What is free software?
Free software means that the code with which it was created is open.
Some examples of free software are the Mozilla Firefox browser, the Office document editor, GIMP images, these elements are free software and perhaps you didn't even know that you were using it as such. The operating systems used as Android on cell phones or computers, specifically Windows, are supported by a free software structure. But what is it really?
Free software means that the code with which it was created is open, therefore anyone can modify it. You can work in groups developing applications to make them more secure, as well as studying the code you can verify possible violations of the site and solve them. In general, this option is intended for collaborative work.
The term was coined by the GNU project and the Free Software Foundation. It is used for open source software that allows users to freely view the source code of the software, modify it, distribute it and use it without any restrictions.
“Free software is software that respects the freedom of users and the community. Broadly speaking, it means that users have the freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, modify, and improve the software. In other words, "free software" is a question of freedom, not price. To understand the concept, think of "free" as "free speech," not "free bar." In English, sometimes instead of "free software" we say "free software", using that French or Spanish adjective, derived from "freedom", to show that we do not mean that the software is free "they explain from GNU.
Free Software promotes freedom and collaboration:
Use : which can be used for any purpose, without restrictions such as license expiration or geographic limitations.
Share : which can be shared and copied at virtually no cost.
Study : which can be studied by anyone, without nondisclosure agreements or similar restrictions.
Improve : which can be modified by anyone, and these improvements can be shared publicly.