Re: [Fsfe-uk] Software patent - any action?

[Chris Lale]

I also want to explain the meaning of free software to a lay person in 
my letters. I would welcome comments on the following text, especially 
where I have made mistakes.

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Open-source software and free software are the same in practical terms. 
They both use the same licence (GPL). Their philosophy is different. 
Free software is defined in terms of freedoms (freedom to run, study, 
adapt, redistribute and improve a program). Open-source software is 
defined in practical terms (rights attached to a program must allow 
redistribution and derived works, avoid descrimination, must not be 
specific to a product or restrict other software, must be technology 
neutral). Both require full access to source code - no secrecy.

Free software is not the same as freeware or public domain software. 
Freeware and public domain software can be snapped up and put into 
non-free programs. Any improvements then made are lost to society. To 
stay free, software must be copyrighted and licensed.  Free software 
does not mean non-commercial. A free program must be available for 
commercial use, commercial development, and commercial distribution. 
Commercial development of free software is now quite common.
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Cheers,

Chris.
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|  ___   Chris Lale   <address@hidden>                  |
| /   \                                                           |
| | <_/  My PC runs Debian GNU/Linux 3.0 (http://www.debian.org). |
| \      Robust, secure and free operating system + applications. |
|  `-                                                             |
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--
+-----------------------------------------------------------------+
|  ___   Chris Lale   <address@hidden>                  |
| /   \                                                           |
| | <_/  My PC runs Debian GNU/Linux 3.0 (http://www.debian.org). |
| \      Robust, secure and free operating system + applications. |
|  `-                                                             |
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