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1. Categories of Free and Nonfree Software {#categories-of-free-and-nonfree-software .chapter}
==========================================

自由与非自由软件的分类
======================

@firstcopyingnotice{{ 参见 “Words to Avoid (or Use with Care) Because They Are Loaded or Confusing” (@pageref{Words to Avoid})一文。@medskip @footnoterule @smallskip 著作权所有 (C) 1996–1998, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 自由软件基金会。{本文最初于 1996 年发表于 <http://gnu.org>。此版本是 @fsfsthreecite的一部分。}

![category](category-zh.png)

> *This diagram, originally by Chao-Kuei and updated by several others
> since, explains the different categories of software. It’s available
> as a Scalable Vector Graphic, at
> <http://gnu.org/philosophy/category.svg>, and as an XFig document, at
> <http://gnu.org/philosophy/category.fig>, under the terms of any of
> the GNU GPL v2-or-later, the GNU FDL v1.2-or-later, or the Creative
> Commons Attribution-Share Alike v2.0-or-later.*

> 本图最初由 Chao-Kuei 创作并且经过其他人的更新，解释了不同类别的软件之间的区别。现有它的矢量图版，位于<http://gnu.org/philosophy/category.svg>以及 XFig 格式版本，位于<http://gnu.org/philosophy/category.fig>。本图采用 GNU 通用公共许可证（GNU GPL）2.0 或更高版本、GNU 自由文档许可证（GNU FDL）1.2 或更高版本、或者创作共用：署名-相同方式共享（CC BY-SA）许可证 2.0 或更高版本。

### Free Software {#free-software .subheading}

### 自由软件（Free Software）

Free software is software that comes with permission for anyone to use,
copy, and/or distribute, either verbatim or with modifications, either
gratis or for a fee. In particular, this means that source code must be
available. “If it’s not source, it’s not software.” This is a simplified
description; see also the full definition, on @pageref{Definition}.

自由软件是附带这样的许可的软件，它允许任何人使用、复制和/或再分发，不论是逐字再分发还是再分发带有更改的版本，也不论免费还是有偿。特别地，这意味着源代码必须可获得。“如果它不是源代码，它就不是程序。”这是一种简化的描述；您可以在@pageref{Definition}找到自由软件的完整定义。

If a program is free, then it can potentially be included in a free
operating system such as GNU, or free versions of the GNU/Linux
system.[(1)](#FOOT1)

如果一个程序是自由的，它可以潜在地被包含在一种自由的操作系统中，例如 GNU，或者 GNU/Linux 操作系统的自由版本。[(1)](#FOOT1)

There are many different ways to make a program free—many questions of
detail, which could be decided in more than one way and still make the
program free. Some of the possible variations are described below. For
information on specific free software licenses, see the license list
page, at <http://gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html>.

还有很多种方式可以使程序成为自由的——很多细节的问题，可以有多种方式对它们做出决定，而仍然能够使程序成为自由的。一些可能的变体将会在下文进行描述。如果需要获得关于特定的自由软件许可证的信息，参见许可证列表页面，位于<http://gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html>。

Free software is a matter of freedom, not price. But proprietary
software companies typically use the term “free software” to refer to
price. Sometimes they mean that you can obtain a binary copy at no
charge; sometimes they mean that a copy is bundled with a computer that
you are buying, and the price includes both. Either way, it has nothing
to do with what we mean by free software in the GNU Project.

自由软件关乎的是自由而非价格。但是私有软件公司一般使用“free software”这一短语来指代价格。有时它们的意思是您可以免费获得一份二进制副本；有时它们的意思是在您所购买的计算机上捆绑了一份副本，而整台计算机的价格包含了二者各自的价格。不管是哪种方式，这都与我们在 GNU 计划中所指的自由软件无关。

Because of this potential confusion, when a software company says its
product is free software, always check the actual distribution terms to
see whether users really have all the freedoms that free software
implies. Sometimes it really is free software; sometimes it isn’t.

