初始公告

这是 GNU 项目的原始公告，由 Richard Stallman 于 1983 年 9 月 27 日发布。

GNU 项目的实际历史与最初的计划有很多不同。例如，开始时间延迟到 1984 年 1 月。关于自由软件的几个哲学概念直到几年后才得到澄清。

自由 Unix！

从今年的感恩节开始，我将编写一个完整的 Unix 兼容软件系统，名为 GNU（代表 Gnu's Not Unix），并免费[1]提供给所有可以使用它的人。我们非常需要时间、金钱、程序和设备的贡献。

首先，GNU 将是一个内核，加上编写和运行 C 程序所需的所有实用程序：编辑器、shell、C 编译器、链接器、汇编器以及其他一些东西。之后，我们将添加文本格式化程序、YACC、帝国游戏、电子表格以及数百种其他东西。我们希望最终提供 Unix 系统通常附带的所有有用东西，以及任何其他有用的东西，包括在线和纸质文档。

GNU 将能够运行 Unix 程序，但不会与 Unix 完全相同。我们将根据我们使用其他操作系统的经验，进行所有方便的改进。特别是，我们计划使用更长的文件名、文件版本号、防崩溃文件系统、文件名补全（可能）、独立于终端的显示支持，并最终通过基于 Lisp 的窗口系统，多个 Lisp 程序和普通的 Unix 程序可以共享屏幕。C 和 Lisp 都将作为系统编程语言提供。我们将拥有基于 MIT chaosnet 协议的网络软件，该协议远优于 UUCP。我们可能还会提供一些与 UUCP 兼容的东西。

我是谁？

我是 Richard Stallman，最初被广泛模仿的 EMACS 编辑器的发明者，现在在麻省理工学院的人工智能实验室工作。我在编译器、编辑器、调试器、命令解释器、不兼容分时系统和 Lisp 机器操作系统方面做了大量工作。我在 ITS 中率先实现了独立于终端的显示支持。此外，我还为 Lisp 机器实现了一个防崩溃文件系统和两个窗口系统。

我为什么必须编写 GNU

我认为，黄金法则要求如果我喜欢一个程序，我就必须与喜欢它的其他人分享。我不能违背良心签署保密协议或软件许可协议。

为了能够继续使用计算机而不违反我的原则，我决定组建一个足够的自由软件体系，以便我可以摆脱任何不自由的软件。

您如何贡献

我正在向计算机制造商寻求机器和资金的捐赠。我正在向个人寻求程序和工作的捐赠。

一家计算机制造商已经表示愿意提供一台机器。但我们可以使用更多。如果您捐赠机器，您可以预期的一个结果是 GNU 将在早期在这些机器上运行。该机器最好能够在住宅区运行，并且不需要复杂的冷却或电源。

个人程序员可以通过编写与 Unix 实用程序兼容的副本并将其提供给我来做出贡献。对于大多数项目，这种兼职分布式工作很难协调；独立编写的部分将无法协同工作。但是对于替换 Unix 的特定任务，这个问题不存在。大多数接口规范都由 Unix 兼容性固定。如果每个贡献都与其余的 Unix 一起工作，它很可能也与其余的 GNU 一起工作。

如果我收到资金捐赠，我可能会聘请一些全职或兼职人员。工资不会很高，但我正在寻找那些认为帮助人类与金钱一样重要的人。我认为这是一种使有奉献精神的人能够将全部精力投入到 GNU 工作中的方式，从而避免他们需要以其他方式谋生的需要。

如需更多信息，请联系我。

Arpanet 邮件
[email protected]

Usenet
...!mit-eddie!RMS@OZ
...!mit-vax!RMS@OZ

美国蜗牛邮件
Richard Stallman
166 Prospect St
Cambridge, MA 02139

原始消息

为了完整起见，此处以原始形式复制了原始电子邮件。

From CSvax:pur-ee:inuxc!ixn5c!ihnp4!houxm!mhuxi!eagle!mit-vax!mit-eddie!RMS@MIT-OZ
From: RMS%MIT-OZ@mit-eddie
Newsgroups: net.unix-wizards,net.usoft
Subject: new Unix implementation
Date: Tue, 27-Sep-83 12:35:59 EST
Organization: MIT AI Lab, Cambridge, MA

Free Unix!

