The GNU Manifesto

In 1985, Richard Stallman published the GNU Manifesto. It was a call to arms.

He had already started GNU — a free Unix-like operating system. The manifesto explained why: software should be free, as in freedom. Not a product. Not a cage.

“I consider that the Golden Rule requires that if I like a program I must share it with other people who like it.”

The manifesto gave birth to the free software movement. Without it, there would be no Linux, no Apache, no Firefox — no open internet as we know it.

Stallman wrote it because he couldn’t stand watching code become a tool of control. Every proprietary program was a wall. GNU was the door.

“Free software is a matter of liberty, not price.”