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   4   Free Software Needs Free Documentation
   5
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   7   Appendices
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   9   Free Software Needs Free Documentation
  10   <a id="id636730" class="indexterm"></a>
  11 </h2></div></div></div><p>
  12 The biggest deficiency in free operating systems is not in the
  13 software--it is the lack of good free manuals that we can include in
  14 these systems.  Many of our most important programs do not come with
  15 full manuals.  Documentation is an essential part of any software
  16 package; when an important free software package does not come with a
  17 free manual, that is a major gap.  We have many such gaps today.
  18 </p><p>
  19 Once upon a time, many years ago, I thought I would learn Perl.  I got
  20 a copy of a free manual, but I found it hard to read.  When I asked
  21 Perl users about alternatives, they told me that there were better
  22 introductory manuals--but those were not free.
  23 </p><p>
  24 Why was this?  The authors of the good manuals had written them for
  25 O'Reilly Associates, which published them with restrictive terms--no
  26 copying, no modification, source files not available--which exclude
  27 them from the free software community.
  28 </p><p>
  29 That wasn't the first time this sort of thing has happened, and (to
  30 our community's great loss) it was far from the last.  Proprietary
  31 manual publishers have enticed a great many authors to restrict their
  32 manuals since then.  Many times I have heard a GNU user eagerly tell
  33 me about a manual that he is writing, with which he expects to help
  34 the GNU project--and then had my hopes dashed, as he proceeded to
  35 explain that he had signed a contract with a publisher that would
  36 restrict it so that we cannot use it.
  37 </p><p>
  38 Given that writing good English is a rare skill among programmers, we
  39 can ill afford to lose manuals this way.
  40 </p><p>
  41   Free documentation, like free software, is a matter of freedom,
  42 not price.  The problem with these manuals was not that O'Reilly
  43 Associates charged a price for printed copies--that in itself is fine.
  44 (The Free Software Foundation <a class="ulink" href="http://www.gnu.org/doc/doc.html" target="_top">sells printed copies</a> of
  45 free GNU manuals, too.)  But GNU manuals are available in source code
  46 form, while these manuals are available only on paper.  GNU manuals
  47 come with permission to copy and modify; the Perl manuals do not.
  48 These restrictions are the problems.
  49 </p><p>
  50 The criterion for a free manual is pretty much the same as for free
  51 software: it is a matter of giving all users certain freedoms.
  52 Redistribution (including commercial redistribution) must be
  53 permitted, so that the manual can accompany every copy of the program,
  54 on-line or on paper.  Permission for modification is crucial too.
  55 </p><p>
  56 As a general rule, I don't believe that it is essential for people to
  57 have permission to modify all sorts of articles and books.  The issues
  58 for writings are not necessarily the same as those for software.  For
  59 example, I don't think you or I are obliged to give permission to
  60 modify articles like this one, which describe our actions and our
  61 views.
  62 </p><p>
  63 But there is a particular reason why the freedom to modify is crucial
  64 for documentation for free software.  When people exercise their right
  65 to modify the software, and add or change its features, if they are
  66 conscientious they will change the manual too--so they can provide
  67 accurate and usable documentation with the modified program.  A manual
  68 which forbids programmers to be conscientious and finish the job, or
  69 more precisely requires them to write a new manual from scratch if
  70 they change the program, does not fill our community's needs.
  71 </p><p>
  72 While a blanket prohibition on modification is unacceptable, some
  73 kinds of limits on the method of modification pose no problem.  For
  74 example, requirements to preserve the original author's copyright
  75 notice, the distribution terms, or the list of authors, are ok.  It is
  76 also no problem to require modified versions to include notice that
  77 they were modified, even to have entire sections that may not be
  78 deleted or changed, as long as these sections deal with nontechnical
  79 topics.  (Some GNU manuals have them.)
  80 </p><p>
  81 These kinds of restrictions are not a problem because, as a practical
  82 matter, they don't stop the conscientious programmer from adapting the
  83 manual to fit the modified program.  In other words, they don't block
  84 the free software community from making full use of the manual.
  85 </p><p>
  86 However, it must be possible to modify all the <span class="emphasis"><em>technical</em></span>
  87 content of the manual, and then distribute the result in all the usual
  88 media, through all the usual channels; otherwise, the restrictions do
  89 block the community, the manual is not free, and so we need another
  90 manual.
  91 </p><p>
  92 Unfortunately, it is often hard to find someone to write another
  93 manual when a proprietary manual exists.  The obstacle is that many
  94 users think that a proprietary manual is good enough--so they don't
  95 see the need to write a free manual.  They do not see that the free
  96 operating system has a gap that needs filling.
  97 </p><p>
  98 Why do users think that proprietary manuals are good enough?  Some
  99 have not considered the issue.  I hope this article will do something
 100 to change that.
 101 </p><p>
 102 Other users consider proprietary manuals acceptable for the same
 103 reason so many people consider proprietary software acceptable: they
 104 judge in purely practical terms, not using freedom as a criterion.
 105 These people are entitled to their opinions, but since those opinions
 106 spring from values which do not include freedom, they are no guide for
 107 those of us who do value freedom.
 108 </p><p>
 109 Please spread the word about this issue.  We continue to lose manuals
 110 to proprietary publishing.  If we spread the word that proprietary
 111 manuals are not sufficient, perhaps the next person who wants to help
 112 GNU by writing documentation will realize, before it is too late, that
 113 he must above all make it free.
 114 </p><p>
 115 We can also encourage commercial publishers to sell free, copylefted
 116 manuals instead of proprietary ones.  One way you can help this is to
 117 check the distribution terms of a manual before you buy it, and
 118 prefer copylefted manuals to non-copylefted ones.
 119 </p><p>
 120 [Note: We now maintain a <a class="ulink" href="http://www.fsf.org/licensing/doc/other-free-books.html" target="_top">web page
 121 that lists free books available from other publishers</a>].
 122 </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
 123 permitted worldwide, without royalty, in any medium, provided this
 124 notice is preserved.</p><p>Report any problems or suggestions to <code class="email">&lt;<a class="email" href="mailto:webmaster@fsf.org">webmaster@fsf.org</a>&gt;</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="bk01pt04.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.
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