Free Software Foundation (FSF) Overview

• Website: Free Software Foundation (FSF)

Overview

The Free Software Foundation (FSF) is a non-profit organization founded in 1985, dedicated to promoting computer user freedom by defending the rights of software users. It is a guiding light in the free software movement, advocating for the freedom to use, study, copy, modify, and redistribute computer software. While not directly focused on scientific open source, the FSF indirectly supports it through its endorsement of free software, which can be beneficial for scientific use. Its principles align with the goals of scientific open-source in terms of promoting collaboration, transparency, and freedom to use and modify the software. Through their licensing programs, FSF certifies open-source software that guarantees these freedoms. Any scientific open-source software following these licenses would be positively related to FSF’s principles.