses. Such restrictions of any kind are an unacceptable restriction on
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software freedom.
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\subsection{The Freedom to Change and Modify}
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Free Software programs allow users to change, modify and adapt the
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software to suit their needs. Access to the source code and related build
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scripts are an essential part of this freedom. Without the source code
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and the ability to build the binary applications from that source, the
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freedom cannot be properly exercised.
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Perhaps the most useful right of software freedom is the users' right to
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change, modify and adapt the software to suit their needs. Access to the
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source code and related build and installation scripts are an essential part
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of this freedom. Without the source code, and the ability to build and
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install the binary applications from that source, users cannot effectively
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exercise this freedom.
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Programmers can take direct benefit from this freedom, and often do.
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However, this freedom is also important to users who are not programmers.
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Users must have the right to exercise this freedom indirectly in both
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commercial and noncommercial settings. For example, users often seek
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noncommercial help with the software on email lists and in users groups.
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When they find such help, they must have the freedom to recruit
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programmers who might altruistically assist them to modify their software.
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Programmers take direct benefit from this freedom. However, this freedom
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remains important to users who are not programmers. While it may seem
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counterintuitive at first, non-programmer users often exercise this freedom
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indirectly in both commercial and noncommercial settings. For example, users
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often seek noncommercial help with the software on email lists and in users
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groups. To make use of such help they must either have the freedom to
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recruit programmers who might altruistically assist them to modify their
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software, or to at least follow rote instructions to make basic modifications
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themselves.
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The commercial exercise of this freedom is also essential for users. Each
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user, or group of users, must have the right to hire anyone they wish in a
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competitive free market to modify and change the software. This means
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that companies have a right to hire anyone they wish to modify their Free
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Software. Additionally, such companies may contract with other companies
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to commission software modification.
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More commonly, users also exercise this freedom commercially. Each user, or
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group of users, may hire anyone they wish in a competitive free market to
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modify and change the software. This means that companies have a right to
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hire anyone they wish to modify their Free Software. Additionally, such
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companies may contract with other companies to commission software
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modification.
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\subsection{The Freedom to Copy and Share}
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