Re: GNOME and the free software movement

[Anne Østergaard <anne oestergaard nu>]

l�5 11 2006 kl. 01:58 -0500, skrev Richard Stallman:
> In general, a free program that runs in a completely free system is a
> contribution to freedom; but GNOME is special: it was launched
> specifically to defend our freedom.  We stated GNOME to blunt the
> danger of the (then) non-free QT library.  I think most GNOME users
> and developers today are not aware of this.
> 
> I would like to ask the candidates for the board to state their views
> on how GNOME can work with the broader free software movement
> for the advance of computer users' freedom.


I will work for that GNOME software remains free as in your own
definition of Free Software. The 4 freedoms are very important. 

It is also important that one can built a business based on a license as
GNU GPL and remain sure that the rights and obligations in this license
or a license which is fully compatible with the GNU GPL is not changed
as long as one is acting in full accordance with obligations in the said
license,thus keeping within what one is allowed to do under this
license. By violating the license you loose your rights to use it. This
is simple enough to understand.

It is important to use Free Software but it is equally important that
everyone _both developers and users_ understands the importance of
sharing of the freedom rights which follows and are protected by the
Free Software license. It is actually not so hard for non-developers to
understand. By sharing code, and ideas in a fair way everyone has the
possibility to get involved by participating a little or a lot. Nobody
playing by the rules are left out.

Governments, companies, organisations, and individuals that want to have
the benefit of acces to, and the right to built on, change or simply use
the Free Software should share the values of Free Software. GNOME is
Free Software and should remain so.

Remember all code looks the same. It is the license, the philosophy,
and the ethics that lies behind that distinguishes the Free Software-
and the non-free software, the vendor owned software from one another.  

Hackers who fully understand the freedom as in Free Software are better
equipped to understand the importance of other important freedom rights
in society. Such as the freedom of speech.


Anne