Fighting for (software) freedom: interview with Richard Stallman
Few figures in the tech world have been as influential, and as uncompromising, as Richard Stallman. As the founder of the Free Software Foundation and the creator of the GNU Project, Stallman has spent decades advocating for software freedom, challenging corporate control, and warning against the dangers of proprietary software. In his seminar at our university, he shared his views on the current threats to digital freedom and the role of free software in today’s society.
What is free software and why is it important?
Free software is software that the users control. The other type of software is non-free software, which is controlled by someone else, usually a company, rather than the users themselves. In non-free software, the program controls the user and serves as an instrument to impose the owner's power over the user for purposes that are often not positive for the user. Most people who use computers are using non-free software and they take for granted that this harmful behaviour is normal, they feel like they are not allowed to complain about it. It shouldn't be this way: users should always have the freedom to use and modify software but, at the same time, should not control how others use it. Non-free software is unjust because it restricts users from accessing source code, modifying it, or sharing copies. These restrictions prevent people from exercising control over their own lives and from helping others: I refuse to accept such limitations.