由于这种潜在的混淆，当一家软件公司宣称它的产品是“free software”的时候，务必查看实际的发布条款以确认用户是否真正拥有自由软件所暗示的所有基本自由。有时它真的属于自由软件，有时则不是。

Many languages have two separate words for “free” as in freedom and
“free” as in zero price. For example, French has “libre” and “gratuit.”
Not so English; there is a word “gratis” that refers unambiguously to
price, but no common adjective that refers unambiguously to freedom. So
if you are speaking another language, we suggest you translate “free”
into your language to make it clearer. See our list of translations of
the term “free software” into various other languages (@pageref{Appendix
B}).

很多语言都拥有两个独立的单词用来表示“freedom”中的自由和零价格的免费。例如，法语中有 libre 和 gratuit。而英语则不是；在英语中确实有一个单词 gratis 用于无歧义地表示价格，但没有普通的形容词用于无歧义地表示自由。因此，如果您说另一种语言，我们建议您在将“free”翻译为您的母语的时候澄清其涵义。参见我们整理的将“free software”这一短语翻译为多种其他语言的详细列表。(@pageref{Appendix B})

Free software is often more reliable than nonfree software.[(2)](#FOOT2)

自由软件通常比私有软件更可靠。[(2)](#FOOT2)

### Open Source Software {#open-source-software .subheading}

### 开源软件（Open Source Software）

The term “open source” software is used by some people to mean more or
less the same category as free software. It is not exactly the same
class of software: they accept some licenses that we consider too
restrictive, and there are free software licenses they have not
accepted. However, the differences in extension of the category are
small: nearly all free software is open source, and nearly all open
source software is free.

“开源软件”这一短语被某些人用于指代与自由软件或多或少地相同的一类软件。它们并不是与自由软件准确相同的一类软件：它们接受某些在我们看来约束性过强的许可证，也有它们所拒绝接受的自由软件许可证。然而，在自由软件与这一延伸类别之间的差别并不大：几乎所有的自由软件也符合开源软件定义，并且几乎所有的开源软件也是自由的。

We prefer the term “free software” because it refers to
freedom—something that the term “open source” does not do.[(3)](#FOOT3)

我们倾向于使用自由软件这一概念，由于它代表自由——这是“开源”这一短语所不能体现的。[(3)](#FOOT3)

### Public Domain Software {#public-domain-software .subheading}

### 公有领域软件（Public Domain Software）

Public domain software is software that is not copyrighted. If the
source code is in the public domain, that is a special case of
noncopylefted free software, which means that some copies or modified
versions may not be free at all.

公有领域软件是指不受版权保护的软件。如果源代码也在公有领域中，这将成为一种非左版自由软件的特例。这意味着某些副本或者修改版本可能完全不是自由的。

In some cases, an executable program can be in the public domain but the
source code is not available. This is not free software, because free
software requires accessibility of source code. Meanwhile, most free
software is not in the public domain; it is copyrighted, and the
copyright holders have legally given permission for everyone to use it
in freedom, using a free software license.

在某些情况下，可执行程序可能位于公有领域中，但源代码不可获得。这不是自由软件，由于自由软件要求源代码的可获得性。与此同时，大部分自由软件不在公有领域中，它们是受版权保护的，并且版权持有人通过使用自由软件许可证合法地赋予任何人使用它们的自由许可。

Sometimes people use the term “public domain” in a loose fashion to mean
“free” or “available gratis.” However, “public domain” is a legal term
and means, precisely, “not copyrighted.” For clarity, we recommend using
“public domain” for that meaning only, and using other terms to convey
the other meanings.

有人以一种不严格的方式来使用“公有领域”这一概念来指代“自由”或“免费”。然而，“公有领域”是一个法律概念，准确表示“不受版权保护”之意。为了澄清，我们建议将“公有领域”仅仅用于它所严格指代的涵义，而使用其他短语来指代其他涵义。

Under the Berne Convention, which most countries have signed, anything
written down is automatically copyrighted. This includes programs.
Therefore, if you want a program you have written to be in the public
domain, you must take some legal steps to disclaim the copyright on it;
otherwise, the program is copyrighted.

根据伯尔尼保护文学和艺术作品公约（大多数国家已经签署），任何写下的东西自动获得版权，这也包括计算机程序。因此，如果您想要使您的程序进入公有领域，您必须采取某些法律步骤以放弃其版权；否则该程序是受版权保护的。

### Copylefted Software {#copylefted-software .subheading}

### 左版软件（Copylefted Software）

Copylefted software is free software whose distribution terms ensure
that all copies of all versions carry more or less the same distribution
terms. This means, for instance, that copyleft licenses generally
disallow others to add additional requirements to the software (though a
limited set of safe added requirements can be allowed) and require
making source code available. This shields the program, and its modified
versions, from some of the common ways of making a program proprietary.

