The GNU engineering has developed a completely free software system that is compatible with Unix is called "GNU's Not UNIX). The initial document of Richard Stallman at GNU project is called the GNU Declaration (31K bytes), which has been translated into a variety of languages. We also have the beginning of the GNU project written in 1984.
The word "free" above is about freedom, not the price. You can pay for GNU software, you can also pay. Anyway, once the software is obtained, you have three specified freedoms using it. First of all, it is the freedom of copying the software and giving it a friend and colleague; secondly, it can change the freedom of the program by full control of source code; again, it is the release of improved version to help build a community. Freedom. (If you release the GNU software, you can charge a certain fee for physical behavior during the transfer, you can also give a copy.)
The 1983 GNU project was conceived to regression of a wide range of cooperation spirit in the early computer community - the cooperation again made the cooperation by removing the obstacles set by the private software.
In 1971, Richard Stallman started at MIT's career, he worked in a group that only used free software. Even computer companies often release free software. Programmers can freely cooperate with each other, they often do this.
In the 1980s, almost all software is private (18k bytes), which means it has owners who have prohibited and prevent user cooperation. This makes the GNU project become inevitable.
Each computer user needs an operating system; if there is no free operating system, you will even be able to start using a computer without using private software. So the first thing on the free software agenda is a free operating system.
An operating system is not just a kernel; it also includes compilers, editors, text formatting software, mail software, and many other things. Therefore, writing a complete operating system is a huge job. It takes many years.
We decided to compatibility with UNIX because its overall design is tested and cross-platform, but also because compatibility makes Unix users easily transferred to the GNU on UNIX.
The initial goal of a free class UNIX operating system has reached. By the 1990s, we or found or write all major components other than the kernel. Then Linus Torvald has developed Linux - a free kernel. The combination of Linux with almost finished GNU is born with a complete operating system: a Linux-based GNU system. It is estimated that there are millions of people now using Linux-based GNU systems, including Slackware, Debian, Red Hat, and others.
However, the GNU project is not limited to the operating system. Our goal is to provide a full software series to meet any requirements of many users. This includes application software. We already have an spreadsheet. In the next time we want to expand GNU Emacs to make it a desktop publishing system that you have obtained.
We also hope to provide software for users of non-mechanic experts. So now we now develop an icon to drag and drop the desktop to help beginners use the GNU system.
We also want to provide games and other entertainment software. You can already get some free games.
How far is the free software? There is no end, unless the law is completely prohibited from free software, unless to, for example, a patent system. The final goal is to provide free software for all computer users wish - and thus discard private software. From GNU.org This article allows you to publish this in any form without changing the document content, but you need to retain this statement.
