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7.2. A Brand GNU WayQuite some time ago Richard Stallman started an effort to create a free version of UNIX called GNU[1] (which stands for GNU's Not UNIXa recursive acronym). More than that, he tried to convince the world that code should be Free with a capital "F". By this, he meant that it was unreasonable to provide software without both providing the source code and the right to use and modify that code as desired. To ensure this, he and his team created the GPL[2] (the GNU Public License) and founded the Free Software Foundation[3] to foster development and promote the idea.
The story of the founding of GNU/FSF and the motivations behind it[4] makes for a fascinating reading. Even if you are not interested in Free Software, the story prompts you to think in new ways about software, property, and freedom. As interesting as this story is, it is not our topic. The important thing is how the quest to create a Free operating system lead to a native Java compiler and the twists and turns on this way.
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