Free software (software livre)

ops culture

Software whose users have the four freedoms of the Free Software Definition: run for any purpose (0), study and change (1, which requires source), redistribute copies (2), and distribute modified versions (3). Free refers to liberty, not price - free as in freedom, not free as in beer.

Portuguese resolves the famous English ambiguity outright: livre (liberty) and gratuito (price) are different words, which is why software livre needs no footnote. A program can be gratis without being free (freeware) and free without being gratis - selling free software is explicitly permitted.

Also known as: software livre, foss, floss, libre software, four freedoms

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