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  <h1 id="logo"><a href="/">The GNU Operating System</a></h1>

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<p class=“netscape4”>Richard Stallman announced in September 1983 the plan to develop a free software Unix-like operating system called GNU. GNU is the only operating system developed specifically for the sake of users' freedom.</p>

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  <h2>What is GNU?</h2>

<p>GNU is a Unix-like operating system that is <a href=“/philosophy/free-sw.html”>free software</a>&mdash;it respects your freedom. You can install <a href=“/distros/free-distros.html”> versions of GNU</a> (more precisely, GNU/Linux systems) which are entirely free software.</p>

<p class=“c”><a href=“/distros/screenshot.html”><img

src="/graphics/t-desktop-4-small.jpg" alt="Screenshot of GNU"
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<p>The <a href=“/gnu/gnu.html”>GNU Project</a> was launched in 1984 to develop the GNU system. The name &ldquo;GNU&rdquo; is a recursive acronym for &ldquo;GNU's Not Unix!&rdquo;. <a href=“/pronunciation/pronunciation.html”> “GNU” is pronounced g'noo</a>, as one syllable, like saying “grew” but replacing the r with n.</p>

<p>A Unix-like operating system is a <a href=“/software/”>software collection</a> of applications, libraries, and developer tools, plus a program to allocate resources and talk to the hardware, known as a kernel.</p>

<p><a href=“/software/hurd/hurd.html”>The Hurd, GNU's own kernel</a>, is some way from being ready for daily use. Thus, GNU is typically used today with a kernel called Linux. This combination is the <a href=“/gnu/linux-and-gnu.html”> <strong>GNU/Linux operating system</strong></a>. GNU/Linux is used by millions, though many <a href=“/gnu/gnu-linux-faq.html”> call it “Linux” by mistake</a>.</p>

<p><a href=“/provide.html”>What we provide</a>.</p>

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<p class="button c large"><a
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<p>For more news, see <a href=“Planet”>planet.gnu.org/“>Planet GNU</a> and the list of <a href=”/software/recent-releases.html“>recent GNU releases</a>.</p>

<h4>GNU Guile</h4> <p><a href=“GNU”>www.gnu.org/software/guile/“>GNU Guile</a> is the official extension language for the GNU Operating System. Version 2.0 was released February 16, 2011 with a <a href=”wealth“>www.gnu.org/software/guile/news.html”>wealth of new features.</a> Its compiler infrastructure, libraries, and dynamic programming environment make it a great language to write applications in. <a href=“Join”>www.gnu.org/software/guile/community.html“>Join the community now!</a></p>

<h4>GNUstep</h4>

<p><a href=“GNUstepwww.gnustep.org/”>GNUstep> is a fully-functional object-oriented development environment. We need developers to write and port applications to GNUstep so that we can make it a great experience for users.</p>

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<h2>What is Free Software?</h2>

<p>&ldquo;<a href=“/philosophy/free-sw.html”>Free software</a>&rdquo; is a matter of liberty, not price. To understand the concept, you should think of &ldquo;free&rdquo; as in &ldquo;free speech&rdquo;, not as in &ldquo;free beer&rdquo;.</p>

<p><strong>Free software is a matter of the users' freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change and improve the software.</strong> More precisely, it refers to four kinds of freedom, for the users of the software:</p>

<ul> <li>The freedom to run the program, for any purpose (freedom 0).</li> <li>The freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to your needs

(freedom 1).   Access to the source code is a precondition for this.</li>

<li>The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor

(freedom 2).</li>

<li>The freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements

to the public, so that the whole community benefits
 (freedom 3).   Access to the source code is a precondition for this.</li>

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<h2 id=“Action”>Take Action</h2> <ul> <li><strong><a href=“Support”>www.fsf.org/campaigns“>Support current FSF campaigns</a></strong>.</li>

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<p><strong>Can you contribute to any of these <a href=“High”>www.fsf.org/campaigns/priority-projects/“>High Priority Projects</a>?</strong> Gnash, coreboot, free distributions of GNU/Linux, GNU Octave, drivers for network routers, reversible debugging in GDB, automatic transcription, PowerVR drivers, and also free software replacements for Skype, OpenDWG libraries, and Oracle Forms.</p>

<p id=“unmaint”><strong>Can you take over an <a href=“/server/takeaction.html#unmaint”>unmaintained GNU package</a>?</strong> <span class=“gnun-split”></span>

<a href="/software/dap/">dap</a>,
<a href="/software/gnatsweb/">gnatsweb</a>,
<a href="/software/gnukart/">gnukart</a>,
<a href="/software/halifax/">halifax</a>,
<a href="/software/jwhois/">jwhois</a>,
<a href="/software/libmatheval/">libmatheval</a>,
<a href="/software/metahtml/">metahtml</a>,
<a href="/software/orgadoc/">orgadoc</a>,
<a href="/software/polyxmass/">polyxmass</a>,
<a href="/software/superopt/">superopt</a>,
<a href="/software/teximpatient/">teximpatient</a>,
<a href="/software/uucp/">uucp</a><span class="gnun-split"></span>,

are all <a href=“/server/takeaction.html#unmaint”>looking for maintainers</a>. Also, these packages are looking for co-maintainers: <span class=“gnun-split”></span>

<a href="/software/aspell/">aspell</a>,
<a href="/software/gnuae/">gnuae</a>,
<a href="/software/metaexchange/">metaexchange</a>,
<a href="/software/powerguru/">powerguru</a><span class="gnun-split"></span>.

See the package web pages for more information.</p>

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<p><small>The <a href=“Free”>www.fsf.org“>Free Software Foundation</a> is the principal organizational sponsor of the <a href=”GNU“>www.gnu.org/”>GNU Operating System</a>. <strong>Our mission is to preserve, protect and promote the freedom to use, study, copy, modify, and redistribute computer software, and to defend the rights of Free Software users.</strong> Support GNU and the FSF by <a href=“buying”>shop.fsf.org/“>buying manuals and gear</a>, <a href=”joining“>www.fsf.org/join”>joining the FSF as an associate member</a> or by making a donation, either <a href=“directly”>donate.fsf.org/“>directly to the FSF</a> or <a href=”via“>flattr.com/thing/313733/gnuproject-on-Flattr”>via Flattr</a>.</small></p>

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