This post is all about explaining what the four freedoms are, as given by Richard Stallman and the Free Software Foundation. I think this is another area that sometimes gets glossed over or ignored altogether, so I thought I would sum them up here.
Part of the problem is that so many people hear the free, and equate it with price. And it is true that Free and Open Source software is often available at little or no cost, so that's not a bad thing, but it's not the primary point either. Free Software is software that respects the user's right to do what they want and need with their computer.
Briefly, the four freedoms are:
0. The right to use the software in any manner you wish, without restrictions.
1. The right to distribute the software to as many others as you wish, without penalty.
2. The right to modify the source code, or have the source code modified, to make the program function as you need it to.
3. The right to distribute your modified copies of the program so that everyone benefits from the improvements.
I realize I started counting at zero. That is a common programming convention in numbering things and is also the way the four freedoms are most often represented, so I stuck with it.
Any software that is distributed under a GNU or GNU compatible license gives you these freedoms, as well as the source code of the program in question, or access to the source code if you want it.
Now I realize that freedoms 2 and 3 don't mean as much to end-users as to programmers, but it can be good for businesses, who can hire programmers to modify almost suitable software to be just right. It's also great for hobby programmers like myself who can study and learn and play with real world code, and not just examples from books.
Freedoms 0 and 1, however, are much more applicable to end users. What they mean is that you can be free of the licensing restrictions that govern use and installation of proprietary software. It also means that you can LEGALLY copy and share your copies of Free Software with however many people you wish. Not only can you, but you are encouraged to do so.
So, in a nutshell, that's it. Freedom that isn't just about price, but actual freedom.
Showing posts with label computers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label computers. Show all posts
Friday, April 15, 2011
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Fear not the command line!
With most modern Desktop based distributions of Linux, there is little need to use the command line for most day to day tasks.
However,there are reasons why the command line continues to be popular in Linux, and therefore I feel it is worth learning to use it, at least at a basic level.
The command line is one thing all distributions have in common, and it tends to work the same, regardless of what Desktop environment is running on top of it. Therefore, it is considered a universal solution when most users give advice about getting something done in a way that should work for all distributions. GUI configuration tools can vary from one distro to another, but the command line stays the same.
Also, a person who knows Linux commands and knows exactly what they need to do can often get it done faster by using the command line rather than sorting through GUI menus and dialog boxes.
Lastly, if your interest is in using Linux as a server of some type, many distributions that are installed with the server option install with only a command line interface, or with a minimal GUI, and therefore, learning the command line is essential to being able to properly administer such a system.
Learning the command line well does take some patience, but it is another one of those aspects of Linux where I really do feel it pays off in the end. However, if you really have no interest in a text based approach, the Desktop GUI tools are generally sufficient for most desktop users.
However,there are reasons why the command line continues to be popular in Linux, and therefore I feel it is worth learning to use it, at least at a basic level.
The command line is one thing all distributions have in common, and it tends to work the same, regardless of what Desktop environment is running on top of it. Therefore, it is considered a universal solution when most users give advice about getting something done in a way that should work for all distributions. GUI configuration tools can vary from one distro to another, but the command line stays the same.
Also, a person who knows Linux commands and knows exactly what they need to do can often get it done faster by using the command line rather than sorting through GUI menus and dialog boxes.
Lastly, if your interest is in using Linux as a server of some type, many distributions that are installed with the server option install with only a command line interface, or with a minimal GUI, and therefore, learning the command line is essential to being able to properly administer such a system.
Learning the command line well does take some patience, but it is another one of those aspects of Linux where I really do feel it pays off in the end. However, if you really have no interest in a text based approach, the Desktop GUI tools are generally sufficient for most desktop users.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Linux and GNU
Linux and the GNU Project.
When discussing the history of Linux, it is often attributed to Linus Torvalds, the Finnish student who began writing the Linux kernel in 1991. Certainly, the kernel is a key component, without which the operating system would be useless. However, there is more to the story than Linus alone.
Back in the early days of computing, most programmers wrote,shared, and improved each others programs for the benefit of all.
Richard Stallman, who was a programmer at MIT from 1971 to 1983 worked extensively in this environment and continued to believe software should be shared, not closed off and made proprietary. When he left MIT, he started the GNU Project to develop a free clone of the Unix operating system. Freedom, in this case, refers not to price, but to what you are allowed to do with your computer and its software.
In 1991, Linux Torvalds began working on the kernel which came to be known as Linux. He also wanted to produce a Unix like operating system.
At the time when Linus began the his kernel, the GNU Project had most of the other components which would make up a working Unix-like system, but they lacked a suitable kernel. Linus and the people working with him had that kernel.
By putting the Linux kernel together with the GNU libraries and utilities, a working Unix-like system came to be.
Members of the GNU Project and the Free Software Foundation prefer that Linux be referred to as GNU/Linux. Others simply call it Linux, after the kernel.
While I don't intend to go into that debate, I do feel it is important to understand the proper history of Linux and the contributions of both Linus Torvalds and the GNU Project. Take away the contributions of either, and there would be no Linux as an operating system.
More information on the GNU Project can be found at The GNU Project for those interested.
When discussing the history of Linux, it is often attributed to Linus Torvalds, the Finnish student who began writing the Linux kernel in 1991. Certainly, the kernel is a key component, without which the operating system would be useless. However, there is more to the story than Linus alone.
Back in the early days of computing, most programmers wrote,shared, and improved each others programs for the benefit of all.
