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Software Freedom

Free and open source software are necessary to the liberty of a free network, so the right of the users to the network's software shall not be restricted.
The most effective way to enslave the users is to take away their control of the software.
We code not to enslave, but to set a network free, and to make room on the Internet for users to live in.
Access to software is the birthright of every user. The power of the code must not rest in the hands of staff alone but in the hands of the users.
Well trained coders, made up of the users themselves, are the best defense of a free network.

In order to have a free network, we must guarantee that users have free software. This means users have:

  1. The freedom to use the work
  2. The freedom to study the work
  3. The freedom to modify the work
  4. The freedom to share the work

...for any purpose, with or without a fee, without requiring permission.

All of the software on IRCNow is free software. You have the right to use this software to create your own network, without the need to ask us for permission. For new projects, we use the IRCNow license because it is the closest possible to the public domain.

Users need free software to create a free network that they control: a network of the users, by the users, for the users.