Linus Torvalds started the creation of the Linux "kernel", which is the core of the Linux OS. And Linus chose to use the General Public License (a.k.a. GPL, GPL agreement) as the license for the downloading, copying and general distribution of Linux.

The Linux kernel and most of the free software components in any Linux "distribution", including Ubuntu Linux, were created as part of the GNU (GNU's Not Unix) project. And these Linux software components are made available to everyone under

the GNU General Public License (GPL).

The GPL is different from most other paid and non-paid software licenses - and the GPL is radically different from standard "commercial" software licenses (copyright licenses).

The important and general principles that apply to GPL licensed software:

• Anyone can distribute any GPL software for free - and they can also charge for it. However, no one can restrict the redistribution of GPL software and the GPL software does not include any kind of warranty.

• A complete copy of the source code for the GPL software must be freely available and it must also include clear copyright documentation. Most “commercially available software" is only provided in binary (compiled, non-source code) form and therefore this type of software cannot be modified or changed as needed. Since the source code of a GPL software program is freely available, any programmer can modify the source code of the program and compile it to create an executable program.

• If program code (text in the source code file from which the program is compiled) is added to an existing GPL software program, then the modified version of the software program may also be redistributed. As always though, the source code (text file) and copyright information of the program must be available for all programs that have been derived from GPL software. This is the feature that allows all kinds of programmers to contribute to the Linux project. At the same time, it prevents someone from altering any part of a GPL software package and then claiming the software program as their own.

You can see the complete details of the GNU / GPL license at:

http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.txt

Some Linux distributions, such as Ubuntu Linux, only include "free" GPL software and these distros are free of charge to download - and they can also be purchased for a nominal fee on CD and DVD - or in the case of Ubuntu, they'll even mail it to you for free (but it may take up to ten weeks).

You can order Ubuntu Linux for delivery for free (including shipping by mail) from:

https://shipit.ubuntu.com

Some Linux distributions are not available for free. They still include GPL software, but the organization that created the distro has either decided to charge for the distro (such as by charging for technical support as a method of charging for the Linux OS) - or the distribution includes non-free non-GPL software (in other words, commercial software, as well as the GPL software, such as the Linux kernel and the GNU commands).

So, Linux is free - and sometimes it isn't - it all depends on where and how you get it!

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