Spring Break
Free-software activist speaks on moral duty to share
Cindy Dinh
Issue date: 8/29/08 Section: News
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Stallman, who lectures at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is widely known for developing a free operating system called the GNU Project, which is similar to Unix. He has been outspoken since the 1980s about free software and campaigns against federal restrictions on copyright laws.
Not to be confused with the monetary definition of free, the free-software movement allows users to have full access to view and modify software programs instead of using only the finalized version from a software developer.
"The free software movement respects your freedom and respects social solidarity in your community," Stallman said.
Stallman centered his talk on four fundamental freedoms: the freedom to run a program; to study the source code and change it instead of being restricted by what the developer decides; to make copies and distribute them as you wish; and to contribute to the community by distributing the user's modified software.
Stallman said any software programs that lack these freedoms are proprietary programs, which he vehemently opposes.
"The social system of the distribution of use is unethical," Stallman said. "That software shouldn't exist since it's not contributing to society."
He said he believes open source code allows users to identify the components in the software and modify it according to their needs. Closed source codes, such as those in licensed software, do not fully disclose their programming, which Stallman suspects contains malicious software.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 8
Mike Row
posted 8/31/08 @ 5:59 AM CST
"However, Stallman's point of view proved problematic for Mike Foss, a computer and electrical engineering graduate student.
"I didn't fully understand the premise he was coming from," Foss said. (Continued…)
Mik ileen
posted 8/31/08 @ 8:25 AM CST
"They publish the work in a secret format so that the only way to view [the source code] is through the proprietary software," Stallman said. "Microsoft never announced spy features on their program, other people discovered them. (Continued…)
Matthew Davidson
posted 8/31/08 @ 5:23 PM CST
Two corrections; one major, one trivial.
Richard never applies the phrase "open source" to his beliefs or what he is promoting. The open source movement started with a group of people who effectively split from the free software movement about ten years ago, and have been working to undermine it ever since. (Continued…)
Bob
posted 9/01/08 @ 1:51 PM CST
"It's a lot like giving addictive drugs to students so they develop a dependency," Stallman said. "The first dose is gratis, then afterwards you have to pay. (Continued…)
Samantha
posted 9/01/08 @ 10:48 PM CST
Matthew above is incorrect. "Open Source" is a term originally created to make "Free Software" more amenable to a broader range of people including business types. (Continued…)
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