Free software isn't simply a pastime for programmers; it's a
productive contributor to people and businesses all over the
world. From ornamental ribbon makers, to scientific researchers,
free software aids hundreds of thousands of people in their
everyday work. Its development continues at blazing speed to
fill the insatiable needs of users in all types of applications.
The GNU Project has been a major influence on free software
development for more than a decade, creating a myriad of
important tools such as robust compilers, powerful text editors,
and even a fully functional operating system. The project was
started in 1984 by MIT programmer Richard Stallman to create a
free, Unix-like operating environment. Since then, thousands of
programmers have joined in the effort to produce free, high
quality software which is accessible to everyone. These
testimonials challenge the misconceptions that free software is
impractical, unreliable, and unsupported. - Free Software is
Useful - Free Software is Reliable - Fr