左版软件是一类自由软件，其发布条款可以保证它的所有版本的所有副本都带有或多或少地相同的发布条款。例如，这意味着左版许可证普遍禁止他人为该软件添加额外的限制条款（尽管一系列有限的、安全添加的要求可能被允许），并且要求源代码可获得。这可以保护该程序及其修改版本，使得某些常见的方式不能将其变为私有软件。

Some copyleft licenses, such as GPL version 3, block other means of
turning software proprietary, such as tivoization.[(4)](#FOOT4)

一些左版许可证例如 GNU 通用公共许可证（GNU GPL）版本 3 阻止了其他一些私有化的方式，例如 Tivo 化（tivoization）。[(4)](#FOOT4)

In the GNU Project, we copyleft almost all the software we write,
because our goal is to give *every* user the freedoms implied by the
term “free software.” See our copyleft article (@pageref{Copyleft}) for
more explanation of how copyleft works and why we use it.

在 GNU 计划中，我们为我们所写的几乎所有软件使用了左版许可证，由于我们的终极目标是赋予每位用户自由软件所暗示的所有基本自由。参见我们关于左版的文章(@pageref{Copyleft})以获知关于左版许可证如何发挥作用以及我们为何使用它们的更多解释。

Copyleft is a general concept; to copyleft an actual program, you need
to use a specific set of distribution terms. There are many possible
ways to write copyleft distribution terms, so in principle there can be
many copyleft free software licenses. However, in actual practice nearly
all copylefted software uses the GNU General Public License. Two
different copyleft licenses are usually “incompatible,” which means it
is illegal to merge the code using one license with the code using the
other license; therefore, it is good for the community if people use a
single copyleft license.

左版是一个通用的概念，为了以左版许可证发布一个实际存在的程序，您需要使用特定的一系列发布条款。有多种可能的方式编写左版发布条款，因此原则上可以有很多种左版自由软件许可证。然而实际上几乎所有左版软件都使用 GNU GPL。两种不同的左版许可证通常不兼容，这意味着直接将使用一种许可证的代码与使用另一种许可证的代码合并将会是非法的；因此，人们使用同一种左版许可证将会有利于社区。

### Noncopylefted Free Software {#noncopylefted-free-software .subheading}

### 非左版的自由软件（Noncopylefted Free Software）

Noncopylefted free software comes from the author with permission to
redistribute and modify, and also to add additional restrictions to it.

非左版的自由软件带有来自作者的再分发和修改的许可，也带有为其添加额外限制条款的许可。

If a program is free but not copylefted, then some copies or modified
versions may not be free at all. A software company can compile the
program, with or without modifications, and distribute the executable
file as a proprietary software product.

如果一个程序是自由的但并未采用左版许可证，那么某些副本或者修改版本可能完全不是自由的。软件公司可以编译该程序，不论是否对其进行修改，并将其可执行文件作为私有软件产品发布。

The X Window System illustrates this. The X Consortium released X11 with
distribution terms that made it noncopylefted free software, and
subsequent developers have mostly followed the same practice. A copy
which has those distribution terms is free software. However, there are
nonfree versions as well, and there are (or at least were) popular
workstations and PC graphics boards for which nonfree versions are the
only ones that work. If you are using this hardware, X11 is not free
software for you. The developers of X11 even made X11 nonfree for a
while;[(5)](#FOOT5) they were able to do this because others had
contributed their code under the same noncopyleft license.

X Window 系统解释了这一点。X 联盟将 X11 以某种非左版发布条款发布，使其成为非左版的自由软件，并且后续开发者几乎沿用了相同的方式。一份带有此类发布条款的副本是自由软件。然而，也有私有版本的存在，并且确实有（或者至少确实曾经有）流行的用于工作站或个人计算机（PC）的图形板卡仅可支持私有版本。如果您使用的是这类硬件，那么 X11 对您来说不是自由软件。X11 的开发者甚至曾经在一段时期将 X11 作为私有软件发布[(5)](#FOOT5)；他们之所以能够如此做，是由于其他人使用相同的非左版许可证贡献了他们的代码。

### Lax Permissive Licensed Software {#lax-permissive-licensed-software .subheading}

### 使用包容型许可证的软件（Lax Permissive Licensed Software）

Lax permissive licenses include the X11 license and the two BSD
licenses.[(6)](#FOOT6) These licenses permit almost any use of the code,
including distributing proprietary binaries with or without changing the
source code.

