What Is Software Freedom?

Conestoga College Linux Conference

Saturday, 30 January 2016

Bob Jonkman

Why use Free Software?

Why use Free Software?

"Why Not?" by Peter Reed from Flickr

Why Use Free Software?

Because:

Why Use Free Software?

Because:

1. It's free!

Why Use Free Software?

Because:

1. It's free!
2. Does everything Proprietary Software can do

What is "free"?

What is "free"?

"Free" as in Freedom

Logo for the League for Programming Freedom

What is "free"?

"Free" as in Freedom

... and often "Free" as in Beer, too

What is "free"?

"Free" as in Freedom

... and often "Free" as in Beer, too

What is "free"?

"Free" as in Freedom == Libre

... and often "Free" as in Beer, too

What is "free"?

"Free" as in Freedom == Libre

... and often "Free" as in Beer, too == Gratis

FLOSS

FLOSS

• Free

FLOSS

• Free
• Libre

FLOSS

• Free
• Libre and

FLOSS

• Free
• Libre and
• Open
• Source

FLOSS

• Free
• Libre and
• Open
• Source
• Software

1962

Steve Russell

• Writes "Space Wars" for DEC PDP-1

Steve Russell in 2007

1962

Steve Russell

• Writes "Space Wars" for DEC PDP-1
• Used by DEC as test software and the "killer app" to sell more computers

Steve Russell in 2007

1976

Richard Stallman

Richard Stallman in 2004

1976

Richard Stallman

• Copyright Act, 1976

Richard Stallman in 2004

1976

Richard Stallman

• Copyright Act, 1976
• Scribe DRM time bomb, 1979

Richard Stallman in 2004

1976

Richard Stallman

• Copyright Act, 1976
• Scribe DRM time bomb, 1979
• Xerox printer software, 1980

Richard Stallman in 2004

1983

GNU

GNU Logo by Etienne Suvasa

1983

GNU

GNU's Not Unix

GNU Logo by Etienne Suvasa

1983

GNU

GNU's Not Unix

All the tools needed for an Operating System...

GNU Logo by Etienne Suvasa

1983

GNU

GNU's Not Unix

All the tools needed for an Operating System...

...Except the kernel!

GNU Logo by Etienne Suvasa

1985

Free Software Foundation

1985

Free Software Foundation

"Freedom to create, distribute and modify software"

Free Software Foundation

Four Software Freedoms

Free Software Foundation

Four Software Freedoms:

0. The freedom to run the program, for any purpose

Free Software Foundation

Four Software Freedoms:

0. The freedom to run the program, for any purpose
1. The freedom to study how the program works, and change it so it does your computing as you wish

Free Software Foundation

Four Software Freedoms:

0. The freedom to run the program, for any purpose
1. The freedom to study how the program works, and change it so it does your computing as you wish
2. The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor

Free Software Foundation

Four Software Freedoms:

0. The freedom to run the program, for any purpose
1. The freedom to study how the program works, and change it so it does your computing as you wish
2. The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor
3. The freedom to distribute copies of your modified versions to others

Copyleft

Copyleft

"Viral" license, keeps software free

GPL

GNU General Public License

Other licenses

Non-copyleft: Mozilla, BSD, Apache

1991

Linus Torvalds

Linus Torvalds in 2002

1991

Linus Torvalds

"I'm doing a (free) operating system (just a hobby, won't be big and professional like gnu)"

Linus Torvalds in 2002

GNU/Linux Distributions:

Debian, Red Hat, SUSE, CentOS, Mint, Ubuntu, Trisquel, Mageia

Specialty distributions:

• Kodibuntu: Movie and TV media centre

Specialty distributions:

• Kodibuntu: Movie and TV media centre
• Mythbuntu: Home Theatre

Specialty distributions:

• Kodibuntu: Movie and TV media centre
• Mythbuntu: Home Theatre
• Xubuntu: Small-memory (older) computers

Specialty distributions:

• Kodibuntu: Movie and TV media centre
• Mythbuntu: Home Theatre
• Xubuntu: Small-memory (older) computers
• Edubuntu: Educational software and games

Applications

• Firefox (Internet Explorer)

Applications

• Firefox (Internet Explorer)
• Thunderbird (Outlook)

Applications

• Firefox (Internet Explorer)
• Thunderbird (Outlook)
• GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) (Photoshop)

Applications

• Firefox (Internet Explorer)
• Thunderbird (Outlook)
• GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) (Photoshop)
• LibreOffice (MS-Office)

Break!

Broken Egg by Tal Atlas from Flickr

Demonstration

Similarities to WindowsXP

• Windows: Open, Close, Maximize, Minimize, Move, Resize
• Files: Drag, Drop, Copy, Paste
• Applications: Open, Save, Close

Ubuntu Desktop showing Launcher and some applications

Demonstration

Differences from WindowsXP

• Launcher vs. Task Bar
• Filesystem vs. Drive Letters
• Software Center vs. Anything Goes
• Security vs. Free-For-All

Ubuntu Desktop showing Dash and Lenses

Demonstration

LibreOffice Writer

• Composing text
• Formatting paragraphs
• Headings
• Bullets and Lists

Ubuntu Desktop with LibreOffice

Questions?

Thank you!