What Is Application Software?
The freedom to run the program as you wish means that you are not forbidden or stopped from making it run. This has nothing to do with what functionality the program has, whether it is technically capable of functioning in any given environment, or whether it is useful for any particular computing activity. In the rest of this article we explain more precisely how far the various freedoms need to extend, on various issues, in order for a program to be free. Have a question about free software licensing not answered here? See our other licensing resources, and if necessary contact the FSF Compliance Lab at You may have paid money to get copies of a free program, or you may have obtained copies at no charge. Integrate With The Tools You Already Use Programmers typically interpret instructions from software developers and engineers and use programming languages like C++ or Java to carry them out. Just as with the personal computer, mobile devices such as tablet computers and smartphon...