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The term free in the phrase free software is a bit confusing. There have been clarifications1 and clarifications 2. Much of this is caused by ambiguous use of the term free in English language. Depending on the context, 'free' can mean either 'free of cost' or 'freedom'. In the software world, 'free software' means software which does not impose any burden on users. If you know any of the Indian languages, you can use the word swatantra software to denote this sense of 'free'. With origins in Sanskrit, the term swatantra is synonymous with 'freedom' and 'independence' in almost all Indian languages.
Software which is really free ensures that the user has the following freedoms:-
While there is a consensus that these freedoms are essential for future of digital economy, there is a marked divergence as to the means of achieving and maintaining the freedoms. The Debian community, which distributes Debian GNU/Linux, has a policy, which ensures preservation of these freedoms in a practical manner, and their approach is sometimes much more radical than that of the Free Software Foundation. For Debian, truly free software should not depend on non-free software for any purpose, For example, if your program requires a non-free compiler, or depends on non-free libraries, it is not free, according to the Debian Free Software Guidelines (DFSG). Rarely do other distributors and packagers of the GNU/Linux system make such distinction.
Freedom includes, apart from the four freedoms listed above, independence from onerous obligations. The GNU General Public License (the "GNU GPL") requires that free software should not impose any burden on recipients of the software, unless they distribute the software in modified or unmodified versions. The GPL permits users to keep the modifications to themselves. In other words, freedom includes the freedom not to disclose modifications made by recipient / user.
This is an important freedom, so far as users like defence establishments and government departments, who have specialized and often confidential uses for their software. Such users will need tailor made binaries for meeting their specialized requirements. Non-free and proprietary applications bar access to source code and tend to leave unknown security vulnerabilities, often under the guise of Digital Rights Management or DRM. They also prohibit you from closing such back doors through non-disclosure of source code and harsh licensing terms. On the other hand, licenses which compel publication of modifications impose an equally serious burden and are a threat to confidentiality. Compared to the approach adopted by the swatantra software movement, (under GPL) The Open Source Initiative, is willing to treat licenses which compel a user to disclose user modifications as open source licenses. The Apple Public Source license, is one such license.
One frequently misunderstood freedom is the freedom to share your software. Often understood narrowly as the freedom to distribute, sharing means much more. A programmer can save much efforts by using routines implemented in other programmes. Allowing other programs to interact with your own will be beneficial to you in long term, since others will find it convenient to depend on routines implemented by you in your software. Software with transparent, and publicly documented APIs tend to be more popular amongst programmers since standing on others' shoulders is much more convenient.
Users therefore, have to be very careful while choosing a license. Free/Libre means swatantra. It is not the same thing as open source software. Mix Free/Libre with open source software, and you actually have a huge f loss!!. Remember that mere nomenclature of a license as open source does not assure freedom from unpleasant obligations. Curiously, the Open Source Initiative's Open Source Definition, is derived from the Debian Free Software Guidelines - the DFSG, which is a very radical implementation of the concept of freedom. Though both the open source software movement is an offshoot of the free software movement, the open source model, which dilutes the user's interest in software, is not sustainable.
Freedom of software usage is not about users alone. There is no software without the people who create, modify and distribute it (hereafter referred to as the 'vendors'). One widespread, but unfounded criticism about swatantra software concept is that it does not adequately protect interests of the vendors.
People who raise this argument are oblivious to the manner in which the software and the software community functions. All software is dependent on other. Of course, you can write software which will stand on its own, and will not depend on other software. But then, you will have to start from scratch, the costs would high, and please remember to tell me how you compiled the compiler which will compile your 'independent, stand-alone' program. (heh!! heh!! heh!!!!).
It is a fact of life that people who create software have to depend on other software like operating systems or libraries. In case of software which controls communication between computers, you should have access to the communication protocols used by different computers. Even for accessing and understanding data files created on different computer systems, you should know the file formats used. This is not possible unless the community co-operates to disclose and share the Application Program Interfaces (APIs) and uses published, open standards or protocols. As a vendor of software, you need to ensure that your programs can interact with software created by others. If it is to achieve widespread usage, you need to ensure that other programs are able to interact with your own software. This is the concept of mutual co-operation between software vendors - the idea of helping your neighbour described by the Free Software Foundation as freedom 2 -- "The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbour".
Use of free software therefore makes life of software vendors easier. Ability to create interdependent, in contrast to isolated software means that more programs will make use of your software, and conversely, you can make more and better use of other's software. As a result of this interdependence, your software will become smaller and much easier to maintain. Ability of other programs to make use of your own software will make your own software much more popular and widen the market for your software.
A major component of life-cycle costs of software is comprised of support and maintenance. On the other hand, the business model of non-free software companies is based on one time payment for grant of licenses to use software. Support, if any, is limited to a very short period immediately after sale, and, rarely, installing the software on the users' machines. Bug fixes which are issued during the later stages of software life cycle, are rarely included in the cost of licenses. The customers are thus compelled upgrade the software as and when when the bug fixes become available. In practise, the total cost to customer will be mush more than merely cost of upgrading the software, since he will most likely to purchase new hardware to run the latest version of the software.
Free software provides a golden opportunity to business. Businessess can undertake the services of bug fixes, support and maintenance. In the non-free business model, the customer will be tied down to the vendor for after sales support, bug fixes, etc., for the simple reason that source code, the prerequisite is not available. If the vendors in the non-free model decide to hike the license fres for subsequent releases, or for support, the customers have no other option except to cough up the money. On the other hand, in the free software model, there will be healthy competiton amongst software service vendors, since anybody having the access to, and necessary expertise can provide the services for maintenance adn upkeep of softwre. Competition will naturally keep prices down, and the ultimate gainer will be the customers. Vendors too will gain, since lower costs will expand the market.
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