www/philosophy free-software-even-more-importan...

[Richard M. Stallman]

CVSROOT:        /web/www
Module name:    www
Changes by:     Richard M. Stallman <rms>       14/01/06 20:06:03

Modified files:
        philosophy     : free-software-even-more-important.html 

Log message:
        Sharpen the argument in a few spots.

CVSWeb URLs:
http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewcvs/www/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html?cvsroot=www&r1=1.7&r2=1.8

Patches:
Index: free-software-even-more-important.html
===================================================================
RCS file: /web/www/www/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html,v
retrieving revision 1.7
retrieving revision 1.8
diff -u -b -r1.7 -r1.8
--- free-software-even-more-important.html      29 Dec 2013 11:36:10 -0000      
1.7
+++ free-software-even-more-important.html      6 Jan 2014 20:05:59 -0000       
1.8
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@
 use that word to emphasize that we're talking about freedom, not
 price).  Some proprietary programs, such as Photoshop, are very
 expensive; others, such as Flash Player, are available
-gratis&mdash;either way, they subject their users to someone else's
-power.</p>
+gratis&mdash;either way, they subject their users to the program
+owner's power.</p>
 
 <p>Much has changed since the beginning: most people, in advanced
 countries, now own computers (sometimes called &ldquo;phones&rdquo;)
@@ -33,12 +33,13 @@
 or SaaSS, which means letting someone else's server do your own
 computing activities.</p>
 
-<p>Both nonfree software and SaaSS can spy on the user, shackle the user,
-and even attack the user.  Malware is common in services and
-proprietary software products because the users don't have control
-over them.  That's the fundamental issue: while nonfree software and
-SaaSS are controlled by some other entity (typically a corporation or
-a state), free software is controlled by its users.</p>
+<p>Both nonfree software and SaaSS can spy on the user, shackle the
+user, and even attack the user.  Abuses are common in services and
+proprietary software products because the users are not in charge.
+That's the fundamental difference: nonfree software and SaaSS are
+controlled by some other entity (typically a corporation or a state),
+and the users have no say.  Free software, by contrast, puts the users
+in control.</p>
 
 <p>Why does this control matter?  Because freedom means having control
 over your own life.  If you use a program to carry out activities in
@@ -46,10 +47,9 @@
 You deserve to have control over the programs you use, and all the more
 so when you use them for something important in your life.</p>
 
-<p>Your control over the program requires four
-<a href="/philosophy/free-sw.html">essential freedoms</a>
-If any of them is missing or inadequate, the program is proprietary
-(or &ldquo;nonfree&rdquo;).</p>
+<p>Users' control over the program requires four
+<a href="/philosophy/free-sw.html">essential freedoms</a>.
+</p>
 
 <p>(0) The freedom to run the program as you wish, for whatever purpose.</p>
 
@@ -76,10 +76,12 @@
 <p>(3) The freedom to make and distribute copies of your modified
 versions, when you wish.</p>
 
-<p>The first two freedoms mean each user has individual control over the
-program.  With the other two freedoms, any group of users can together
-exercise <em>collective control</em> over the program.  The result is
-that the users control the program.</p>
+<p>The first two freedoms mean each user can exercise individual
+control over the program.  With the other two freedoms, any group of
+users can together exercise <em>collective control</em> over the
+program.  With all four freedoms, the users fully control the program.
+If any of them is missing or inadequate, the program is proprietary
+(nonfree), and unjust.</p>
 
 <p>Other kinds of works are also used for practical activities, including
 recipes for cooking, educational works such as textbooks, reference
@@ -107,7 +109,7 @@
 program&mdash;and through it, exercises power over its users.  A
 nonfree program is a yoke, an instrument of unjust power.</p>
 
-<p>In extreme cases (though this extreme has become widespread) <a
+<p>In outrageous cases (though this outrage has become quite usual) <a
 href="/philosophy/proprietary.html">proprietary programs are designed
 to spy on the users, restrict them, censor them, and abuse them</a>.
 For instance, the operating system of Apple iThings does all of these,
@@ -330,7 +332,7 @@
 
 <p>Updated:
 <!-- timestamp start -->
-$Date: 2013/12/29 11:36:10 $
+$Date: 2014/01/06 20:05:59 $
 <!-- timestamp end -->
 </p>
 </div>