I am Richard Stallman, founder of the Movement of Free Software
I started this movement in the year 1983
because I wanted to be able to use computers freely
which was impossible with private systems of explotation
that were in existence in that time
so, to be able to use a computer freely
we needed to build a system of free explotation
meaning one respecting the liberty of the user
(Freedom, and its role in teaching)
A program is free if it respects freedom and community of users
there are 2 choices with a program:
either the users have control over the program
or the program has control over the users
the first case is the free software,
the second, the private software
the one who makes users un-free
in order for users to have control of the program
they have to attain 4 essential freedoms--
a more specific definition:
Freedom 0 is the freedom to execute the program as you want
Freedom # 2 (sic 1?) is the freedom to study and change the source code
to make your data as you want
Freedom #2 is to help others
to make and distribute exact copies of programs at will
and Freedom #3 is to contribute to your community
to distribute modified copies of your versions of programs when you want
If every user has these 4 freedoms
users then have control of the program
both individually and collectively
Why to teach free software at schools?
To lead society towards freedom
because social inertia leads people towards where it is already
that is, a path towards even less freedom
even more unfair
and how to change this path?
an effort is needed, and schools should do it
Schools have a social mission
to educate good citizens
of a strong, independent, capable, generous and free society