包容型许可证包括 X11 许可证和两种 BSD 许可证。[(6)](#FOOT6)这些许可证几乎允许对其代码进行任何方式的使用，包括发布私有的二进制版本，不论是否更改了源代码。

### GPL-Covered Software {#gpl-covered-software .subheading}

### GPL 覆盖的软件（GPL-Covered Software）

The GNU GPL (General Public License) is one specific set of distribution
terms for copylefting a program. The GNU Project uses it as the
distribution terms for most GNU software.

GNU GPL 是一类特定的发布条款集合，用于使该程序成为左版的。GNU 计划将其用作大部分 GNU 软件的发布条款。

To equate free software with GPL-covered software is therefore an error.

因此，将自由软件等同于 GPL 覆盖的软件是一种错误。

### The GNU Operating System {#the-gnu-operating-system .subheading}

### GNU 操作系统（The GNU Operating System）

The GNU operating system is the Unix-like operating system, which is
entirely free software, that we in the GNU Project have developed since
1984.[(7)](#FOOT7)

GNU 操作系统是一种类 Unix 操作系统，它完全由自由软件构成，我们在 GNU 计划中于 1984 年开始对其进行开发。[(7)](#FOOT7)

A Unix-like operating system consists of many programs. The GNU system
includes all of the official GNU packages. It also includes many other
packages, such as the X Window System and TeX, which are not GNU
software.

一款类 Unix 操作系统由众多程序构成。GNU 操作系统包括所有 GNU 程序包。它还包括很多其他程序包，诸如 X Window 系统以及 TeX，它们不是 GNU 软件。

The first test release of the complete GNU system was in 1996. This
includes the GNU Hurd, our kernel, developed since 1990. In 2001 the GNU
system (including the GNU Hurd) began working fairly reliably, but the
Hurd still lacks some important features, so it is not widely used.
Meanwhile, the GNU/Linux system, an offshoot of the GNU operating system
which uses Linux as the kernel instead of the GNU Hurd, has been a great
success since the 90s.[(8)](#FOOT8) As this shows, the GNU system is not
a single static set of programs; users and distributors may select
different packages according to their needs and desires. The result is
still a variant of the GNU system.

完整的 GNU 操作系统的首个测试版于 1996 年发布，它包括 GNU Hurd，我们的内核，后者于 1990 年开始开发。直到 2001 年，GNU 操作系统（包括 GNU Hurd）开始能够相对可靠地运行，但是 Hurd 仍然缺少一些重要功能，因此它不能被广泛使用。与此同时，GNU/Linux 操作系统，作为使用 Linux 内核而非 Hurd 内核的 GNU 操作系统的衍生版本，自 20 世纪 90 年代起已经获得了巨大成功。[(8)](#FOOT8)这表明了 GNU 操作系统不是一个静态的程序集合；用户和再分发者可以根据他们的需求和偏好来选择不同的软件包。其结果仍是一种 GNU 操作系统的变体。

Since the purpose of GNU is to be free, every single component in the
GNU operating system is free software. They don’t all have to be
copylefted, however; any kind of free software is legally suitable to
include if it helps meet technical goals.

由于 GNU 操作系统的目标是自由，GNU 操作系统中的任何一个组件都是自由软件。但是，它们不必须都是左版的，任何类别的自由软件都可以被合法并且合适地包含进来，如果它有助于实现技术上的目标。

### GNU Programs {#gnu-programs .subheading}

### GNU 程序（GNU Programs）

“GNU programs” is equivalent to GNU software. A program Foo is a GNU
program if it is GNU software. We also sometimes say it is a “GNU
package.”

