View source for Free as in Freedom

{{Short description|2002 book by Sam Williams}}
{{other uses|Gratis versus libre}}
{{Infobox book
| name              = Free as in Freedom: Richard Stallman's Crusade for Free Software
| title_orig        = 
| translator        = 
| image             = File:Free_as_in_Freedom.jpg
| image_size        = 
| caption           = 
| author            = [[Sam Williams (American journalist)|Sam Williams]]
| illustrator       = 
| cover_artist      = 
| country           = United States
| language          = English
| series            = 
| subject           = 
| genre             = Biography
| publisher         = [[O'Reilly Media]]
| pub_date          = March 1, 2002
| english_pub_date  = 
| media_type        = 
| pages             = 240
| isbn              = 0-596-00287-4
| congress          = QA76.2.S73 W55 2002
| oclc              = 49044520
| preceded_by       = 
| followed_by       = 
}}
'''''Free as in Freedom: Richard Stallman's Crusade for Free Software''''' ({{ISBN|0-596-00287-4}}) is a [[free content|free]] book licensed under the [[GNU Free Documentation License]] about the [[personal life|life]] of [[Richard Stallman]], written by [[Sam Williams (American journalist)|Sam Williams]] and published by [[O'Reilly Media]] on March 1, 2002.

Williams conducted several interviews with Stallman during the writing of the book, as well as with classmates, colleagues of Stallman, and his mother. The book has received positive reviews.

==Structure==
The book is divided into a preface, thirteen chapters, an epilogue, three appendices and an index. A copy of the [[GNU Free Documentation License]] (GFDL) is included as Appendix C.<ref>{{cite book | title=Free as in Freedom: Richard Stallman's Crusade For Free Software | publisher=O'Reilly | author=Williams, Sam | year=2002 | pages=Table of Contents (vii) | isbn=0-596-00287-4 | url=https://archive.org/details/freeasinfreedomr00will | url-access=registration }}</ref>

==License==
''Free as in Freedom'' was published under the [[GNU Free Documentation License]] version 1.1, which allows modification and redistribution of the text, photographs contained therein, as well as the cover: its texts, photograph and elements of design.<ref>{{cite book | title=Free as in Freedom: Richard Stallman's Crusade For Free Software | publisher=O'Reilly | author=Williams, Sam | year=2002 | pages=Copyright page | isbn=0-596-00287-4 | url=https://archive.org/details/freeasinfreedomr00will | url-access=registration }}</ref>

==Writing==
Williams has written an article<ref>{{cite book
 |url=http://oreilly.com/openbook/freedom/ch14.html
 |last=Williams|first= Sam
 |title=Free as in Freedom |chapter=Chapter 14
 |publisher=O'Reilly Media
 |year=2002
 |accessdate=2009-05-07}}</ref> about the process of writing ''FaiF'', recording the license negotiations that led to this book being published under a free license. [[OnLamp]] also interviewed Williams in 2002 about the writing process.<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.onlamp.com/pub/a/onlamp/2002/02/28/williams.html
 |title=How Will History View Richard Stallman? - An interview with Sam Williams, author of ''Free as in Freedom''
 |first=Bruce
 |last=Stewart
 |date=February 28, 2002
 |work=OnLamp.com
 |publisher=O'Reilly Media
 |accessdate=2009-05-07
 |archive-date=2008-09-28
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080928232907/http://www.onlamp.com/pub/a/onlamp/2002/02/28/williams.html
 |url-status=dead
 }}</ref>

==Reception==
[[Andrew Leonard]] in ''[[Salon.com|Salon]]'' complimented the amount of new information Williams reveals about Stallman, given the amount of material already published. He describes the book as a "nuanced, detailed picture of Stallman".<ref>{{cite web
 |title=Code free or die
 |first= Andrew |last=Leonard
 |date=April 2, 2002
 |work=[[Salon.com]]
 |accessdate=2011-10-27
 |url=http://www.salon.com/2002/04/02/stallman/
}}</ref> In ''[[Computer User]]'', Jende Huang referred to the book as "straightforward" and wrote, "the juxtaposition of Stallman's public and private personae is the key to the book's appeal." He summarized that the book is "a worthwhile read for its chronicle of an important part of the free software movement, as well as its insight into Stallman as a person."<ref>{{cite news
 |title=Freedom fighter - Sam Williams' ''Free as in Freedom.''
 |first=Jende |last=Huang
 |date=June 2002
 |work=[[Computer User]]
 |accessdate=2011-10-27
 |url=http://www.computeruser.com/articles/2106,4,41,3,0601,02.html
 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20030429104023/http://www.computeruser.com/articles/2106,4,41,3,0601,02.html |archivedate=2003-04-29
}}</ref> In Italian ''VITA'', Bernardo Parrella described its "greatest merit" to be its "new perspective" on the issues at stake for Free Software and the computer industry as a whole, and its interweaving of Stallman's personal life and complex technical developments to be "gripping". He noted that the book is an important "real time" biography, full of references to other books, publications and web links, about a man who is misunderstood, and underestimated.<!-- please help with translation! --><ref>{{cite news
 |title       = VITA. Richard Stallman: professione rivoluzionario
 |first       = Bernardo
 |last        = Parrella
 |date        = May 27, 2002
 |work        = Vita.it
 |publisher   = Vita Società Editoriale S.p.A.
 |language    = Italian
 |accessdate  = 2011-10-27
 |url         = http://www.vita.it/news/view/13544
 |url-status     = dead
 |archiveurl  = https://archive.today/20130218140020/http://www.vita.it/news/view/13544
 |archivedate = February 18, 2013
}} ([https://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A//www.vita.it/news/view/13544&hl=en&langpair=auto|en&tbb=1&ie=UTF-8 Trans.])</ref> In a review for Sys-Con, Mike McCallister describes the book as an "easy introduction to Stallman's career and ideas, but at this length cannot go into great depth." He mentions one section as "very funny", but "all too-brief" coverage of another topic, or none at all ([[GNOME]]).<ref>{{cite web
 |title=A Profile of the Mad Prophet of Free Software
 |first=Mike |last=McCallister
 |date=May 8, 2002
 |work=Sys-Con.com
 |publisher=Ulitzer, Inc.
 |url=http://tv.sys-con.com/node/25023
 |accessdate=2011-10-27
}}</ref>

==Free as in Freedom 2.0==
After reading ''Free as in Freedom'' in 2009, Richard Stallman made extensive revisions and annotations to the original text. As the book was published under the GFDL, it enabled Stallman to address factual errors and clarify some of the author's mistaken or incoherent statements, bringing in his first-hand experiences and technical expertise where appropriate. This new revised edition '' Free as in Freedom 2.0'' was published by GNU Press in October 2010<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fsf.org/bulletin/2010/fall/free-software-free-society-second-edition|title=Free Software, Free Society: Second Edition|date=Oct 14, 2011}}</ref> and is available at FSF online shop and as a [https://web.archive.org/web/20150103152231/https://static.fsf.org/nosvn/faif-2.0.pdf free PDF download]. Sam Williams wrote a new foreword for the revised edition.

==See also==
{{Portal|Free and open-source software}}
* [[Free software]]
* ''[[Free Software, Free Society]]'', selected essays by Stallman

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikisource|Free as in Freedom}}
* [http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/freedom/ ''Free as in Freedom'' listing at O'Reilly Media]

[[Category:2002 non-fiction books]]
[[Category:American biographies]]
[[Category:Books about free software]]
[[Category:Copyleft media]]
[[Category:O'Reilly Media books]]
[[Category:Books about computer hacking]]
[[Category:Works about computer hacking]]