GNU’s Not Unix

Kelly Elkins

POS/355

January 30, 2014
C. Randall Shirley

GNU’s Not Unix

Many programmers like to modify and improve upon existing systems and programs. How are they able to do it legally? This paper will explain just how it is possible due to the GNU project. To start, I will explain who developed the GNU project, and what it is. Next, I will tell you why it was necessary. Lastly, you will hear what revisions have been made to GNU and why.
GNU

According to Stallings (2012), in 1983 Richard Stallman started a development project; by 1985 he published the GNU Manifesto. GNU is an acronym for GNU’s Not Unix. The GNU project is a free software set of packages and tools for developing a UNIX-like operating system. He also formed the Free Software Foundation (FSF). His goal was to encourage the free exchange of software source code and the free use of that software. Instead of copyrighting software, the FSF “copylifts” the software, this makes sharing and improvement possible among programmers. The GNU General Public License (GPL) allows copylefting and is a common license for releasing free software. The GPL requires that the source code be distributed with any binaries and that any changes made to the source code be released under the same GPL license. FSF’s goal is stable, platform-independent software that is free, high quality, and embraced by the user community. FSF’s GNU project provides tools for software developers, and the GNU Public License is the FSF seal of approval. The GNU project produced many UNIX-compatible tools, including compilers, editors, and utilities.
Purpose for GNU According to Stallings (2012), Stallman's goal was to produce one license that could be used for any project. This made it possible for many projects to share code. This also counteracted the move to limit software use and redistribution. The GNU meant that anyone interested could download the source code to available free software, modify it, and submit changes to it. Plus, programmers who contributed were assured that their work would remain free and benefit everyone, instead of being exploited by software companies that would not give anything back to the community.
Revisions
According to Wikipedia (2014), there have been three revisions made to Stallman’s original project. Version 1 of the GNU GPL released on February 25, 1989, prevented the two main ways that software distributors restricted the freedoms that define free software. The first problem was that distributors may publish binary files that were only executable, but not readable or modifiable by people. The second problem was the distributors might add additional restrictions, either by adding restrictions to the license, or by combining the software with other software which had other restrictions on its distribution. If this was done, then the union of the two sets of restrictions would apply to the combined work, meaning unacceptable restrictions could be added. In 1990 Version 2 made a major change in Section 7. This section said that if somebody has restrictions imposed that prevent him or her from distributing GPL covered software in a way that disrespects other users' freedom; he or she cannot distribute it at all. The goal was that this will make it less tempting for companies to use patent threats to require a fee from the free software developers. In late 2005, the (FSF) announced work on version 3. The most important changes were in relation to software patents, free software license compatibility, the definition of "source code", and hardware restrictions on software modification. Other changes relate to how license violations are handled, and how additional permissions can be granted by the copyright holder. It also added a provision that strips Digital Rights Management (DRM) of its legal value, so people can break the DRM on GPL software without breaking laws.

Resulting Effects In conclusion, now by understanding what the GNU project is, who developed it, and what improvements have been made to it, we understand how programmers became able to, and are still allowed to modify and improve upon existing systems and programs. Modifications and improvements are still being made to old systems and programs by new programmers every day. None of this would be possible without Richard Stallman and his intolerance of big businesses and their unjustifiable prices just to make one system compatible to another from a different company.

References
GNU General Public License. ( 2014 ). In Wikipedia. Retrieved fromhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ GNU_General_Public_License
Stallings, W. ( 2012). Operating Systems: Internals and Design Principles (7th ed.). Retrieved fromhttps://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/TOC.aspx?assetdataid=d84fecab-fb01-41d1-b44d-9f6606d84c8b&assetmetaid=504ab140-8df8-4d00-8b87-727eed781592.