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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=" ISO C++ , library " /><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"><<a class="email" href="mailto:webmaster@fsf.org">webmaster@fsf.org</a>></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
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