Free as in Freedom: A History of Free Software

Even if you have never used Linux, there's an almost 100% chance you have used Free Software at least at some point. Software like Blender, Audacity, GIMP, Krita, and even Firefox are Free Software. Beyond that, there are entire ecosystems dedicated to the principles of Free Software, such as operating systems like Linux, FreeBSD, Illumos, and many more. But what even is Free Software, and what makes it "Free?" What's the difference between "Free" and "Open Source", and why does that even matter? And how did it become so popular that it seems like almost everyone uses it, even without realizing it? Join Lee Warren as he explains the story behind Free Software's origins as a philosophy during the pioneer days of computing, and how a small band of determined hackers created Free Software from simple programs to entire operating systems.

Lee is an undergraduate at NC State and a computer enthusiast. He was recently elected to the Steering Committee, acting as Public Relations for TriLUG.