Articles by Richard Stallman

Richard Stallman Corrects Misunderstandings of the GPL

Wed, 19 Oct 2005 11:15:00 EDT

Don Rosenberg's review of Larry Rosen's book, Open Source Licensing, did double-duty as a platform for FUD about the GNU GPL. The GNU General Public License (GNU GPL for short) was not the first free software license, but was the first to embody the concept of 'copyleft': the requirement that all modified and extended versions of the program be free under the same license.

Software Patents: "Programmers and Consumers Should Gather Forces," Says Richard Stallman

Tue, 02 Aug 2005 15:30:00 EDT

The defeat of the EU software patenting directive, writes Richard Stallman, only provides a breathing space, in which programmers and consumers should gather forces. This battle has implications far beyond the software field. Our years-long fight has shown how undemocratic the EU is. It is a system in which bureaucrats can make decisions that, practically speaking, the public can never reverse.

Software Licensing: "The GNU GPL Stood Up In Court," Says Richard Stallman

Wed, 23 Mar 2005 00:00:00 EST

Richard Stallman, President of the Free Software Foundation, contends that the FSF's views have been misrepresented elsewhere by Maureen O'Gara and hastens to set the record straight: 'The idea that the GNU General Public License would never stand up in court is sheer fantasy,' he writes. 'The GNU GPL stood up in court,' he adds - citing a case involving Harald Welte, developer of netfilter.

Software & Patents: Stallman Declares "The Battle...Must Continue!"

Sun, 06 Feb 2005 00:00:00 EST

'Last year IBM took a significant step forward in cooperation with the free software community by offering blanket licenses for 500 of its patents to all free software developers,' writes Richard Stallman. He continues: 'Recently Sun made an announcement that superficially seems similar. It said that Sun had given us 'free access to Sun OpenSolaris related patents under the Common Development and Distribution License.' But those words do not really make sense.'

Java Viewpoint: Free But Shackled - The "Java Trap"

Mon, 12 Apr 2004 00:00:00 EDT

Richard Stallman has done it again. 'Don't put your free software in shackles,' he urges, referring to the fact that, while a developer's program may be free, it can be 'trapped' - that is, restricted by non-free software that it depends on. 'The reliable way to avoid the Java Trap,' Stallman explains, 'is to have only a free implementation of Java on your system.'

The Free Software Community After 20 Years

Mon, 05 Jan 2004 00:00:00 EST

It was twenty years ago today, writes Richard Stallman, that I quit my job at MIT to begin developing a free software operating system, GNU.

Richard Stallman: The Free Software Movement Is Politics

Sun, 21 Sep 2003 00:00:00 EDT

Computer users need to be taught to value freedom, says Richard Stallman, so they will defend it - and recognizing the value of freedom yourself is the first step in helping to do this.

Linux, GNU, and freedom

Mon, 20 May 2002 00:00:00 EDT

'Since Joe Barr's article criticized my dealings with SIGLINUX, I would like to set the record straight about what actually occurred, and state my reasons.' (1,900 words)