Free Software Foundation

Free Software Foundation
AbbreviationFSF
FormationOctober 4, 1985;
39 years ago (1985-10-04)[1]
FounderRichard Stallman
Type501(c)(3) non-profit organization
Legal status501(c)(3)
PurposeComputer User Freedom (see Free software movement)
HeadquartersRemote work[2]
Region served
Worldwide
Membership
Individuals
President
Geoffrey Knauth
Executive director
Zoë Kooyman[3]
Revenue (2020)
$1,149,602[4]
Expenses (2020)$1,809,358[4]
Staff13[5]
Websitewww.fsf.org

The Free Software Foundation (FSF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded by Richard Stallman[6] on October 4, 1985. The organisation supports the free software movement, with the organization's preference for software being distributed under copyleft ("share alike") terms,[7] such as with its own GNU General Public License.[8] The FSF was incorporated in Boston,[9] Massachusetts, United States, where it is also based.[10]

From its founding until the mid-1990s, FSF's funds were mostly used to employ software developers to write free software for the GNU Project[11] and its employees and volunteers have mostly worked on legal and structural issues for the free software movement and the free software community[which?].

Consistent with its goals, the FSF aims to use only free software on its own computers.[12]

  1. ^ "Corporations Division Entity Summary for ID Number: 042888848". Secretary of Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Archived from the original on July 26, 2020. Retrieved October 4, 2014.
  2. ^ "Join us in saying goodbye to our beloved office on August 16! — Free Software Foundation — Working together for free software". www.fsf.org. Free Software Foundation. August 5, 2024. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  3. ^ "Free Software Foundation announces new executive director, Zoë Kooyman — Free Software Foundation — Working together for free software". fsf.org. Archived from the original on March 2, 2022. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  4. ^ a b Roberts, Ken Schwencke, Mike Tigas, Sisi Wei, Alec Glassford, Andrea Suozzo, Brandon (May 9, 2013). "Free Software Foundation Inc – Nonprofit Explorer". ProPublica. Archived from the original on September 13, 2022. Retrieved September 13, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ "Staff of the Free Software Foundation". Archived from the original on November 24, 2012. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
  6. ^ Corrado, Edward M.; Moualison Sandy, Heather; Mitchell, Erik T. (July 3, 2018). "Nullis in Verba: The Free Software Movement as a model for Openness and Transparency". Technical Services Quarterly. 35 (3): 269–279. doi:10.1080/07317131.2018.1456849. ISSN 0731-7131. S2CID 196159979. Archived from the original on July 10, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  7. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions about the GNU Licenses". Free Software Foundation. Archived from the original on March 30, 2020. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  8. ^ "What Is Copyleft?". Free Software Foundation. Archived from the original on June 18, 2018. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  9. ^ "Free Software Foundation, Boston, United States". bizpages.org. Archived from the original on February 27, 2020. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
  10. ^ "FREE SOFTWARE FOUNDATION, INC. Summary Screen". The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations Division. Archived from the original on May 25, 2013.
  11. ^ Stallman, Richard (May 29, 2001). "Free Software: Freedom and Cooperation". www.gnu.org. Archived from the original on February 24, 2024. Retrieved May 12, 2024.
  12. ^ Stallman, Richard M. (2002). "Linux, GNU, and freedom". Philosophy of the GNU Project. GNU Project. Archived from the original on December 23, 2017. Retrieved December 10, 2006.