With free software, you are granted four essential freedoms:
- Run the program for any purpose.
- Study how the program works, and change it so it does your computing as you wish. Access to the source code is a precondition for this. 3. Redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor.
- Improve the program, and release your improvements to the public, so the whole community benefits. Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
These freedoms are essential because they allow users to have control over the software they use. They can run the software for any purpose, study how it works, change it to meet their needs, and redistribute it to others. This gives users a great deal of flexibility and control, and it helps to ensure that the software is used in a way that is beneficial to the community.
Free software is often contrasted with proprietary software, which is software that is owned by a company and is not available for users to modify or redistribute. Proprietary software often comes with restrictions on how it can be used, and users may not be able to make changes to the software or redistribute it to others.
Free software is a valuable tool for users who want to have control over the software they use. It is also a valuable tool for developers who want to be able to modify and improve software. Free software is a growing movement, and it is becoming increasingly popular.
