Scribd
Upload
4 views

01

The GNU Project is a free operating system that promotes user freedom through its collection of programs, known as GNU packages, and is often used with the Linux kernel, forming the GNU/Linux operating system. The free software movement advocates for user control over computing, emphasizing the importance of four essential freedoms related to software usage and modification. Overall, GNU represents a significant effort to ensure that software respects user rights and autonomy.

Uploaded by

amrita.rit87
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
4 views

01

The GNU Project is a free operating system that promotes user freedom through its collection of programs, known as GNU packages, and is often used with the Linux kernel, forming the GNU/Linux operating system. The free software movement advocates for user control over computing, emphasizing the importance of four essential freedoms related to software usage and modification. Overall, GNU represents a significant effort to ensure that software respects user rights and autonomy.

Uploaded by

amrita.rit87
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

GNU Project

March 14, 2024

1 What is GNU?
GNU is an operating system that is free software—that is, it respects users’ freedom. The
GNU operating system consists of GNU packages (programs specifically released by the GNU
Project) as well as free software released by third parties. The development of GNU made it
possible to use a computer without software that would trample your freedom.

2 More about GNU


GNU is a Unix-like operating system. That means it is a collection of many programs: appli-
cations, libraries, developer tools, even games. The development of GNU, started in January
1984, is known as the GNU Project. Many of the programs in GNU are released under the
auspices of the GNU Project; those we call GNU packages.

The name ”GNU” is a recursive acronym for ”GNU’s Not Unix.” ”GNU” is pronounced
g’noo, as one syllable, like saying ”grew” but replacing the r with n.

The program in a Unix-like system that allocates machine resources and talks to the hard-
ware is called the ”kernel.” GNU is typically used with a kernel called Linux. This combination
is the GNU/Linux operating system. GNU/Linux is used by millions, though many call it
”Linux” by mistake.

3 What is the Free Software Movement?


The free software movement campaigns to win for the users of computing the freedom that
comes from free software. Free software puts its users in control of their own computing. Non-
free software puts its users under the power of the software’s developer.

4 What is Free Software?


Free software means the users have the freedom to run, copy, distribute, study,
change and improve the software.
Free software is a matter of liberty, not price. To understand the concept, you should think
of ”free” as in ”free speech,” not as in ”free beer”. More precisely, free software means users of
a program have the four essential freedoms:

• The freedom to run the program as you wish, for any purpose (freedom 0).

1
GNU Project

• The freedom to study how the program works, and change it so it does your computing
as you wish (freedom 1). Access to the source code is a precondition for this.

• The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help others (freedom 2).

• The freedom to distribute copies of your modified versions to others (freedom 3). By
doing this you can give the whole community a chance to benefit from your changes.
Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
Developments in technology and network use have made these freedoms even more impor-
tant now than they were in 1983. Nowadays the free software movement goes far beyond
developing the GNU system.

Siddaganga Institute of Technology 2

You might also like