Palestra de Richard Stallman no TEDx Geneva 2014

Summary

This transcript highlights the importance of free software as a tool for empowering users and ensuring their freedom in cyberspace. The speaker discusses how proprietary software controls users, limiting their freedom and often imposing malicious features. Free software, however, gives users control, allowing them to study, modify, and share programs freely. The speaker also emphasizes the need for schools and society to adopt free software, promoting independence and the spirit of cooperation. Ultimately, the move to free software is framed as the first step in liberating cyberspace from corporate control and surveillance.

Takeaways

• 😀 Free software is crucial for the liberation of cyberspace and user autonomy.
• 😀 A computer is a universal machine that executes any program, but users should control the program, not a company.
• 😀 There are two possibilities for software: either the users control it, or the program controls the users.
• 😀 Free software is defined by four essential freedoms that ensure user control over the program.
• 😀 Freedom zero: The right to run the program for any purpose.
• 😀 Freedom one: The right to study and modify the source code of the program.
• 😀 Freedom two: The right to redistribute exact copies of the program.
• 😀 Freedom three: The right to redistribute modified versions of the program.
• 😀 Proprietary software is an instrument of unjust power, putting users under the control of the developer.
• 😀 The concept of 'open source' is used to bury the ethical implications of software freedom, focusing on development instead of user rights.

Q & A

What is the first battle in the liberation of cyberspace?

The first battle in the liberation of cyberspace is the fight for control over computers and software. The aim is to ensure that users, not big companies, have control over their devices.

What is the definition of a computer in the context of the script?

A computer is described as a universal machine that can perform any computation as long as it is given a program that provides the necessary instructions.

What are the two possibilities regarding control over software?

The two possibilities are either the users control the program, or the program controls the users, with the latter being the case for proprietary software.

What are the four essential freedoms needed for free software?

The four essential freedoms for free software are: Freedom 0 (the freedom to run the program as desired), Freedom 1 (the freedom to study and modify the source code), Freedom 2 (the freedom to redistribute exact copies), and Freedom 3 (the freedom to redistribute modified versions of the program).

What does the term 'free software' refer to?

Free software refers to software that respects users' freedom to control their computing. It is not about the price, but about users having control over the program and the ability to modify and distribute it.

How does proprietary software control users?

Proprietary software controls users by limiting their freedoms, such as tracking their activity, preventing them from modifying the software, and even remotely changing or deleting software and data.

What happened with the 1984 incident related to proprietary software?

In 1984, Amazon remotely deleted George Orwell's book '1984' from users' Kindles, illustrating how proprietary software can be used to control users and remove content without their consent.

Why is 'open source' an inadequate term compared to 'free software'?

'Open source' focuses more on the technical aspects of software development, such as bug fixing, but does not address the ethical and freedom-related concerns that 'free software' emphasizes, where the focus is on users' rights.

What are the obstacles to the adoption of free software?

Obstacles include opposition from large companies that profit from controlling users, mainstream media promoting 'open source' instead of 'free software', and schools teaching non-free software, which cultivates dependence on proprietary systems.

How can individuals contribute to the promotion of free software?

Individuals can contribute by writing free software, campaigning to persuade schools and governments to adopt free software, helping others with free software, and spreading the philosophy of freedom through free software.