<div dir="ltr"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername">John Sullivan</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:johns@fsf.org">johns@fsf.org</a>></span><br>
Date: Tue, Sep 2, 2008 at 8:36 AM<br>Subject: [GNU/FSF Press] FSF and Stephen Fry celebrate the GNU Project 25th anniversary<br>To: <a href="mailto:info-press@gnu.org">info-press@gnu.org</a><br><br><br>BOSTON, Massachusetts, USA -- Tuesday, September 2, 2008 -- The GNU operating<br>
system is turning 25 this year, and the Free Software Foundation (FSF) has<br>
kicked off its month-long celebration of the anniversary by releasing "Happy<br>
Birthday to GNU," a short film featuring the English humorist, actor, novelist<br>
and filmmaker Stephen Fry.<br>
<br>
In the five-minute film, Fry compares the free software operating system to<br>
"good science" and contrasts it with the "kind of tyranny" imposed by the<br>
proprietary software produced by companies like Microsoft and Apple that it<br>
replaces. He encourages people to use free GNU/Linux distributions like<br>
gNewSense (<<a href="http://gnewsense.org" target="_blank">http://gnewsense.org</a>>) and free software generally, for freedom's<br>
sake.<br>
<br>
"Stephen has generously donated his time to the cause of free software. His<br>
ability to communicate a technological and philosophical movement in terms of<br>
the basic principles of sharing and user freedom -- ideas that everyone can<br>
understand -- will introduce a new and broader audience to the benefits of free<br>
software," said Matt Lee, an FSF campaigns manager and writer/producer of the<br>
film.<br>
<br>
The video is available for download at <<a href="http://www.gnu.org" target="_blank">http://www.gnu.org</a>>, and the FSF is<br>
encouraging supporters to share it as widely as possible. Many have already<br>
posted an image of Fry linking back to the video on their blogs and web sites.<br>
The film will also be distributed as an update to gNewSense users.<br>
<br>
Peter Brown, the FSF's executive director, added, "We intend for the 25th<br>
anniversary to be more than just a reflection on the history of the free<br>
software movement, because despite all of the success brought about by the GNU<br>
system and other free software projects, we still need a determined effort to<br>
replace or eliminate the proprietary applications, platforms, drivers and<br>
firmware that many users still run. In this light, the video of Stephen Fry is<br>
not just a celebration, but a rallying call for the work that still needs to be<br>
done. During September we plan a number of further announcements leading up to<br>
Software Freedom Day (<<a href="http://softwarefreedomday.org/" target="_blank">http://softwarefreedomday.org/</a>>) on September 20 and the<br>
GNU anniversary on September 27."<br>
<br>
Today over 300 software packages are released under the auspices of the GNU<br>
Project, and new programs are being added all the time. These programs range<br>
from the original core operating system components to more recent additions<br>
like Gnash, a free software answer to the threat posed by Adobe's proprietary<br>
Flash player plugin; and GNU PDF, a reader for PDF files. Outside of GNU, the<br>
Free Software Directory (<<a href="http://directory.fsf.org" target="_blank">http://directory.fsf.org</a>>) names over 5,000<br>
additional free software projects, including Firefox-based web browsers, the<br>
Apache web server, and OpenOffice.org. Other well-known groups, like Wikipedia,<br>
Creative Commons, and the free culture movement, cite the GNU system and the<br>
free software philosophy as important inspirations for their decisions to make<br>
similar commitments to freedom in their respective areas.<br>
<br>
"Happy Birthday to GNU," along with more information about GNU software and<br>
philosophy, are on display at <<a href="http://www.gnu.org" target="_blank">http://www.gnu.org</a>>.<br>
<br>
### About the GNU Operating System and Linux<br>
<br>
Richard Stallman announced in September 1983 the plan to develop a free<br>
software Unix-like operating system called GNU. GNU is the only operating<br>
system developed specifically for the sake of users' freedom. See<br>
<<a href="http://www.gnu.org/gnu/the-gnu-project.html" target="_blank">http://www.gnu.org/gnu/the-gnu-project.html</a>>.<br>
<br>
In 1992, the essential components of GNU were complete, except for one, the<br>
kernel. When in 1992 the kernel Linux was re-released under the GNU GPL, making<br>
it free software, the combination of GNU and Linux formed a complete free<br>
operating system, which made it possible for the first time to run a PC without<br>
non-free software. This combination is the GNU/Linux system. For more<br>
explanation, see <<a href="http://www.gnu.org/gnu/gnu-linux-faq.html" target="_blank">http://www.gnu.org/gnu/gnu-linux-faq.html</a>>.<br>
<br>
### About Free Software and Open Source<br>
<br>
The free software movement's goal is freedom for computer users. Some,<br>
especially corporations, advocate a different viewpoint, known as "open<br>
source," which cites only practical goals such as making software powerful and<br>
reliable, focuses on development models, and avoids discussion of ethics and<br>
freedom. These two viewpoints are different at the deepest level. For more<br>
explanation, see<br>
<<a href="http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html" target="_blank">http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html</a>>.<br>
<br>
### About the Free Software Foundation<br>
<br>
The Free Software Foundation, founded in 1985, is dedicated to promoting<br>
computer users' right to use, study, copy, modify, and redistribute computer<br>
programs. The FSF promotes the development and use of free (as in freedom)<br>
software -- particularly the GNU operating system and its GNU/Linux variants --<br>
and free documentation for free software. The FSF also helps to spread<br>
awareness of the ethical and political issues of freedom in the use of<br>
software, and its Web sites, located at <a href="http://fsf.org" target="_blank">fsf.org</a> and <a href="http://gnu.org" target="_blank">gnu.org</a>, are an important<br>
source of information about GNU/Linux. Donations to support the FSF's work can<br>
be made at <<a href="http://donate.fsf.org" target="_blank">http://donate.fsf.org</a>>. Its headquarters are in Boston, MA, USA.<br>
<br>
### Media Contacts<br>
<br>
John Sullivan<br>
Operations Manager<br>
Free Software Foundation<br>
+1 (617) 542 5942<br>
<<a href="mailto:campaigns@fsf.org">campaigns@fsf.org</a>><br>
<br>
###<br>
<br>
<br>
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</div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br> <br><br>HASTA LA VICTORIA SIEMPRE!<br>
</div>