Richard Stallman, who was a programmer at MIT from 1971 to 1983 worked extensively in this environment and continued to believe software should be shared, not closed off and made proprietary. When he left MIT, he started the GNU Project to develop a free clone of the Unix operating system. Freedom, in this case, refers not to price, but to what you are allowed to do with your computer and its software.
In 1991, Linux Torvalds began working on the kernel which came to be known as Linux. He also wanted to produce a Unix like operating system.
At the time when Linus began the his kernel, the GNU Project had most of the other components which would make up a working Unix-like system, but they lacked a suitable kernel. Linus and the people working with him had that kernel.
By putting the Linux kernel together with the GNU libraries and utilities, a working Unix-like system came to be.
Members of the GNU Project and the Free Software Foundation prefer that Linux be referred to as GNU/Linux. Others simply call it Linux, after the kernel.
While I don't intend to go into that debate, I do feel it is important to understand the proper history of Linux and the contributions of both Linus Torvalds and the GNU Project. Take away the contributions of either, and there would be no Linux as an operating system.
More information on the GNU Project can be found at The GNU Project for those interested.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Determining if Linux is right for you.
Along with narrowing down the choice of distributions, it is also important to determine early on if Linux is a good choice for you. Like anything, Linux has both its pros and cons, which I'll cover soon.
The first thing to consider is how you use your computer and what for. If you are an average user who just needs to browse the web,check e-mail, and do various other basic computer tasks, Linux is just as capable in these areas as Windows or Mac computers. If you have an interest in setting up a stable, reliable server for little or no cost, Linux is a good choice. On the other hand, if your computer use is dependent on specific programs for which there is no suitable Linux based alternative,or you are a gamer who likes the mainstream games, Linux may not be right. It is possible to run a computer with multiple operating systems, and have both Windows and Linux available on one computer, but that is another topic for another day.
Here are the pros and cons of Linux:
Pros:
1. Linux generally runs with less overhead and consumes less system resources. This makes it possible to use older computers and keep them in service longer while still having good performance.
2. Linux is much less susceptible to the kinds of viruses and malware that can infect Windows machines. A virus written specifically for Windows will not affect Linux at all. While it is available, anti-virus software is generally not needed with Linux.
3. Linux is generally more secure if confugured properly, as it is based on a different kind of security model than Windows.
Cons:
1. Linux does not run Windows programs natively. There are ways to run Windows programs via emulation, but this does not always work as well. If you need to run Windows programs at speed, it might be best to stick with Windows.
2. Linux does not support many of the main PC titles that Windows does, unless a Linux version of the game has been created. Here it is also possible to run games via emulation, but unless your computer has enough resources, game performance often takes a hit, and it doesn't always work well. Linux has many of its own games available, but if you favor the more poular titles, keeping Windows is your best bet.
3. Linux has a learning curve. Everything does. Linux is different from Windows, and therefore cannot logically be just like it as well. If you can run your Windows computer, you can learn to run a Linux computer just as you could learn a Mac, but they are all different and you will have to learn to do some things differently. However, if Linux does suit your needs, I feel the time invested in learning it will pay off.
In switching operating systems, regardless of what they are, it is important to do your research. Otherwise, it can turn what should be a good experience with an operating system that satisfies you into a frustrating experience with one that doesn't.
The first thing to consider is how you use your computer and what for. If you are an average user who just needs to browse the web,check e-mail, and do various other basic computer tasks, Linux is just as capable in these areas as Windows or Mac computers. If you have an interest in setting up a stable, reliable server for little or no cost, Linux is a good choice. On the other hand, if your computer use is dependent on specific programs for which there is no suitable Linux based alternative,or you are a gamer who likes the mainstream games, Linux may not be right. It is possible to run a computer with multiple operating systems, and have both Windows and Linux available on one computer, but that is another topic for another day.
Here are the pros and cons of Linux:
Pros:
1. Linux generally runs with less overhead and consumes less system resources. This makes it possible to use older computers and keep them in service longer while still having good performance.
2. Linux is much less susceptible to the kinds of viruses and malware that can infect Windows machines. A virus written specifically for Windows will not affect Linux at all. While it is available, anti-virus software is generally not needed with Linux.
3. Linux is generally more secure if confugured properly, as it is based on a different kind of security model than Windows.
Cons:
1. Linux does not run Windows programs natively. There are ways to run Windows programs via emulation, but this does not always work as well. If you need to run Windows programs at speed, it might be best to stick with Windows.
2. Linux does not support many of the main PC titles that Windows does, unless a Linux version of the game has been created. Here it is also possible to run games via emulation, but unless your computer has enough resources, game performance often takes a hit, and it doesn't always work well. Linux has many of its own games available, but if you favor the more poular titles, keeping Windows is your best bet.
3. Linux has a learning curve. Everything does. Linux is different from Windows, and therefore cannot logically be just like it as well. If you can run your Windows computer, you can learn to run a Linux computer just as you could learn a Mac, but they are all different and you will have to learn to do some things differently. However, if Linux does suit your needs, I feel the time invested in learning it will pay off.
In switching operating systems, regardless of what they are, it is important to do your research. Otherwise, it can turn what should be a good experience with an operating system that satisfies you into a frustrating experience with one that doesn't.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Welcome
The purpose of this blog will be to post various lessons related to Linux. I have some in mind that will be coming soon, but if you have questions or suggestions of your own, don't hesitate to ask. If there's something specific you need or really want to see, I would be only too happy to oblige.
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