Z:gnu-www-ja-2001-09-24-CPI--84f105-=26ldquo;Free Software provides/en

&ldquo;Free Software provides a democratic alternative. The GNU General Public License, or GPL, was specifically designed to make sure the public's right to the software freedoms we feel are vital in a free society are defended and upheld for everyone. I use the expression &lsquo;free society&rsquo; deliberately in this context, so there will be no misunderstanding about the meaning of the word &lsquo;free&rsquo; in &lsquo;Free Software&rsquo;. It refers to freedom&mdash;the freedom to use, study, copy, modify, and redistribute computer programs. We are not opposed to profit or to business, but business must respect the public's freedom and community if it is to be legitimate.&rdquo;