Free Software Example
Computing / / July 04, 2021
A free software, or in English free software, is an application or computer program whose use by users is completely and totally free. Although in English the word "free" can be interpreted as "free", this does not mean that such programs are; rather, the term refers to the freedom with which people can modify, study, copy or redistribute them.
The advantage of free software are that has no restrictions on who or who can access them, and that in most cases are offered for sale at low costs. However, one of its disadvantages is that, being available to everyone, in constant modification, they can contain errors or failures.
Although its modification and redistribution is something that is prohibited by the opposite, proprietary software, these programs do possible since they are governed by the idea that we all have the right to share information to enrich the web and learn from and on her. For this to happen, four conditions have to be met. Only then can it be considered free. Those conditions are as follows:
- The program may be used for any purpose.
- The program may be copied and redistributed as appropriate.
- The program may be studied, in order to discover its operation, as well as it can be modified.
- The program may be improved, and the results published to other users.
When software is not free, what the user is doing is acquiring a license for its use. These licenses each contain various rules about the restrictions and limitations of the program. The best known are the license GPL (GNU General Public License), the license BSD (Berkeley Software Distribution) and the license MPL (Mozilla Public License).
The four essential conditions of free software
- The freedom to be used:
The main difference between this type of software and the others is that free software gives the user access to its source code, which allows him to make any modifications. This means that, from the privacy of your home or work, Anyone can make these changes without having to request or pay permits or notify any person, company, brand or law.
Unlike free software, one that is not free software establishes restrictions that go from the time of use (trial periods or dates of expiration), the purpose for which you will use (commercial use is prohibited) or even region (if you are from a certain country, for example, you will not be able to use it).
- The freedom to be understood:
Is that who uses the software can easily adapt it to their needs, No files or complicated programming in the source code. This results in the user being able to understand the program he is using. It works like this in order for the person to have full control over it.
- The freedom to be distributed:
This condition states that the software can be copied and distributed without this implying a crime or an infringement of laws, since if it could not be passed on to those who needed it, then it would not be free software. And not only that, but there is also the freedom for users to charge for this service.
There are, however, some conditions for its distribution. The first one is that the copy program does not have less quality than the original. The second is that it does not conflict with the rule copyleft, which states that restrictions on third parties cannot be included. Practically the only rule is that there are no rules.
- The freedom to be improved:
Once the program has been modified and understood perfectly, this freedom allows the user to improve the software, in order to benefit others. The importance of this modification is not the improvement itself only, but by distributing that better version, they help those who do not know, and sometimes an amount is charged for it.
The user is then the one who brings something new to the program, without having to wait for new updates or versions. People are the engine and not a small group of people who work in a corporation. It is a huge advantage over other software, since there are no limitations in its use.
140 Examples of free software:
Free software can be classified into different categories among which are: astronomy, audio editors, databases, sports, web development, educational, fonts, graphic editors, internet, video and multimedia, Windows, games, Python, retrievers files, backups, programming, office automation, mathematics, communication, web development, animation editors, comic readers, music, among others. Here is a list of different free software programs, according to their classification:
- Celestia
- Previ Sat
- Sky Chart
- Stellarium
- Virtual Moon Atlas
- Virtual Moon Atlas Pro
- Open Music
- Pure data
- Juice Receiver
- Radio Downloader
- Audacity
- OpenMPT
- Wave surfer
- Musik cube
- Clementine
- aTunes
- Nightingale
- wxMusik
- Snack Amp
- Tomahawk
- Easy TAG
- AutoLyrix
- Flac squisher
- MP3 Diags
- MP3Gain
- Sonic Visualiser
- MySql Utilities
- MySql Work Bench
- Maria DB
- Php My Admin
- php My Backup Pro
- Mongo DB
- DB Browser for SQLite
- Firebird
- Flame Robin
- pgAdmin
- SQL Command
- SQLite Manager
- PostgreSQL
- Subsurface
- WordPress
- Aptana Studio
- Blue griffon
- Braces
- eXe Learning
- Dev-PHP
- Eclipse PHP Development Tools
- Cake PHP
- Jelix
- Symfony
- Zend Framework
- CMS Made Simple
- Drupal 7
- Drupal 8
- Ez Platform
- Moodle
- PHP-Fusion
- XOOPS
- XOOPS 2
- Zikula
- Easy PHP Dev Server
- Easy PHP
- Uniform Server
- Wamp Server
- XAMPP 5.6.30
- XAMPP 7.1.1
- MediaWiki
- DokuWiki
- Ambulant Player
- Etherpad Lite
- Ffeng Office
- Web Developer
- Link Checker
- Brewtarget
- Drawing for children
- Tux Paint
- Tux Paint Stamps
- PCB 2009
- ForcePAD
- GenealogyJ
- DaylightChart
- World wind
- Quantum Gis
- Kana no maybe
- Tagaini jisho
- Tux Word Smith
- Memorize Words Flashcard System
- Letters Fall 3
- Tux of Math Command
- Tux Math Scrabble
- Midi Sheet Music
- Guido van Robot
- GNU Gluco Control
- Speech and Debate Timekeeper
- Art of Illusion
- AutoQ3D Community
- Open Clip Art Library
- GIMP Animation package
- Free Manga Downloader
- Free Rapid Downloader
- Visual IRC
- Ares Galaxy
- Analog C: Amie Edition
- File Zilla Server
- Jammer The Gardener
- Super Methane Brothers
- Those Funny Funguloids
- Super Mario War 1.7
- The Ur-Quan Masters
- Trio on the Funny Boat
- I have no tomatoes
- Big Solitaries 3D
- PySol Fan Club
- PPro Evolution Chapping
- XMoto Level Editor
- Advanced Strategic Command
- The battle for Wesnoth
- UFO: Alien Invasion 2.5
- Warzone 2100 Rresurrection Project
- X-Force: Fight for destiny 0.912
- Space Invaders OpenGL
- Don Caferino feat
- Abe’s Amazing Adventure
- Open Syobon Action
- Secret Maryo Chronicles (Music) 5.0
- Secret Maryo Chronicles 1.9
- The legend of Edgar 1.26
- The Secret Chronicles of Mr. M
- Which way is up?
- Frozen Bubble Enhanced
- Fish Fillets Next Generation
- Portable Puzzle Collection
- The Butterfly Effect
- Search and Rescue
- Virtual Magnifier Glass
- Remove Empty Directories
- Miro Video Converter 3.0
- OpenShot Video Editor
- Snappy Driver Installer R539
- Java Runtime Environment 8 update