History of free software

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The following is a timeline-style look at how free software has evolved and existed from its inception.

1 Before 1983
2 The GNU project and FSF
3 GNU+Linux
4 The Free BSDs
5 The DotCom years
6 Business coming aboard
7 Freesoftware laws
8 References
9 See also
10 External links

[edit] Before 1983

In the 60s and 70s, people who received sofware generally had the freedoms to run it for any purpose, to study and modify the source code, and to redistribute modified versions.

At this time, software was free, not because of an effort of software users or developers but simply because that was the culture.

[edit] The GNU project and FSF

In 1983, Richard Stallman launched the GNU project to write enough software such that people could do the tasks they want with their computers without having to give up these freedoms.

In 1989, the first version of the GNU General Public License was published. A slightly updated version 2 was published in 1991.

[edit] GNU+Linux

In 1992, a kernel that Linus Torvalds started the previous year was released as free software. At this time, the GNU project had produced or integrated everything needed for an operating system except a kernel. The combination of Linux and the GNU system created the first complete free software operating system since 1983.

For more details on this topic, see GNU/Linux naming controversy.

[edit] The Free BSDs

Meanwhile, the lawsuit ended and FreeBSD was released as free software.

[edit] The DotCom years

In the mid to late 90s, when many website-based companies were starting up, free software became a popular webserver system. Apache webserver became the most used webserver - a title that still holds as of 2007. These systems were called LAMP systems.

[edit] Business coming aboard

In March 1998, Netscape Communications Corporation released most of the code base for its popular Netscape Communicator suite under a free software licence which they wrote: the Netscape Public License. This software package became Mozilla and produced the Mozilla Firefox web browser.

In August 1999, Sun Microsystems released the StarOffice office suite as under the GNU General Public License. The package was renamed OpenOffice.org.

In 2007, Sun Microsystems announced that they would be releasing their Java platform under the GNU General Public License.

[edit] Freesoftware laws

Venezuela, under Hugo Chavez's presidency, implemented a free software law in January 2006. Directive 3.390 mandated all government agencies to migrate to free software over a two year period ^[1].