GNU & Open Source

I am a GNU Child. What the fuck is GNU? GNU stands for GNU is Not Unix. It's a project who's goal was to develop a free version of Unix. However, it's extended beyond that and (to me at least) is more of a philosophical outlook on software, the Free Software Foundation. GNU is about free software, truly free software. Software which is open source and you are free to do whatever you like with, so long as you keep it free just as it was given to you.
One of the most prominent GNU creations is the General Public License (GPL). This license is included with the majority of open source software available, making it truly free software. It basically states that here is the source code, do whatever you want with it, modify it, redistribute it, sell it, do whatever you want, but you must also include your source code along with it. It seems to me that this is the right way to go about software. It just feels right. Anybody can build on top of your software and improve it, and vice versa. It allows for some marvelous things to be done. The GPL was an aid in creating the largest cooperative project in the history of the human race, Linux. Wolfenstein, the old Doom games, Quake 1 and Quake 2 have also been relicensed under the GPL and lots of interesting innovation has come about as a result.

Many ask "why the hell would anybody write software and just give it away!? Are you mad!??" Most GPL software is done by programmers for recreation. You know, there are people that actually program for fun! Whats interesting is that so much open source GPL software is actually superior to commercial counterparts. Look at stability, performance, freedom, and look of Linux VS Microsoft operating systems for example. Also comparable are X-Chat VS mIRC, Konqueror VS Internet Explorer, The Gimp VS Photoshop, XMMS VS Winamp. I'm sure there are many more examples.

It's about doing something for the love of it VS doing something for money. When people are motivated by money to do something, perhaps not exactly what they want to do even, the product is not cared about as deeply as it is from somebody creating something for the love of it, and doing exactly what they want.

One other factor, perhaps why you see most open source software for Linux OS, is the fact that once somebody discovers Linux (and I mean on their own, not forced to do it at some school that they attend because they want to make money anyway) they are given this great free environment, then they are given a free graphics layer over top of it, and yet a free shiny & beautiful desktop on top of that, plus tons of great free utilities and applications and games, almost endless freedom and choices, you really feel good at the end of it all. And then what, you're going to put out some non-free program for this community that has given so much to you for nothing, and maybe you're even going to try to charge money for it!? Get the hell out of here!!

It's like a living, self-nurturing, growing creature, Linux and GPL'd Open Source are. It's quite beautiful. And much thanks is due to GNU.

For more information read the Philosophy of the GNU Project.



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