GNU 程序是 GNU 软件的同义词。程序 foo 是一个 GNU 程序，如果它是一个 GNU 软件。我们有时也称之为 GNU 包。

### GNU Software {#gnu-software .subheading}

### GNU 软件（GNU Software）

“GNU software” is software that is released under the auspices of the
GNU Project.[(9)](#FOOT9) If a program is GNU software, we also say that
it is a GNU program or a GNU package. The README or manual of a GNU
package should say it is one; also, the Free Software
Directory[(10)](#FOOT10) identifies all GNU packages.

GNU 软件是指在 GNU 计划支持下发布的软件。[(9)](#FOOT9)如果一个程序是 GNU 软件，我们也可称之为 GNU 程序或 GNU 包。GNU 包的自述文件或手册应当声明它是一个 GNU 包；同时，自由软件目录[(10)](#FOOT10)标识了所有 GNU 包。

Most GNU software is copylefted, but not all; however, all GNU software
must be free software.

大部分 GNU 软件是左版的，但不是全部；然而，所有 GNU 软件都必须是自由软件。

Some GNU software was written by staff of the Free Software Foundation,
but most GNU software comes from many volunteers.[(11)](#FOOT11) (Some
of these volunteers are paid by companies or universities, but they are
volunteers for us.) Some contributed software is copyrighted by the Free
Software Foundation; some is copyrighted by the contributors who wrote
it.

有些 GNU 软件是由自由软件基金会（FSF）员工所编写的，但是大部分 GNU 软件来自众多志愿者。[(11)](#FOOT11)（某些志愿者由商业公司或者大学支付薪酬，但他们是我们的志愿者。）某些贡献的软件由 FSF 拥有版权，有些由编写它们的贡献者拥有版权。

### FSF-Copyrighted GNU Software {#fsf-copyrighted-gnu-software .subheading}

### FSF 拥有版权的 GNU 软件（FSF-Copyrighted GNU Software）

The developers of GNU packages can transfer the copyright to the FSF, or
they can keep it. The choice is theirs.

GNU 包的开发者可以选择将版权转让给 FSF 或者自己保留。这是他们的选择权利。

If they have transferred the copyright to the FSF, the program is
FSF-copyrighted GNU software, and the FSF can enforce its license. If
they have kept the copyright, enforcing the license is their
responsibility.

如果他们将版权转让给 FSF，该程序成为 FSF 拥有版权的 GNU 软件，此时 FSF 可以强制实行它的许可证。如果他们选择自己保留版权，强制实行其许可证是他们自己的责任。

The FSF does not accept copyright assignments of software that is not an
official GNU package, as a rule.

FSF 不会接受非官方 GNU 包的软件的版权协议，这是一条规定。

### Nonfree Software {#nonfree-software .subheading}

### 非自由软件（Nonfree Software）

Nonfree software is any software that is not free. Its use,
redistribution or modification is prohibited, or requires you to ask for
permission, or is restricted so much that you effectively can’t do it
freely.

非自由软件是指任何不是自由软件的软件。它的使用、再分发或修改被禁止，或者要求您请求授权许可，或者被严格限制以致于您事实上不可能自由地进行以上行为。

### Proprietary Software {#proprietary-software .subheading}

### 私有软件（Proprietary Software）

Proprietary software is another name for nonfree software. In the past
we subdivided nonfree software into “semifree software,” which could be
modified and redistributed noncommercially, and “proprietary software,”
which could not be. But we have dropped that distinction and now use
“proprietary software” as synonymous with nonfree software.

私有软件是非自由软件的另一种叫法。在过去，我们曾将非自由软件进一步细分为“半自由软件”（semifree software），它们允许非商业性的修改和再分发；以及私有软件，它们禁止任何修改或再分发。但我们现在已经放弃了这种区分，并且现在将“私有软件”用作非自由软件的同义词。

The Free Software Foundation follows the rule that we cannot install any
proprietary program on our computers except temporarily for the specific
purpose of writing a free replacement for that very program. Aside from
that, we feel there is no possible excuse for installing a proprietary
program.

FSF 遵循这样的规则，我们不能在自己的计算机上安装任何私有软件，除非暂时性地用于一种特定用途，即编写一个自由软件来取代它。除此之外，我们感觉没有任何可能的借口来安装一款私有软件。

For example, we felt justified in installing Unix on our computer in the
1980s, because we were using it to write a free replacement for Unix.
Nowadays, since free operating systems are available, the excuse is no
longer applicable; we do not use any nonfree operating systems, and any
new computer we install must run a completely free operating system.

