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-<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" /><title>Appendix C.  Free Software Needs Free Documentation</title><meta name="generator" content="DocBook XSL Stylesheets V1.74.0" /><meta name="keywords" content="&#10; ISO C++&#10; , &#10; library&#10; " /><link rel="home" href="../spine.html" title="The GNU C++ Library Documentation" /><link rel="up" href="spine.html" title="The GNU C++ Library" /><link rel="prev" href="backwards.html" title="Backwards Compatibility" /><link rel="next" href="appendix_gpl.html" title="Appendix D.  GNU General Public License version 3" /></head><body><div class="navheader"><table width="100%" summary="Navigation header"><tr><th colspan="3" align="center">Appendix C. 
- Free Software Needs Free Documentation
-
-</th></tr><tr><td width="20%" align="left"><a accesskey="p" href="backwards.html">Prev</a> </td><th width="60%" align="center">The GNU C++ Library</th><td width="20%" align="right"> <a accesskey="n" href="appendix_gpl.html">Next</a></td></tr></table><hr /></div><div class="appendix" lang="en" xml:lang="en"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title"><a id="appendix.free"></a>Appendix C. 
- Free Software Needs Free Documentation
- <a id="id511835" class="indexterm"></a>
-</h2></div></div></div><p>
-The biggest deficiency in free operating systems is not in the
-software--it is the lack of good free manuals that we can include in
-these systems. Many of our most important programs do not come with
-full manuals. Documentation is an essential part of any software
-package; when an important free software package does not come with a
-free manual, that is a major gap. We have many such gaps today.
-</p><p>
-Once upon a time, many years ago, I thought I would learn Perl. I got
-a copy of a free manual, but I found it hard to read. When I asked
-Perl users about alternatives, they told me that there were better
-introductory manuals--but those were not free.
-</p><p>
-Why was this? The authors of the good manuals had written them for
-O'Reilly Associates, which published them with restrictive terms--no
-copying, no modification, source files not available--which exclude
-them from the free software community.
-</p><p>
-That wasn't the first time this sort of thing has happened, and (to
-our community's great loss) it was far from the last. Proprietary
-manual publishers have enticed a great many authors to restrict their
-manuals since then. Many times I have heard a GNU user eagerly tell
-me about a manual that he is writing, with which he expects to help
-the GNU project--and then had my hopes dashed, as he proceeded to
-explain that he had signed a contract with a publisher that would
-restrict it so that we cannot use it.
-</p><p>
-Given that writing good English is a rare skill among programmers, we
-can ill afford to lose manuals this way.
-</p><p>
- Free documentation, like free software, is a matter of freedom,
-not price. The problem with these manuals was not that O'Reilly
-Associates charged a price for printed copies--that in itself is fine.
-(The Free Software Foundation <a class="ulink" href="http://www.gnu.org/doc/doc.html" target="_top">sells printed copies</a> of
-free GNU manuals, too.) But GNU manuals are available in source code
-form, while these manuals are available only on paper. GNU manuals
-come with permission to copy and modify; the Perl manuals do not.
-These restrictions are the problems.
-</p><p>
-The criterion for a free manual is pretty much the same as for free
-software: it is a matter of giving all users certain freedoms.
-Redistribution (including commercial redistribution) must be
-permitted, so that the manual can accompany every copy of the program,
-on-line or on paper. Permission for modification is crucial too.
-</p><p>
-As a general rule, I don't believe that it is essential for people to
-have permission to modify all sorts of articles and books. The issues
-for writings are not necessarily the same as those for software. For
-example, I don't think you or I are obliged to give permission to
-modify articles like this one, which describe our actions and our
-views.
-</p><p>
-But there is a particular reason why the freedom to modify is crucial
-for documentation for free software. When people exercise their right
-to modify the software, and add or change its features, if they are
-conscientious they will change the manual too--so they can provide
-accurate and usable documentation with the modified program. A manual
-which forbids programmers to be conscientious and finish the job, or
-more precisely requires them to write a new manual from scratch if
-they change the program, does not fill our community's needs.
-</p><p>
-While a blanket prohibition on modification is unacceptable, some
-kinds of limits on the method of modification pose no problem. For
-example, requirements to preserve the original author's copyright
-notice, the distribution terms, or the list of authors, are ok. It is
-also no problem to require modified versions to include notice that
-they were modified, even to have entire sections that may not be
-deleted or changed, as long as these sections deal with nontechnical
-topics. (Some GNU manuals have them.)
-</p><p>
-These kinds of restrictions are not a problem because, as a practical
-matter, they don't stop the conscientious programmer from adapting the
-manual to fit the modified program. In other words, they don't block
-the free software community from making full use of the manual.
-</p><p>
-However, it must be possible to modify all the <span class="emphasis"><em>technical</em></span>
-content of the manual, and then distribute the result in all the usual
-media, through all the usual channels; otherwise, the restrictions do
-block the community, the manual is not free, and so we need another
-manual.
-</p><p>
-Unfortunately, it is often hard to find someone to write another
-manual when a proprietary manual exists. The obstacle is that many
-users think that a proprietary manual is good enough--so they don't
-see the need to write a free manual. They do not see that the free
-operating system has a gap that needs filling.
-</p><p>
-Why do users think that proprietary manuals are good enough? Some
-have not considered the issue. I hope this article will do something
-to change that.
-</p><p>
-Other users consider proprietary manuals acceptable for the same
-reason so many people consider proprietary software acceptable: they
-judge in purely practical terms, not using freedom as a criterion.
-These people are entitled to their opinions, but since those opinions
-spring from values which do not include freedom, they are no guide for
-those of us who do value freedom.
-</p><p>
-Please spread the word about this issue. We continue to lose manuals
-to proprietary publishing. If we spread the word that proprietary
-manuals are not sufficient, perhaps the next person who wants to help
-GNU by writing documentation will realize, before it is too late, that
-he must above all make it free.
-</p><p>
-We can also encourage commercial publishers to sell free, copylefted
-manuals instead of proprietary ones. One way you can help this is to
-check the distribution terms of a manual before you buy it, and
-prefer copylefted manuals to non-copylefted ones.
-</p><p>
-[Note: We now maintain a <a class="ulink" href="http://www.fsf.org/licensing/doc/other-free-books.html" target="_top">web page
-that lists free books available from other publishers</a>].
-</p><p>Copyright © 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA</p><p>Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article are
-permitted worldwide, without royalty, in any medium, provided this
-notice is preserved.</p><p>Report any problems or suggestions to <code class="email">&lt;<a class="email" href="mailto:webmaster@fsf.org">webmaster@fsf.org</a>&gt;</code>.</p></div><div class="navfooter"><hr /><table width="100%" summary="Navigation footer"><tr><td width="40%" align="left"><a accesskey="p" href="backwards.html">Prev</a> </td><td width="20%" align="center"><a accesskey="u" href="spine.html">Up</a></td><td width="40%" align="right"> <a accesskey="n" href="appendix_gpl.html">Next</a></td></tr><tr><td width="40%" align="left" valign="top">Backwards Compatibility </td><td width="20%" align="center"><a accesskey="h" href="../spine.html">Home</a></td><td width="40%" align="right" valign="top"> Appendix D. 
- GNU General Public License version 3
- </td></tr></table></div></body></html>