Free Software: The Next Step

Tue, 21 Oct 2025

From its inception, free software has been about ethics. It was born to defend a principle: that every user deserves to be in control of their computing. The message has been simple: your comnputer should obey you, not the other way around. This principle is enshrined in four essential freedoms, which together form a bill of rights for every computer user. They're the pillars of a just and empowered digital society. The software has always been the vehicle for this idea, and choosing software built on these principles is a declaration that you value your freedom. This founding message is more vital than ever. As the movement enters its fifth decade, now's the perfect moment to recommit, to amplify our voice, and to double down on the foundational message of user rights that has driven us from the very beginning.

In the busy lives of those that are unaware of free software, it can seem natural to make software decisions based on other factors, like convenience. Someone unaware of the issues might be drawn to a proprietary program because it has a polished interface, an appealing feature, or some other aspect. These are practical considerations, but they're also the trap.

When we evaluate software solely on its surface-level features, we risk becoming transient users, adrift in a sea of options. A person might use a free software application today simply because it's effective or costs nothing. But without an understanding of the ethical principles that make that software different, they're left philosophically unmoored. When a proprietary program comes along with a shinier design or a new gadget, what reason do they have to stay? They may switch back, trading away their freedom for a fleeting advantage without ever realizing what they've lost.

This is why our mission has always been so critical. We must help people see that the choice of software isn't about comparing feature lists; it's about choosing a relationship with software. Someone who has never been introduced to the ideals of free software doesn't know what they're giving up. They haven't been equipped to stand up for rights they don't realize they have, or deserve. Our task is to continue introducing them to these ideas, to build a resilient community grounded not in temporary convenience, but in an enduring belief in the rights of the users.

Freedom: The Ultimate Feature That Can't Be Copied

Proprietary software operates on a model of control. The developer holds unjust power over the users. This is in itself wrong but to add insult to injury it often leads to various abuses described on https://www.gnu.org/proprietary with features like data surveillance or restrictions that limit what you can do with your own files. Everyone deserves better.

This is where free software reveals its most powerful and unique advantage. While any specific technical feature can eventually be replicated, there's one thing proprietary software can never offer: your freedom. This is free software's "killer app." Choosing free software is choosing to be the master of your computing, and proprietary software can never replicate that.

As we look to the future, our most important task is to continue our work as advocates and teachers, sharing the dream of software freedom with ever more passion and clarity. The next step for the free software movement is to double down on the inspiring ethical message that started it all.

We must aim higher than simply getting someone to install a program. Our goal must be to win hearts and minds to the idea of software freedom. Someone drawn in by a feature can be lured away by another. But someone who falls in love with the principle of user rights, of controlling their own computing will become a steadfast champion for the cause. They'll understand that giving up freedom for convenience is a bad trade.

This is our joyful and continuing task:

Speak of Freedom. Let's talk about "free software" and what it truly means: free as in "free speech," not "free beer". Every time we use the term, we plant a seed of curiosity about the deeper ethical values.
Center the Conversation on The Rights Of The User. Let's frame our advocacy around the positive, uplifting vision of user rights. Of community and cooperation. The four dreedoms aren't abstract rules; they're pathways to a just society.
<Inspire Belief Before Adoption. It's more important to help one person understand and cherish the ideals of free software than for a hundred people to use it without knowing why it exists. People who are inspired by the vision will naturally seek out the tools that make it a reality.

The ultimate success of our movement will be measured not by market share, but by how many people come to see their choice of software as a meaningful ethical decision. Our continuing work is to illuminate that choice. When we succeed, we build a foundation of users who will not only use free software, but will joyfully and passionately defend the principles of software freedom for generations to come. This is how we will secure our future.