例如，在 20 世纪 80 年代，我们认为在我们的计算机上安装 Unix 是合理的，由于我们需要用它编写一个可以取代 Unix 的自由操作系统。而现在，由于自由的操作系统已经有了，因此这一借口不再适用；我们不会使用任何私有操作系统，并且我们所组装的任何一台新计算机都必须运行一款完全自由的操作系统。

We don’t insist that users of GNU, or contributors to GNU, have to live
by this rule. It is a rule we made for ourselves. But we hope you will
follow it too, for your freedom’s sake.

我们并不坚持要求 GNU 的用户或者贡献者也必须严格遵守这条规则。它只是我们对自己制定的规则。但我们希望您也愿意遵循它，为了您自己的自由。

### Freeware {#freeware .subheading}

### 免费软件（Freeware）

The term “freeware” has no clear accepted definition, but it is commonly
used for packages which permit redistribution but not modification (and
their source code is not available). These packages are *not* free
software, so please don’t use “freeware” to refer to free software.

“Freeware”这一短语没有明确并且公认的定义，但它通常被用于指代那些允许再分发但禁止修改（并且其源代码不可获得）的软件包。这些软件包不可能是自由软件，因此请您不要使用“freeware”来指代自由软件。

### Shareware {#shareware .subheading}

### 共享软件（Shareware）

Shareware is software which comes with permission for people to
redistribute copies, but says that anyone who continues to use a copy is
*required* to pay a license fee.

共享软件是指那些附带有允许人们再分发副本的许可协议的软件，但它宣称任何人如果想要继续使用其一份副本就必须支付一笔授权许可费用。

Shareware is not free software, or even semifree. There are two reasons
it is not:

共享软件不可能是自由软件，甚至不可能是半自由软件。有两大原因：

-   For most shareware, source code is not available; thus, you cannot
    modify the program at all.

-   对于大多数共享软件，源代码不可获得；因此，您完全不能修改它们；

-   Shareware does not come with permission to make a copy and install
    it without paying a license fee, not even for individuals engaging
    in nonprofit activity. (In practice, people often disregard the
    distribution terms and do this anyway, but the terms don’t
    permit it.)

-   共享软件并不带有允许人们在不支付授权许可费用的条件下复制副本并且安装它们的许可条款，甚至对于那些从事非盈利性的活动的个人用户也不提供这样的许可。（实际上，人们经常不遵守这种发布条款并且仍然这样做，但许可条款并不允许这样做。）

### Private software {#private-software .subheading}

### 私人软件（Private Software）

Private or custom software is software developed for one user (typically
an organization or company). That user keeps it and uses it, and does
not release it to the public either as source code or as binaries.

私人软件或者定制软件是指专为某一特定用户（通常是一家组织机构或者商业公司）开发的软件。该用户保存和使用它，并且不会以源代码或者二进制格式将其对公众发布。

A private program is free software (in a somewhat trivial sense) if its
sole user has the four freedoms. In particular, if the user has full
rights to the private program, the program is free. However, if the user
distributes copies to others and does not provide the four freedoms with
those copies, those copies are not free software.

一款私人软件可以是自由软件（尽管是在一种较为平凡的意义上），如果它的终极用户拥有四项基本自由。特别地，如果其用户对私人软件拥有完整的权利，该软件就是自由的。然而，如果用户向其他人分发副本但不随之提供四项基本自由，那些副本就不是自由软件。

Free software is a matter of freedom, not access. In general we do not
believe it is wrong to develop a program and not release it. There are
occasions when a program is so important that one might argue that
withholding it from the public is doing wrong to humanity. However, such
cases are rare. Most programs are not that important, and declining to
release them is not particularly wrong. Thus, there is no conflict
between the development of private or custom software and the principles
of the free software movement.