Starting this Thanksgiving I am going to write a complete
Unix-compatible software system called GNU (for Gnu's Not Unix), and
give it away free [1] to everyone who can use it.
Contributions of time, money, programs and equipment are greatly
needed.

To begin with, GNU will be a kernel plus all the utilities needed to
write and run C programs: editor, shell, C compiler, linker,
assembler, and a few other things.  After this we will add a text
formatter, a YACC, an Empire game, a spreadsheet, and hundreds of
other things.  We hope to supply, eventually, everything useful that
normally comes with a Unix system, and anything else useful, including
on-line and hardcopy documentation.

GNU will be able to run Unix programs, but will not be identical
to Unix.  We will make all improvements that are convenient, based
on our experience with other operating systems.  In particular,
we plan to have longer filenames, file version numbers, a crashproof
file system, filename completion perhaps, terminal-independent
display support, and eventually a Lisp-based window system through
which several Lisp programs and ordinary Unix programs can share a screen.
Both C and Lisp will be available as system programming languages.
We will have network software based on MIT's chaosnet protocol,
far superior to UUCP.  We may also have something compatible
with UUCP.

Who Am I?

I am Richard Stallman, inventor of the original much-imitated EMACS
editor, now at the Artificial Intelligence Lab at MIT.  I have worked
extensively on compilers, editors, debuggers, command interpreters, the
Incompatible Timesharing System and the Lisp Machine operating system.
I pioneered terminal-independent display support in ITS.  In addition I
have implemented one crashproof file system and two window systems for
Lisp machines.

Why I Must Write GNU

I consider that the golden rule requires that if I like a program I
must share it with other people who like it.  I cannot in good
conscience sign a nondisclosure agreement or a software license
agreement.

So that I can continue to use computers without violating my principles,
I have decided to put together a sufficient body of free software so that
I will be able to get along without any software that is not free.

How You Can Contribute

I am asking computer manufacturers for donations of machines and money.
I'm asking individuals for donations of programs and work.

One computer manufacturer has already offered to provide a machine.  But
we could use more.  One consequence you can expect if you donate
machines is that GNU will run on them at an early date.  The machine had
better be able to operate in a residential area, and not require
sophisticated cooling or power.

Individual programmers can contribute by writing a compatible duplicate
of some Unix utility and giving it to me.  For most projects, such
part-time distributed work would be very hard to coordinate; the
independently-written parts would not work together.  But for the
particular task of replacing Unix, this problem is absent.  Most
interface specifications are fixed by Unix compatibility.  If each
contribution works with the rest of Unix, it will probably work
with the rest of GNU.

If I get donations of money, I may be able to hire a few people full or
part time.  The salary won't be high, but I'm looking for people for
whom knowing they are helping humanity is as important as money.  I view
this as a way of enabling dedicated people to devote their full energies to
working on GNU by sparing them the need to make a living in another way.

For more information, contact me.
Arpanet mail:
  [email protected]

Usenet:
  ...!mit-eddie!RMS@OZ
  ...!mit-vax!RMS@OZ

US Snail:
  Richard Stallman
  166 Prospect St
  Cambridge, MA 02139

脚注

这里的措辞很粗心。 原意是任何人都不必为使用 GNU 系统支付许可费用。但这些文字并没有明确这一点，人们经常将其解释为 GNU 的副本应该始终以很小或不收费的方式分发。这从来都不是本意。后来我学会了仔细区分自由意义上的“自由”和价格意义上的“自由”。自由软件是用户有权分发和更改的软件。一些用户可能会免费获得副本，而另一些用户则会付费获得副本——如果这些资金有助于支持改进软件，那就更好了。重要的是，每个拥有副本的人都有自由与他人合作使用它。

“赠送”一词也表明我尚未明确将价格问题与自由问题区分开来。我们现在建议在谈论自由软件时避免使用此表达。有关更多解释，请参见“混淆词语和短语”。