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wordsmwithing and rewriting in the "Copy and Share" section.

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Bradley M. Kuhn 2014-03-15 12:41:17 -04:00
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@ -234,34 +234,33 @@ modification.
\subsection{The Freedom to Copy and Share} \subsection{The Freedom to Copy and Share}
Users may share Free Software in a variety of ways. Free Software Users share Free Software in a variety of ways. Software freedom advocates
advocates work to eliminate a fundamental ethical dilemma of the software work to eliminate a fundamental ethical dilemma of the software age: choosing
age: choosing between obeying a software license, and friendship (by between obeying a software license and friendship (by giving away a copy of a
giving away a copy of a program to your friend who likes the software you are program to your friend who likes the software you are using). Licenses that
using). Free Software licenses, therefore, must permit this sort of respect software freedom, therefore, permit altruistic sharing of software
altruistic sharing of software among friends. among friends.
The commercial environment must also have the benefits of this freedom. The commercial environment also benefits of this freedom. Commercial sharing
Commercial sharing typically takes the form of selling copies of Free includes selling copies of Free Software: Free Software can be sold at any
Software. Free Software can be sold at any price to anyone. Those who price to anyone. Those who redistribute Free Software commercially also have
redistribute Free Software commercially have the freedom to selectively the freedom to selectively distribute (i.e., you can pick your customers) and
distribute (you can pick your customers) and to set prices at any level to set prices at any level that redistributor sees fit.
the redistributor sees fit.
It is true that many people get copies of Free Software very cheaply (and Of course, most people get copies of Free Software very cheaply (and
sometimes without charge). The competitive free market of Free Software sometimes without charge). The competitive free market of Free Software
tends to keep prices low and reasonable. However, if someone is willing tends to keep prices low and reasonable. However, if someone is willing to
to pay a billion dollars for one copy of the GNU Compiler Collection, such pay billions of dollars for one copy of the GNU Compiler Collection, such a
a sale is completely permitted. sale is completely permitted.
Another common instance of commercial sharing is service-oriented Another common instance of commercial sharing is service-oriented
distribution. For example, a distribution vendor may provide immediate distribution. For example, some distribution vendors provide immediate
security and upgrade distribution via a special network service. Such security and upgrade distribution via a special network service. Such
distribution is completely permitted for Free Software. distribution is not necessarily contradictory with software freedom.
(Section~\ref{Business Models} of this tutorial talks in detail about (Section~\ref{Business Models} of this tutorial talks in detail about some
various Free Software business models that take advantage of the freedom common Free Software business models that take advantage of the freedom to
to share commercially.) share commercially.)
\subsection{The Freedom to Share Improvements} \subsection{The Freedom to Share Improvements}