自由软件关乎的是自由，而非可获得性。总的来说，我们不认为开发一款软件但不发布它是一件坏事。确实有这样的情况，一款软件举足轻重，以至于人们可以争论，独占这款软件而拒绝对公众发布是在对全人类犯罪。然而，这样的情况毕竟罕见。大部分软件并非如此生死攸关，拒绝将它对公众发布并不是特别地坏。因此，开发私人软件或者定制软件的实践与自由软件运动的原则之间并无冲突。

Nearly all employment for programmers is in development of custom
software; therefore most programming jobs are, or could be, done in a
way compatible with the free software movement.

几乎所有受雇佣的程序员都在开发某种定制软件；因此大部分编程工作就是或者可以是以一种与自由软件运动相容的方式完成的。

### Commercial Software {#commercial-software .subheading}

### 商业软件（Commercial Software）

“Commercial” and “proprietary” are not the same! Commercial software is
software developed by a business as part of its business. Most
commercial software is proprietary, but there is commercial free
software, and there is noncommercial nonfree software.

“商业”和“私有”并不等同！商业软件是由企业作为其业务的一部分所开发的软件。大部分商业软件是私有软件，但确实也有商业化的自由软件，并且也有非商业化的私有软件。

For example, GNU Ada is developed by a company. It is always distributed
under the terms of the GNU GPL, and every copy is free software; but its
developers sell support contracts. When their salesmen speak to
prospective customers, sometimes the customers say, “We would feel safer
with a commercial compiler.” The salesmen reply, “GNU Ada *is* a
commercial compiler; it happens to be free software.” For the GNU
Project, the priorities are in the other order: the important thing is
that GNU Ada is free software; that it is commercial is just a detail.
However, the additional development of GNU Ada that results from its
being commercial is definitely beneficial. Please help spread the
awareness that free commercial software is possible. You can do this by
making an effort not to say “commercial” when you mean “proprietary.”

例如，GNU Ada 编译器是由一家商业公司开发的。它一直以 GNU GPL 的条款发布，每一份副本都是自由软件；但它的开发者贩卖其支持合同。当它们的销售员同潜在的客户交谈时，有时客户会说“我们更加信赖商业化的编译器”。销售员回答说“GNU Ada 确实是一款商业化的编译器；它恰好也是一款自由软件”。对于 GNU 计划，上述优先级应该是另一种顺序：重要的是 GNU Ada 是一款自由软件；它同时也是一款商业软件只是细节。然而，由于其作为一款商业软件而带来的额外发展是大有裨益的。请您帮助我们宣传这种认识：自由的商业软件是可能的。您可以努力通过在您想要表达“私有”的时候避免使用“商业”来达到这样的效果。

<div class="footnote">

------------------------------------------------------------------------

### Footnotes

### [(1)](#DOCF1)

@raggedright 参见 “Linux and the GNU System” (@pageref{Linux and GNU})一文以获得更多信息。 @end raggedright

### [(2)](#DOCF2)

@raggedright 参见 “Free Software Is More Reliable!” 一文，位于 <http://gnu.org/software/reliability.html>。 @end raggedright

### [(3)](#DOCF3)

@raggedright 参见 “Why Open Source Misses the Point of Free Software”(@pageref{OS Misses Point})。 @end raggedright

### [(4)](#DOCF4)

@raggedright 参见 “Why Upgrade to GPLv3” (@pageref{Why V3}) 以获得更多信息。 @end raggedright

### [(5)](#DOCF5)

@raggedright 参见 “The X Window System Trap” (@pageref{X})。 @end raggedright

### [(6)](#DOCF6)

@raggedright 参见 “The BSD License Problem,” 一文，位于<http://gnu.org/philosophy/bsd.html>。 @end raggedright

### [(7)](#DOCF7)

@raggedright 参见 “Overview of the GNU System,” 一文，位于<http://gnu.org/gnu/gnu-history.html>以获知更多历史背景。@end raggedright

### [(8)](#DOCF8)

@raggedright 参见 “Linux and the GNU System” (@pageref{Linux and GNU})以获得更多信息。 @end raggedright

### [(9)](#DOCF9)

@raggedright 参见 “Overview of the GNU System,” 一文，位于<http://gnu.org/gnu/gnu-history.html>以获知更多历史背景。@end raggedright

### [(10)](#DOCF10)

@raggedright 参见 <http://directory.fsf.org>。 @end raggedright

### [(11)](#DOCF11)

@raggedright 参见 <http://gnu.org/people/people.html>。 @end raggedright

</div>

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